Return of the Purple Martin

The return of North America's largest swallow, the purple martin has begun. Sightings have been reported in Florida and Louisiana. Over the last 12 years that I've had a colony, their average return date here is around the second or third week of February. My 32 Supergourds are up and ready, but I'll keep them plugged until I begin seeing them in the area, otherwise their two main nest site competitors, the European starling and the English sparrow, would try to move in. If you have any experience with a martin colony you know how much a pain in the *** these two birds can be so it's best to keep them in check by any means. As the season progresses I hope to post any and all things interesting that I come across. Hopefully this season will be one of many new fledglings.