Get purple martin houses ready for birds' return By Gary Clark , Nature Columnist Jan 31, 2014 Purple Martin scouts began arriving in the Houston area in mid-January.

Harrison resident Ken Kostka has worked for years to revitalize the region’s colony of purple martins — the species of bird that vanished from Western Pennsylvania after Tropical Storm Agnes ...

This year, 34 people, some of them neighbors, have signed up for duty, which involves checking the houses daily to make sure they are primed for purple martin living.

Spring officially starts March 20. For gardeners who love feathered friends, spring actually starts when the purple martin scouts arrive. In my recollection this date has been any time from March ...

In addition to visiting the purple martin colony, you can participate in these free walks in Clove Lakes Park to look for warblers and other migrants. Wednesday, 10 a.m. Meet Ed Johnson at the ...

Control winter weeds in the lawn by applying a 2-4D product such as Weed Free Zone. ... Purple martin houses placed in the middle of trees don’t usually attract tenants.

In the 1960s, Vogel said, a company selling purple martin houses spread a myth that the birds ate up to 2,000 mosquitoes a day. The marketing gimmick was good for sales, Vogel said, but it didn't ...

Adding new houses to colony sites can help birders accommodate growing purple martin families. Speed: The top flight speed of purple martins is greater than 40 mph.