[Birdtalk] Nebo loop purple martins

[L. D. Giddings]

Yesterday I decided to see if the snow had melted sufficiently to make
it possible to check on the Nebo loop purple martins. The road is
entirely snow-free from Payson to Payson lakes and almost completely
snow-free to the Mona canyon cut-off. Beyond Mona canyon the road has a
fair amount of snow in places and is still littered with rocks and
branches from the winter, but it is easily negotiable up to just a few
hundred yards below the stand of aspen where the martins nest.

Many swallows were present yesterday and it was fun to watch them play
on the wind. Most were violet-green and tree swallows, but there was a
small but unmistakable contingent of purple martins present. I noticed
that two white four-hole next boxes have been secured to trees in the
nesting grove that I do not think were present last Spring. I did not
notice the birds using the nest boxes but did not want to wait around
too long in case I was disturbing them, nor did I venture down off the
road and into the grove to check.

By the way, I would guess it will be at least another 10-14 days before
the road is sufficiently snow-free for most people to make it all the
way over to Nephi.

Lu Giddings