[Birdtalk] One More Purple Martin Site

[Kristin Purdy]

Today I practiced a new technique for finding a Purple Martin nest cavity in the Monte Cristo Range. I left the pink tape in the truck so I didn't have what I needed to mark the tree when I found it. The technique worked like a charm--sort of like washing your vehicle to bring on a rainstorm. 

Purple Martin nest tree #4 (PUMA 4) is located at mile 48.9 of SR-39, right side of the road as you proceed toward Woodruff, and just a tenth of a mile past Curtis Creek Road. 

This nest site is the first one I've found in a live aspen. The tree is just 20 paces off the road and the nest hole is 35-40 feet up. These birds can be viewed while standing on pavement. The tree has remnants of a bluebird nest box nailed to it and of course, now it's decorated with pink tape retrieved from the truck. 

If you visit, be alert for the adults' alarm calls as the pair seemed nervous due to my presence. The other three pairs were oblivious. I backed off into the cover of nearby aspens until the alarm calls ceased. 

It took about 3 hours of searching until I found this site. At times I was a half mile from the highway; when I finally found this tree, I was within sight of my truck. Too bad I didn't travel along the search route in reverse. 

Reply if you want the details of sites PUMA 1, 2, and 3, previously posted. Interestingly, Paul Higgins plotted the GPS coordinates with mapping software and the map reveals that PUMA 1 and 4 are in Rich County and PUMA 2 and 3 are in Cache County. The four sites are within hundreds of yards of each other and when the dots are connected, they form a leaning rectangle around the intersection of the highway and Curtis Creek Road.  

There were legions of Cassin's Finches in the high country today, especially recently-fledged birds, and I saw one adult male Red Crossbill. I stopped at the Lewis's Woodpecker nest site at mile 27.1 of SR-39 in Weber County. It appears that the young have fledged. I  didn't see any activity around the nest snag. Two Lewis's were flycatching along the powerline on the slope above the road at about mile 26.9. One was an adult--very red/pink breast and belly, raggedy flight feathers--and the other appeared to be a juvenile--minimal pink on lower belly, perfect flight feathers, goofy behavior.  

The predominant flying species in the high country continues to be the flies. Today I discovered that they don't taste so bad, but they tickle when they're breakdancing on your tongue. I was able to spit out the fly so I didn't have to live the story that begins with, "I know an old lady who swallowed a fly..."

Kris
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