Eggs!!!
| INSIDE THE GOURD | EXTERIOR CAMERA |
Last Year
Hatch: June 21st, Fledge: July 18th
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Welcome to Gazebophil.com
This website features live coverage of the hatching, feeding and fledging of the largest swallow in North America:
The lovable and fascinating Purple Martin
Yep, this is live. And don't forget to turn the sound up.
And tell the kids!
Our Purple Martins arrived in late April/early May and will depart in August not long after the chicks leave the nest. We call this fledging. The chicks call it scary. Not long after fledging, the whole family (including the new members) will fly off to their winter home in Brazil, really - Brazil! And come back next year. Cool!
The column on the right is written by a young naturalist from the Connecticut Audubon Society. (Scroll down for photos of some of Connecticut Audubon’s faithful). These neo Darwins are the only wise men and women standing between a busy shore line of birds galore (see our exterior camera video at low tide) and an empty wasteland of man-made decay. Audubon volunteers work to ensure your grandchildren will actually see a live Purple Martin.
Scott Kruitbosch's piece at right offers information about Connecticut's Purple Martin world, including our population at
Your questions welcome.
Here are links created by bird lovers who became as fascinated with this drama as were the slaves who lived in colonies in early America. They placed real gourds, carved out, on a pole or a high clothes line. These imprisoned people must have watched enviously as the free Purple Martins spent the whole day swooping out and about, back and forth in non-stop daily feedings and finally, their departure for the flight back to Brazil.
You will find everything you wanted to know about Purple Martins at these websites:
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Incubation continues
We are still waiting for the big moment when the eggs will hatch. This hatching date will likely be near June 25, give or take a few days depending on these specific eggs and their development. Our martins have been incubating the eggs nonstop, keeping them at the perfect temperature despite a lot of rainy days. It can be difficult to tune in at the right moment to see them exposed but here is a screenshot I took where you can see all five of the eggs.
By the time I looked back at the cam incubation was already occurring once again. I mentioned previously how this year's pair is providing a terrific example of how to place the eggs in the gourd. They are near the back, well out of the hot sunlight and far from any possible cold winds. That way mom and dad have a much easier time controlling the temperature and keeping them safe.
The five egg count is the same as the pair we had in the cam gourd last season. It is a very typical number for our Purple Martins. We can hope that all of the eggs are viable, meaning they have growing birds in them that will hatch, and if they are then the parents will have a lot of work to do very soon. It is certainly possible to fledge all five young birds out of a five egg nest but it is difficult. You are going to see the parents zipping in and out bringing back as much food as possible as they place it in the mouth of each tiny pink nestling. They are going to grow at a rate that will be perceptible almost every day for a couple of weeks after hatching. We will be watching for the first egg to crack soon and we hope you are, too.
Scott Kruitbosch
Conservation Technician
Questions From Our Visitors
Q: I count 5 eggs inn the back of the nest. -- OLIVIA F., Fairfield,USAA: Thank you for the observations along with everyone else who sent us so much data in the past few weeks. This seems to be the final count this year for the cam gourd pair.
Scott Kruitbosch - Conservation Technician
Q: As of June 8, 7"30 p.m. we have 53 eggs in our 14 occupied Martin nests, plus one that has rolled out or placed out of the central nest. We have 2 nests occupied by sparrows, which I remove weekly. Some of our nests have just 2 or 3 eggs, so I am hoping for more.
I hope that better weather will now bring more food for the Martins!
We have a nest-cam now, thanks to Phil's suggestion. It is not focused quite correctly, but is thrilling to watch! -- Maryanne H., Branford,CT
A: That's fantastic to hear! We hope those nests filled out with eggs once the weather changed a bit and that you enjoy watching your Purple Martins as much as we enjoy watching this colony.
Scott Kruitbosch - Conservation Technician
Q: I see the eggs have arrived. So happy since the birds had cold weather there for awhile. I can't wait for them to hatch. -- Karen R., Anderson,SC
A: Neither can we! Our area experienced average temperatures in May and now, as usual in the past several years, above-average temperatures in June. However, we have had a lot of rain with totals far above normal values. The immediate future in the latter half of June should be seasonable in all regards and help protect the eggs.
Scott Kruitbosch - Conservation Technician
Click HERE for more Questions & Answers!
Dear Gazebophiles,
Below is a letter we received from a U.S. soldier in Iraq. Pardon our pride, we are all pumped around here knowing that our BHU (Bird Housing Unit) is playing a CSU (Combat Housing Unit) somewhere in what is probably a lousy neighborhood.
For our soldier visiting us: Thanks, Ms.W. (You didn't tell us your rank) You made our day. You might say, we're tickled purple!
Gazebophil
I am an active duty Soldier, currently stationed in Iraq, as part of the combat stress control team. I can't tell you how great it has been the last few weeks, to check in to your webcam, in anticipation of the arrival of a nesting pair of these beautiful and interesting birds. And how exciting it is to watch them begin to set up house in the gourd. I love to hear the whole flock- my CHU (Combat Housing Unit) is filled with their songs. I have sent the site to my team members and am certain they are watching in wonder, as well. I will be giving it to many of our stresed out soldiers, too. It is a very wholesome, relaxing and stress-reducing activity! Thank you for setting this up! I am eager to follow the progression from setting up house, to flight of the fledgelings!
Glenda W., IRAQ
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| Laurie Doss, volunteer, banded birds |
Tom Mitchell, volunteer, opened bands |
Milan Bull, CAS Senior Director of Science and Conservation |
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| Geoffrey Krukar, CT DEEP staff, banded birds and recorded data |
Audra Valailis(L) CT DEEP staff, banded birds and recorded data |
Barbara Mitchell(R at gourds), volunteer, transported birds |
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| Gazebo Phil | Dr. Twan Leenders, CAS Conservation Biologist |
Laurie Fortin, CT DEEP staff, banded birds |
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| Ann Murray, volunteer, aged and weighed birds |
Tammy Conley, volunteer, transported birds |
Scott Kruitbosch(L), CAS Conservation Technician |
