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The Green Creek Wildlife Society and Paula Ziebarth arranged the banding of the young purple martins at the nesting gourd rigs at the Scheeff East Point Preserve on July 10. Tom Kashmer, Lisa Rock, Paula Ziebarth, Helen Hollis, Mike Laconis, and AmeriCorp intern Olive O’Rourke Scherf all pitched in to help.  Tom Kashmer reported that 174 young purple martins were banded at the Scheeff East Point Preserve. They also banded 121 birds at Paula Ziebarth’s house and 33 at her neighbors, Audrey Borcher and 11 at Lisa Brohl’s, and 31 at the South Bass Island Lighthouse for a grand total of 404 banded for the day!

Thanks to Paula Ziebarth and all our volunteers for the great gift of the purple martin colonies!  We appreciate the assistance of Miller Boat Line with passenger fare for our banders and the Lake Erie Islands Conservancy for paying for the vehicle transportation.

Enjoy videos from a camera inside the nesting boxes of Dave Marshall, a resident of the West Shore of South Bass Island. Thanks Dave for sharing!

Purple martins are great to have around as they eat lots and lots of insects-even mosquitoes-timing their nesting around the abundant mayfly population!