I should have known better than to trust a weather forecast. I dated a meteorologist many years ago. Not to say anything negative about him, but if he knew what an in-exact science forecasting the weather was, I should know by now.

The cold snap of this weekend was a frigid  mid seventy degrees. The weather was beautiful and picture postcard perfect. Today may have reached the low 80’s. So much for putting out crickets. No need to bother.

This morning I may have had a new female going in and out of compartments. I WILL stay out tonight and do a good head count. I promise! The Live streaming webcam/birdcam (whatever you want to call it) is proving addicting. I hope you all are enjoying it. I am still trying to get the stream on an “impartial/non-commercial” broadcast website without luck. I was told yesterday that I need to get a static IP address as my IP address is “dynamic” In regular language it means put out more money. Which brings me to a short statement I want to make.

For anyone that thinks that my motives on my websites are dollar driven. You can not be any further from the truth. When you add up all the upfront and operational costs of designing and making a website, you would see that it will be a long time before I can retire! Without going into my finances, I just want any nay-sayers to know that having just the name of the site (ie:MyPurpleMartinBlog.com and PurpleMartins-R-Us.com) costs money. You pay per year of having the name. Then you pay someone for “hosting” the site (computer space to store all the sites information) Then the charges for someone to make it look like it does, work like it does, inventory, time, search engine/Google results…the list goes on and on. Enough said!

Oh, My sweet darling of a husband, put up a small Bat House for me. He was not thrilled, but he did it with a smile and with his usual willingness to please. I can tell he is not over-joyed with the thought of Bats living on the chimney but his love for me is stronger than his disgust of Bat guano, I suppose. I am a lucky girl!

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2009: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

Certain things I just love. Like the the way a new car smells, new carpet, fresh laundry, new purple martin equipment. Yes, I know, most people don’t put bird houses on a list with clean clothes. I mean, it’s destined for the dirtiest of jobs. Bird poop in abundance, parasites, torrential rain and abuse from the elements. But still, the shiny metal and fresh plastic gourds are so clean and virginal, it seems a shame to get it all messed up. WHat am I talking about!?!? This is a hobby where your success is almost measured by the mess that you have to clean up at seasons end. The bigger the mess-the more Purple Martins you hosted. Right? Of course! We even go to the lengths of “dirtying up” a nest so it looks used. Smear a little mud here, a little dirt there, shove some old dried up pine needles in the compartment. Why heck, we have our new equipment looking like a college dorm room in no time!

Well, my new Purple Martin Gourd rack is up. For those following you know the quandry I was in to broach the subject of “what I wanted for Christmas.” I didn’t know how to convince my husband that a new gourd rack was ESSENTIAL to our marital bliss. But My husband is a smart man and a good man. In the end he asked me what I wanted for the holidays and I got my new rack. 

So there stands my new Creative Universe rack. Taking the place of a Quad tel pole that I almost ruptured a hernia on several times. 8 plastic gourds were too much to ask of me to lift up on a telescopic pole. The pole would slide through my hands with the speed of a demon if I forgot to put gloves on. Thankfully, never jarring an egg…but still. I was tempting fate. The attempts at lifting the rack back up were a true comedy act. By the end of the heavy hoist upwards, my arms would be trembling like a dried autumn leaf rustling violently by an Arctic blast, refusing to drop to the ground. Sweat would bead off my face like an Olympic runner…not that Jamaican runner though. A runner that actually had to put some effort into it. SO what was I to do? Tell a couple of birds that, “Hay, this rack is way to heavy so get outta here!” Heck no! I kept debating adding more but sensibility kept it at the 8 gourds that faithfully tended to 8 pairs of Purple Martins.

So back to my new rack. Concreted to perfection. Pulley rope wound neatly. I seem to find reasons to go out and lower it and raise it. The effortless rise, the graceful descent…oh the fluid movements. I sit and watch the rack at night on my new bird cam awaiting another day to play with it again. Can you tell how happy my husband has made me. I bask in the glow and await my birds return!

