Journey to the 6th Annual Purple Martin Festival
As purple martins have taken flight across two continents to spend springs and summers with us in Wisconsin, so too will we celebrate their return in the backyard of Marsh Haven Nature Center of their long journey there. Join us on June 24 to celebrate our 6th Purple Martin Festival near Waupun and the Horicon Marsh discussing everything relating to martins. Our family of feathered friends will delight us with first hand sightings and sounds of 30 pairs of melodious cheers. We will be in the land of international importance, located at the Marsh Haven Nature Center W10145 State Road 49 Waupun, WI 53963 just north of the Horicon Marsh. A brat fry and activities for both youths and adults will be offered at Marsh Haven Nature Center from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. Numerous trails are available for walking, which wind through woods, prairie, and wetland habitats going by a 30-foot observation tower viewing the surrounding landscape. Talks, plenty of martins - whether rain or shine, live camera-showing activity inside a martin cavity, martin-housing vendor & information, silent auction, and if the weather is truly cooperative, a close up view of adult martins will be shown with their nests and through bird banding.
Each year many Wisconsinites anticipate the return of purple martins making a 5,000-mile flight from South America to their backyard from April to the end of June. Purple martins are one of the earliest spring migrants. They are semi-dependent upon people to provide housing & security for their reproduction to be successful. Because of this close association with people, purple martins need managers to be educated to prevent Wisconsin’s sinking purple martin population.
Information is available online at http://www.wisconsinpurplemartins.org/ from Wisconsin Purple Martin Association or Marsh Haven Nature Centerhttp://www.marshhaven.com in Waupun.
Purple martins are the largest members of the swallow family weighing a little over 2.25 ounces with an overall length of 7-8 inches. Martins are colonial nesting, raising one brood per year laying up to eight eggs. They can migrate 6,000 to 10,000 miles yearly with an average adult life span of around 3-4 years with the oldest surviving martin attaining over 13 years of age. Once a colony has been established at a site, they are true to returning to the exact spot of housing they had successfully fledged young. Since 2013 in Wisconsin, purple martins are listed as aspecies of special concern. Annual surveys conducted for nearly 50 years have shown purple martins have declined 6.84% per year (1966-2015) in Wisconsin while declining 7.67% per year within the most recent decade (2005-2015) of information. Simply stated, all annual route surveys tallied went from 591 purple martins in 1971 to 21 in 2015. As we are into the breeding season, property managers need all the tools to secure their colonies and benefit from the mentors across Wisconsin. Cool wet weather for spring 2017, has created some challenges for established colonies. Fewer aerial insects are in flight, more energy demands for purple martins, and possible health issues having greater impact for stress on their lives.
“Purple martins bring an intimate connection with wildlife. They are like family members coming to Wisconsin for the spring and summer to visit our properties rewarding us with their friendship, melodious calls and sharing their ecological pursuits of reproductive proficiency. When purple martins have migrated south we are left with memories and the longings for their return from South America,” said Dick Nikolai, a retired biologist with the state Department of Natural Resources”. He can be contacted at prairiechicken@att.net for further information.
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MartinFest June 24, 2017
At Marsh Haven Nature Center
W1045 State Road 49, Waupun, Wisconsin 53963
Sponsored by the Wisconsin Purple Martin Association
https://www.wisconsinpurplemartins.org
The Wisconsin Purple Martin Association (WPMA) along with the Marsh Haven Nature Center will be hosting MartinFest 2017.
Come meet other purple martin enthusiasts and landlords from across the State of Wisconsin and beyond. Plan to be inspired by the mesmerizing sights and sounds of Marsh Haven's active purple martin colony. A comprehensive purple martin workshop is scheduled to educate and bring discussion along with a bird banding demonstration by Master Bird Bander - Dick Nikolai. Various vendors will be onsite throughout the day and our Festival would not be complete without our popular silent auction. Food & refreshments will be available, so bring the family and help us celebrate "MartinFest 2017" as the event is free and open to the public.
Agenda
10:00 AM —MartinFest Opens/Sign In/Browse Displays
10:15-10:40 AM—Seminar 1, Purple Martin Ecology—Dick Nikolai
10:45-11:10 AM—Seminar 2, Types of Purple Martin Housing—Les Rhines
11:15-11:40 AM—Seminar 3, Attracting Techniques for Purple Martins—Les Rhines
11:45-12:10 PM—Seminar 4, Preventing Nest Competition for Martins—Les Rhines
12:15-1:00 PM—Lunch, Browse Displays, View Martin Colony
1:00-3:00 PM—Seminar 5, Bird Banding Demonstration—Dick Nikolai & Bob Ring
2:30 PM—Silent Auction Closes
3:00-4:00 PM—Silent Auction Items Awarded
Booths: Purple Martin Housing—Bob Shimek
Sparrow Traps, Aerial insect/food flippers, etc.—Wisconsin Purple Martin Association
MartinFest Event Contacts:
- Wisconsin Purple Martin Association http://www.wisconsinpurplemartins.org/
- Dick Nikolai at 920-734-0828 or prairiechicken@att.net
- Les Rhines at 920-889-0060 or musthavemartins@gmail.com
- Renee Wahlen at 920-318-9518 or director@marshhaven.com