I was advised the cabins at the state park are full every weekend during the season and they have listed programs inviting visitors to come to the visitors center, where the martin pole is located, and watch the martins come in each evening. She stated they always have visitors who are curious about the martins and come down each evening to observe them.
By the end of our conversation, I was asked by the Interpreter and her supervisor if I would visit the park to look at their setup and help with establishing programs regarding the martins for the park visitors.
Yesterday I went to the park and looked at their housing. Here is a picture of their location.
As you can see, you couldn't ask for a better location. Where I took the picture from is a large slab of concrete with about a dozen picnic tables. While there, I had the Interpreter get one of their gourds out. I showed her how to prepare a nest using pine needles and we hung the one gourd on the pole since martins are now returning to this area. She stated she would have the remaining gourds hung by this weekend.
We discussed many items regarding preparation and caring for the martins. I was happy to learn she does have a small budget from which she will be able to purchase oyster shells, seven powder and material to build a predator guard.
She wants to have weekly programs for the park visitors to view nest checks and banding of nestlings later in the season.
I am also working with the Park Interpreter at Lake Ouachita helping to start a martin colony. All of our states have state parks and I am finding this to be a great opportunity to introduce them to martins. I would guess most of the parks have a Park Interpreter who is responsible for, among other duties, arranging programs for the park visitors.
For those of you who are willing and able to help establish martin colony's, this is a great opportunity and has the potential of introducing martins to hundreds of visitors each year to our state parks.
Tim
