[Community_garden] The Word on Birds

[Dorene Pasekoff]

Hi, Folks!

 

I'm taking "goatsucker" out of the subject line, because when folks e-mailed
me off-list, my spam filter kept asking me if I was sure the notes shouldn't
be sent to my Junk Folder! ;-D

 

Here is the word from our garden's bird expert (we're in Southeastern PA):

 

Purple martins like light colored "apartment" type birdhouses as they are
social nesters and like a variety of nests to choose from.  They also very
often live in nests perched high above open bodies of water (such as ponds
and lakes) or over the middle of open fields.

 

According to one website I read, one study revealed that no mosquitoes were
found in the stomachs of purple martins!  Here is the general site:

http://purplemartin.org/main/mgt.html .

 

We do regularly get nighthawks (which are "goatsuckers") throughout the
area.  Many years ago, I just saw them in late summer (that was how I "knew"
school was starting soon) but now am seeing them earlier in the summer.
Swallows and swifts are probably going to be the best bet, though.  Swallows
can be attracted with nests although they generally like water nearby.  Barn
swallows typically nest in mud-constructed nests underneath man-made
structures.  Tree swallows are more likely to be attracted by nests...

http://www.thegardenportal.com/frame.asp?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww%2Efindarticles
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rden .

 

Regarding our true "goatsuckers" - see the following for info on
whip-poor-wills and nighthawks -
http://www.pgc.state.pa.us/pgc/lib/pgc/wildlife/notes/pdf/nighthawk.pdf

 

Hope this helps!

 

Dorene

 

Dorene Pasekoff, Coordinator

St. John's United Church of Christ Organic Community Garden and Labyrinth

 

A mission of 

St. John's United Church of Christ, 315 Gay Street, Phoenixville, PA  19460

 

 

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