This year, twenty-eight Friends of Greenwich Point Purple Martin

gourds were put up for the fifth season near the Clambake area

and Gatehouse Dune on April 7 by FoGP advisory board

member Mike Aurelia and Matt Goclowski, the Town's

conservation assistant.  In addition, two existing units were

moved to the Clambake site and one units was relocated to the

dune near the garehouse.  Pairs of Purple Martins began

investigating individual gourds within a few weeks.  By the end

of the month, returning Purple Martins were reported by

Greenwich Point through 3-Birds "Greenwich Point Park" hot spot.

 

The first gourd inspections started on April 30th.  By June 4th,
eggs had been laid in eight of the fourteen gourds at the Clambake site, the only location that produced chicks this year.  On July 2nd staff members of CT DEEP (including Geoff Krukar) and some volunteers banded individual chicks with federal and the Greenwich Point blue and yellow leg bands.  Thirty-three of the larger chicks received the bands.  One chick was too small and it was noted that eggs had been laid in four additional nests.  Some of this year's adult birds not only had the federal but also CT location bands.  At tleast three adult Purple Martings were from the nearby Westport colony - Sherwood Island State Park (red bands).  Our Greenwich Purple Martin colony continues to grow and we look forward to producing more fledglings next season.