My trip to the Purple Martin Spectacular/pics

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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

Friday evening my wife and I along with my son and his wife drove over to NJ to see the purple martin roost along the Maurice river. The weather was perfect, beautiful sunset and an almost full moon. The roost was not as large as last year and were roosting further back in the marsh, last year our boat was in the swarm of martins. We heard that the first big group of martins had already left the roost with the cool front from the north that moved in a few days ago.

Here I am boarding the fishing boat Boadacious
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The martins roost in the marsh reeds
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There was a beautiful sunset
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The moon was almost full
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We could view the moon rise which was over the roost and the sunset over the water in the opposite side.
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~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Tim Stover
Posts: 505
Joined: Fri Jan 22, 2010 4:04 pm
Location: Tennesse/Madisonville

very nice pictures Ray thanks for sharing
2009 2pair 2010 24pair 2011 106 pair
2012 124 pair
2013 145
2014 170 pair
+
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Don~VA
Posts: 391
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:01 am
Location: Virginia/King George
Martin Colony History: Had a colony many years ago which dwindled over a couple of years and then did not return. Kept trying each year for almost 20 years and finally had a small success in 2011 with two pairs nesting. Colony has grown slowly each year with 22 pairs in 2015. In 2016 my gourd rack of 18 gourds filled up so I added 4 more gourds and then put up a small rack of 6 gourds. All of those were claimed within a few days so I believe I have at least 25 pairs this year.

Beautiful photos Ray! I especially love the last two with the full moon background and beautiful sky at sunset. They are definitely worth framing. Thanks for sharing.
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
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razman
Posts: 568
Joined: Sun May 09, 2004 3:14 pm
Location: wichita ks

AWESOME pics! just beautiful....thanks
2004...notta
2005-2008 lookies
2009...lookies, and a SYM hanging around a bunch
2010...an ASY pair! 5 eggs, 5 babies fledged! yehawwwwwwwwww
2011....still only one nesting pair..extreme heat killed the babies
2012..ASY pair...fledged 4 babies!
2013 notta, few lookie lous
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Connie Roman ~ NJ
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:42 pm
Location: Pennington/New Jersey
Martin Colony History: Attracted my first pair in 2006.
I now have 5 gourd racks, offer 66 Gourds, and average 50 pair a year.

Ray,
Last year, my husband and I took the Saturday night cruise on the Bodacious to see the Maurice River Roost. It was A*MAZ*ING. I’m the Martin fanatic in my house and the cruise was a wonderful experience to share with others who love Purple Martins as much as I do. Thank you for sharing your beautiful pictures.
Connie
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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

Connie, my wife and I were on the saturday evening cruise last year, we went both nights,last year the roost was not so far back in the marsh.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Connie Roman ~ NJ
Posts: 43
Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:42 pm
Location: Pennington/New Jersey
Martin Colony History: Attracted my first pair in 2006.
I now have 5 gourd racks, offer 66 Gourds, and average 50 pair a year.

Ray,
We didn’t go this year because it’s a two hour drive to get there and the two hour drive home after the cruise makes for a long evening. If we go next year I’ll be sure to let you know. It’s always a pleasure to meet fellow landlords.
Connie
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Laverne
Posts: 2216
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: TX/Alvin
Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.

Wow, Ray -- beautiful photos!!!

I'm gonna make the moonshot my wallpaper for a while. I love it that much!

I've never been to your part of the United States, we've never done a lot of traveling, but I have learned from this Forum that Purple Martin landlords are the same all over this great country (and that includes Canada)! We all love our birds and how each season ends with the crescendo of a Roost Spectacular!

I hope every landlord gets the opportunity to see one. They are incredibly awesome!! :roll: :wink: :shock: 8)

Thank you, Ray, for sharing your photos.
Sincerely,
Laverne
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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

Glad you like the pictures, there's nothing like viewing a roost in person.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Fredmyyster
Posts: 280
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:30 pm
Location: Tennessee/ Nashville

Those photos are spectacular !
Empty POOLS are a Delight ! !
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CMF
Posts: 335
Joined: Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:18 am
Location: Georgetown, DE

I heard you met some of my family Mike & Judy from Lewes on the Friday run. She said you were flaunting the MartinFest 2011 T shirt. They were amazed at the roost. Thanks for posting the pics!
Chuck
In my many years I have come to a conclusion that
one useless man is a shame,
two is a law firm and
three or more is a congress.-- John Adams
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