Backyard Wildlife Habitats

Did you know that Lake Murray contains the world’s largest purple martin roosting area?   If you haven’t seen them come in to roost on this island, you are missing a truly incredible sight.  

Lunch Island, also known as Doolittle Island or Bombing Range Island, in the middle of Lake Murray, is North America’s first officially designated Purple Martin sanctuary.  On summer evenings, boats gather at dusk to witness the wonder of thousands and thousands of Purple Martins coming to the island to roost. It is estimated that more than 700,000 purple martins visit this island during the peak roosting in July. There are so many birds in the air around this island that they can be seen on doppler radar!  They appear to build up into a funnel and then swoop down counter-clockwise to roost.

The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is offering you an opportunity to witness the purple martins roosting on Tuesday, July 15, 2007 from 7:30-10:30 pm.   Join SCWF Host, Sara Green, for a sunset cruise on The Southern Patriot Tour Boat, which will take SCWF members out near this island to await the roosting birds. The fee is $40.00 per person, and includes boat pass, hors d’oeuvres, beer, wine & sodas. Trip is only open to SCWF members and their guests. (visit our website to become a member today and register online for this exciting trip!)

Previous Blog Posts relating to Purple Martins:

Attracting Purple Martins: http://habitat.thestateonline.com/?p=32

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AN EVENING WITH AN ENDANGERED SPECIES: Wood Storks

THE SOUTH CAROLINA WILDLIFE  FEDERATION
AND SKEET AND GAIL BURRIS INVITE  YOU TO JOIN US
FOR AN EVENING OF OBSERVING THE ENDANGERED
WOOD STORKS AT CYPRESS BAY PLANTATION.
OUR TIME WITH THE WOOD STORKS WILL BE FOLLOWED
BY A RECEPTION IN THE AIR CONDITIONED LAKE HOUSE.

Cypress Bay Plantation
411 Wild Turkey Trail
Varnville, SC 29944

SATURDAY
JULY 12, 2008

4:00 PM ENDANGERED WOOD STORK VIEWING

5:00-7:00 PM RECEPTION WITH LIGHT
HORS D’OUEVRES & ENTERTAINMENT

*PLEASE REGISTER WITH THE SC WILDLIFE FEDERATION*
(803) 256-0670 OR SARA@SCWF.ORG

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I was watering my tomatoes today when my 2 dogs started going nuts by the compost bin.  My first thought was that my friendly black rat snake was back.  Upon further inspection, I found a baby robin trapped in the bin.  He was not a TINY baby, but was old enough to be learning how to fly.  What an ordeal for him!  It was also quite an ordeal for the parent bird.  My dogs got divebombed while they were investigating the baby. 

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Good reminder from the Cape Romain Bird Observatory:

To point out the obvious: in the midst of heat waves like the current one, a supply of fresh water (in the shade) is terribly important for our backyard birds.

In our hectic modern lives, it is easy to forget to clean and fill birdbaths, especially more than once per day.  And most of our birdbaths do get empty or dirty well before day’s end.

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I was just contacted by Southern Living Magazine and they want to do a story on me and my Backyard Wildlife Habitat!  How exciting!  It will be in the South Carolina People & Places section.  They are sending a photographer in August, so I have a little time to make sure my yard’s in great shape!  I’m starting a list of some plants that I want to add, and a few things that need to be cleaned up before they come.  I’ll keep you posted on my progress, and let you know when the piece will be published!

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Tune into WACH Fox News in Columbia tomorrow morning at 8:20 and see me!  I’ll be talking about the Green Hour program, and giving people ideas to get their children outside during the summer.  See a few posts down for more information on the Green Hour Program.

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I got home from the beach yesterday to find that it has been extremely hot and dry here!  I had a friend come and water the tomatoes while we were gone, but many of my flowers have suffered.  Even my black-eyed susans, which are very drought- and heat-tolerant were beginning to wilt.  I sure am glad for this rain today!  I hope it continues through the evening. 

I also came home to find that there are bluebird babies in my nesting box!  I knew the bluebird pair was busy building a nest and had been hanging around a lot lately, but I can’t see into the box, so wasn’t sure if there were eggs yet.  But, now I can hear the little babies peeping when mom & dad bring back food.  I’ll have to get some more mealworms for them!

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Just wanted to let everyone know that I’ll be at the beach until June 15th.  I’ll be back to blogging after that!  Have a great week.

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The South Carolina Wildlife Federation is introducing the Midlands Green Hour Program - designed to get kids outside, and away from electronics, for at least 1 hour every day.  The SCWF has developed a Green Hour Passport for kids to track 20 hours spent outside, and then return it to the SCWF for special prizes!  The Grand Prizes are a canoe trip for 6 on the Congaree River, and Tubing for 6 on the Congaree River. 

Most adults of a certain age have childhood memories of carefree days spent playing outdoors — climbing, digging, collecting, building, and exploring the natural world around them, at their own pace, in their own way.  Those children of a generation ago are the parents of today, and you might expect such outdoor play to be part of their families’ lifestyle. But today’s overscheduled kids are increasingly “plugged in” to electronic devices and media and unplugged from the fundamental and formative experience of nature in their own neighborhood. Their senses — including, most sadly, their sense of wonder — are bombarded, overwhelmed, and ultimately diminished.

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