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Western CT Bird Club: April Meeting – Purple Martins
April 17 @ 6:30 am - 8:30 pm
Free
APRIL MEETING – Thursday 17
“IT TAKES A VILLAGE…BANDING TOGETHER FOR PURPLE MARTINS!” by LAURIE DOSS
This time we will be back live in person at Audubon’s Bent of the River Sanctuary in Southbury, meeting once again in the Barn. Park up by the barn if room, or in the lot further up the road. Please do not park on right side of road – fire lane!
As usual, 6:30 refreshments, meeting starts at 7:00, ends about 8:30.
Connecticut is the last stronghold in New England for the eastern subspecies of Purple Martin (Progne subis subis). Learn about the efforts of a multi–generational collaborative partnership between Marvelwood School and Kent Land Trust, to restore inland populations of Purple Martins. For nearly two decades, these partners, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,
have worked tirelessly to improve housing and establish new breeding colonies for martins in the northwest corner of the state. After an introduction to the species, learn how natal dispersal banding studies have assisted in finding new potential colonies to build the population. Discover how research projects on martins have expanded in order to better understand their roost and migratory needs, diet, and the impact of mercury on
the food chain in their non–breeding grounds. By understanding the full annual life cycle requirements of martins, we can enhance the research and conservation efforts in the states as well as in Central and South America.
Finally, learn about efforts to enhance the management of martins. Over the years, the “village” of volunteers and community partnerships dedicated to protecting this species in the northwest and now southwest corners of the state, has grown tremendously!
However, the future of this subspecies is entirely dependent on humans being able to provide and manage artificial housing for them to breed successfully. You will learn about efforts to improve the traditional, single caretaker model, with a collaborative, multigenerational and organizational model to ensure the sustainability of Purple Martin populations in Connecticut.
• Laurie Doss has been with Marvelwood School since 1987. She is Chair of the Science Department and a co–advisor for the school’s Envirothon team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and an MS Sp.Ed in Special
Education. Laurie is on the Board of Directors for the Kent Land Trust and the Purple Martin Conservation Association. She has also been the recipient of numerous conservation, educator and volunteer awards during her tenure. Laurie, her students, interns and volunteers from the Kent Land Trust have worked for nearly two decades to restore inland populations of Purple Martins.
“IT TAKES A VILLAGE…BANDING TOGETHER FOR PURPLE MARTINS!” by LAURIE DOSS
This time we will be back live in person at Audubon’s Bent of the River Sanctuary in Southbury, meeting once again in the Barn. Park up by the barn if room, or in the lot further up the road. Please do not park on right side of road – fire lane!
As usual, 6:30 refreshments, meeting starts at 7:00, ends about 8:30.
Connecticut is the last stronghold in New England for the eastern subspecies of Purple Martin (Progne subis subis). Learn about the efforts of a multi–generational collaborative partnership between Marvelwood School and Kent Land Trust, to restore inland populations of Purple Martins. For nearly two decades, these partners, in collaboration with the Connecticut Department of Energy and Environmental Protection,
have worked tirelessly to improve housing and establish new breeding colonies for martins in the northwest corner of the state. After an introduction to the species, learn how natal dispersal banding studies have assisted in finding new potential colonies to build the population. Discover how research projects on martins have expanded in order to better understand their roost and migratory needs, diet, and the impact of mercury on
the food chain in their non–breeding grounds. By understanding the full annual life cycle requirements of martins, we can enhance the research and conservation efforts in the states as well as in Central and South America.
Finally, learn about efforts to enhance the management of martins. Over the years, the “village” of volunteers and community partnerships dedicated to protecting this species in the northwest and now southwest corners of the state, has grown tremendously!
However, the future of this subspecies is entirely dependent on humans being able to provide and manage artificial housing for them to breed successfully. You will learn about efforts to improve the traditional, single caretaker model, with a collaborative, multigenerational and organizational model to ensure the sustainability of Purple Martin populations in Connecticut.
• Laurie Doss has been with Marvelwood School since 1987. She is Chair of the Science Department and a co–advisor for the school’s Envirothon team. She holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Biology and an MS Sp.Ed in Special
Education. Laurie is on the Board of Directors for the Kent Land Trust and the Purple Martin Conservation Association. She has also been the recipient of numerous conservation, educator and volunteer awards during her tenure. Laurie, her students, interns and volunteers from the Kent Land Trust have worked for nearly two decades to restore inland populations of Purple Martins.
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