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2009: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

As Purple Martin season draws near I find myself torn between preparing for my birds return on one hand and preparations for “everything else” on the other. My birds returned on January 29 last season and I have the sneaking suspicion that they will be earlier this year. It always seems odd that Purple Martins arrive so much earlier on the West coast of florida. Why would one little Lake (Okeechobee) hold up my birds for an additional month? I should be grateful for the extra time. Especially this year. My 4 year old son started going to pre-K only 3 months ago. And in that time we have all endured the flu twice. My 2 boys also have suffered through a sinus infection, an ear infection and a never ending runny nose. So running outside to gather pine needles is low on the to-do list. But it had better make its way to the top soon. Being sick has delayed the preparation of many things.

I am in the process of trying to gather information for a database of South Florida Purple Martin Colonies and have been placing flyers on mail boxes of homes that have martin housing up. On January 21st I will be going to the 2009 Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in Titusville for 4 days. I will be giving 2 presentations on Purple Martins along with tending to my exhibitor booth. I am planning on being at the Folke Peterson Wildlife Center on Jan10 for the “Call Of The Wild” event, again to give a presentation and run an exhibitors booth. Then add all the web site development stuff I have undertaken, I still need to buy the cement for the ground stake, and get my new CUENT gourd rack up. I had planned on increasing my capacity this year but I may have to be satisfied with a slight increase. Last year I had 12 gourds and 7 compartments in my house. I had about 85% occupancy.

This season I plan on slightly increasing gourds offered to 17 and 6 compartments in a new Sunset Inn house. I MAY be able to add a live webcam this year and somehow integrate this feature in my website PurpleMartins-R-Us.com .

One thing I DID get to do was put another coat of paint on the “little repeating nest trap that could”. The paint may be the only thing holding this trap together at this point. The wood is warped, but the lines on this house were never straight to start out with. My husband is still in shock that it actually works and it was proven again when last week I put the trap up. I had thought I heard a Starlings wolf whistle amongst a large flock of Grackles. Long story short the “little trap that could” did not catch the starling but the next morning I awoke to find another Eastern Screech Owl in the holding cage. Off you go little guy, go get some sleep.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

Sometimes I believe that the essential thing that sets us apart from other animals is that we define ourselves. We have some sort of conception of who we are. Who are you? By even asking the question we show that “Who” is an essential and fundamental part of our life. Speaking for myself, I am always in flux on “who I am” at the moment. Most of the time, to my husbands chagrin, I am a “mom”. I try to keep “wife” close to the top of the list, but it seems that as I get older, instead of figuring out “who I am” more clearly, I discover that there are more layers to me than I ever knew existed. Of course I am sometimes things I don’t want to be. For example; I have no desire to be a psychologist but between my family and my kids, I feel like I am constantly either wearing a white coat or feeling like I want to put someone in a straight jacket. When I am up till 3 AM painting in one of my crazy artistic compulsions, I am an artist…but when I wake up the next morning at 6AM with the kids, I REALLY wish I was not.

Of course, many of you reading this define yourself (as do I) as a Purple Martin Landlord or Steward. This feels like a relatively new role for me that I am remarkably happy about. Though being a Purple Martin Landlord isn’t a job, it can often feel like one with all the blood, sweat and tears we put into it. But it’s not that hard. It comes naturally. I mean geez, it’s not brain surgery. It’s not an exclusive club that requires decades of experience before you can lay claim to basic knowledge.

Being a Purple Martin Landlord is a mix of passion, real interest, concern and love for a blue-ish black bird with a slightly forked tail.

Being a Landlord doesn’t require battle scars, but you will get them.

Being a Landlord doesn’t require admission or acceptance from any club, organization or group, only from those same birds we seek so desperately.

Being a Purple Martin Landlord doesn’t require a degree/diploma or certificate, only the ability to constantly seek out these birds and the answers that will help us to help them.

I am a Purple Martin Landlord. And I am glad you are one too.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

My current issue and problem is keeping me up late at nights. My husband asks what is wrong and I find myself in turmoil. Do I continue the hold back? DO I confess my thoughts? Do I start out marriage down a path of resentments and pain?

