My faithful purple martins have left the farm. Where did you go?
The silence is awful – their chatter was so soothing. Now they are gone. They have started their long journey south.
A Family Squabble
They don’t head straight to South America. They “hole up” for several weeks in places just south of here like Mann’s Harbor, in the North Carolina’s Outer Banks, where they have been going for more than 50 years.
Those wonderful, rowdy purple martins that liven up our farms and backyards are gone from NC. They are headed back to Brazil – an arduous journey that they make every year. But they do make several stops along the way.
Vacancy at Big Mill B&B – Our Martins are Gone
The Crystal Dawn head boat from Manteo, NC used to offer a sunset cruise for folks to see the martins come home to roost. That is no more, the numbers of birds are not there.
Some purple martins are still roosting under the William B. Umstead Bridge, also known as the Mann’s Harbor Bridge. There just aren’t as many as before. No one knows why.
Sunset at Mann’s Harbor
As in past years, the N.C. Department of Transportation still temporarily lowers the bridge’s speed limit from 55 mph to 20 mph and added flashing lights during the roosting season to safeguard the purple martins from traffic. The numbers of purple martins who arrive in late spring seem to be the same as always. We just don’t seem to know where they go when they leave. They will eventually end up in South America, probably Brazil.
Until we see you at Big Mill Extended Stay B&B again in March, bon voyage to my purple martins.
Distances to Big Mill Extended Stay B&B from:
Raleigh, NC – 100 miles
Greenville, NC – 27 miles
Outer Banks – 98 miles
Big Mill Bed and Breakfast in Williamston, NC
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