I am distraught. Less than 11 weeks to go and I still do not know how to approach the discussion that needs to take place. Let me explain…My husband is not, in ANY way shape or form a Purple Martin fan. Don’t get me wrong, he listens to me when I talk about them and cares that I care about them but if given to his druthers he wouldn’t care less if every rain forest was paved over. I love him dearly but how do I approach a frugal man with the money spending options in a nationwide economic recession? I can not lie, this I know. So instead I stare off into space wondering when and how I can bring this up.

I have a few options

1. Wait for the 2 weeks before Christmas and when he asks me, “Honey, what do you want for Christmas?” I let him have it with BOTH barrels instead of my usual reply, “I have all I need, my dear.”

2. Continue to pine and sigh and hope he notices my depressed state during “Half Time”.

3.Instruct my 2 1/2 year old to say, “Martins make mommy happy!”

4.Change the image on his computers desktop to that of a Big Ol Purple Martin Gourd rack…since he doesn’t know how to change it back he will eventually buy me the rack in order for me to get rid of the picture.

5.Arrange some sort of a “trade” with him…..hmmm

All because I am honest with my husband. I sometimes think what harm could a little white lie cause. But we must all remember the Rumpelstiltskin effect. You know that story, right? The father tells the King that his beautiful daughter can weave hay into gold. then she keeps getting in a bigger and bigger jam?

For example: “Oh look at what I found on the curb that someone was throwing away!! A brand new aluminum house with a winch system at that!” Of course I would then have to explain how I cleaned it up to look like new. I would then find myself in a bad scenario where he would start bringing me his favorite old salt water reel to clean up. Then my excuse to throw away his favorite old shirt and sweatpants with the multiple stains would be useless. “But honey, you can make anything look like new”

If I go with a “Oh, look what I won in this contest I entered”  Then my husband would send me out with his paycheck to buy lotto tickets. And he ALWAYS checks his numbers. Besides the fact, with my luck he would instantly know it was a lie. People ask me who I am routing on just so they can know what team to NOT bet on.

I guess I will just have to go with the honest straight forward, if not guilt ridden approach. “Honey, I bore you 2 beautiful sons. I cook, I clean and all I ask is this XYZ system to quench my thirst for Purple. How about it?”

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

I am so proud of the development that has been made at PurpleMartins-R-Us.com. Now, among the huge selection of Purple Martin gifts such as shirts, hats, decorative tiles, jewelry, art prints, signs, windcatchers and so much more, We now have a large selection of quality housing available. Aluminum house systems from Trendsetter.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

Greetings all! I want to first thank Terry and the Purple Martin Society for the privilege she has extended to me. To post my blog on such a platform as the PMS, NA Round Table Conferences, is an honor. It’s not everyday that someone wants to hear me talk about “my” birds. Though I have been blogging quite regularly (since March of 08) on this blog site, other than my faithful handful of followers, people don’t know me from Adam. So I am grateful and thrilled to expand my audience of those, like me, afflicted with this Purple Condition. Thankfully the cure will arrive, for me, in about 89 days. 

So here I am. Let me be clear that I DO NOT consider myself any authority. There are many fine men and women that have been hosting Purple Martins all over this continent, far longer than I. I tip my cap to you. I only aim to voice my perceptions of my humble colony. So far my blogging has served as a glimpse into the world of being a Purple Martin Landlord for those that are venturing into this endeavor for the first time. What my blog will become, over time, I can not say. I can only say, “Let’s enjoy the ride.”

If you have not visited the Purple Martin Society, NA-Round Table Conferences, please check them out. My blog will be appearing there as “Susan’s Purple Martin Blog”

God Bless

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

by: Susan Halpin

I have been thinking a lot lately of the latest fad of “going green”. It seems like using environmentally friendly products has become all the rage. Reducing ones carbon footprint has become the quest of many. But with all these acts of conservationism none is as humble and beautiful as what a Purple Martin Landlord does for his birds.
Not many people are aware of the plight of the Purple Martin. Besides the fact that most people have NO idea what a Purple Martin is, the act of putting up a house or a gourd for a Purple Martin to live in is becoming a remnant of a bygone era. Much like families sitting together for dinner-SANS Television, putting up housing is something more of us should do but not many of us actually do.
What is so compelling about this bird anyway? It’s about 8 inches long and so are a lot of other birds. The males are a steely blue-ish black…OK. The females not as fancy looking…alright. What is the big deal? Since these birds will never visit your backyard bird feeder most people will never get to find out. But if you are blessed enough to witness them, you will be taken in by their beautiful song, unquestionable grace in the air and apparent joy of flight.

So why am I writing this? You wanted to help the environment. You want to make a difference in the world. Feel free to donate money to save the Whales. Don’t let me stop you from recycling the newspaper. But other than a change in your routine and giving up a Starbucks Latte twice a week, what do you want to do? Do you want to make a difference right in your own backyard?
Many people want to help nature but they just don’t know how. We go to our local “Mart” super store and spend 20 bucks on a nest box and complain that no birds ever nest in it. So, what can YOU do to make a difference? CAN you even make a difference? ABSOLUTELY! It’s not easy and sometimes it’s not pretty either. But the joy you will experience, the pride you will feel, the sense of accomplishment will be amazing!
Back in the 40’s and 50’s, when putting up a house for Purple Martins was popular, you could drive down a road and see birdhouse after birdhouse. Heck, there was a time when parks and public areas would put up housing for Purple Martins. Then something happened. Somewhere along the line, we forgot about those that were so completely dependant on us for their continued survival.
So what happened? We may have many opinions on that but one thing is certain. Literally, only individuals, like you, hold the key to this birds survival.
That’s right, You-by putting up Purple Martin housing- can be personally responsible for bringing Purple Martins into the world. You can be single-handedly, the most important factor in those birds life. For what purpose does any life have? Only to be born and die, and hopefully adding some offspring to the mix. As long as more are added to the population than die, we will slowly and surely fill the skies with Purple Martins. But your help is needed. Your actions are vital. Join fellow Landlords and raise up a Purple Martin house and enjoy the song and grace and joy that you will have added to the world.

For more info on Purple Martins go to: www.PurpleMartins-R-Us.com
Or check out some of the links on the right.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

September 4, 2004, a date that will live in infamy. Well, at least for me it will. 13 days prior to that I had given birth to my son via cesarean. After being discharged from the hospital on the 26 (I believe) I crawled into bed in pain and in a fog. My son was a blessing but feeding him was proving to be a problem. Without getting too graphic, God’s way of feeding children was not working out well. I was sleep deprived and my son was happier with a bottle in his mouth. I recall the news talk about a hurricane approaching. I also recall my every waking moment being full of diapers and bottles and pumping and all the other bits of being a brand new mom. I was a tad preoccupied. And I must admit, I was a bit weary of warnings to board up your house and store water and supplies.
I grew up in Florida and have vague recollections of what hurricanes meant for me. Hurricane David was a big to-do back in 1979 and was touted as a monster but to me it was a day off of school and a camp out at home. I think I slept through it. Hurricane Andrew in 1992 was a lot scarier. I lived on my own in the Ft.Lauderdale area and there we had wind that swayed metal street lights as if they were made of rubber. I rented an apartment and no one bothered to board any windows. I pushed my sofa up to my sliding glass door and recall stuffing my washer and dryer with all my photos and things I could NOT live without and huddled in a safe room for a few hours.
Fast forward to 2004, I guess I didn’t think that I had to be the one to prepare. My husband, never having been through a proper hurricane did not bother to fill up the bath tubs with water. By the time I realized nothing had been bought-no water, no food, no supplies, I was too tired to care and fell asleep. I awoke shortly thereafter to no power, no water, no toilet or showers. It was 2 weeks of no power and a much longer story I am writing here.
My point is: I pray that all those in the path of “IKE” heed the warnings and get out. I pray all those that need help, receive it. I pray that all those that will be suffering are helped. I pray that this hurricane brings people together in the spirit of goodness and grace. May God have mercy on Galveston tonight.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com