"Michigan Purple Martin Conservation Related"

[Russell Emmons]

Fred, Thanks for posting this and for considering my opinions.  Of course I cannot speak for the many who have also been doing the MI Breeding Bird Atlas 2 in the state.   Eventually as the total findings and data are completed across the state we will see the status of the Purple Martin plus of course any and all other MI bird species.
    As for the areas we personally worked blocks in, plus being Coordinator for Macomb & St. Clair countys plus co-coordinator for Kalkaska, Missuakee, Crawford, & Roscommon countys, plus doing some work in Antrim county up north, ----our findings were rather discouraging and sparse everywhere we were concerned with. ---- Particulary compared to 20 years ago on the original  Breeding Bird Atlas!  The Atlas surveying, as many probably know is set up that 2 quarter Townships in each Township are to be surveyed. It is possible that many of the unsurveyed other 2 quarters of a township just may have a Purple Martin colony undocumented. It is possible that a colony here and there are in the back of someones property or way out in a remote area that get missed. On the overall though I think that is minimal. There are a few instances whereas access to potential Martin colonys is prohibited by the property owner.

     It is possible that many parts of the state do indeed have higher concentrations of breeding Martins.
I do know of a few. Others should be able to comment on their findings in their areas. Perhaps Karen Cleveland can throw some insight on this for the state overall. (?)  Sometime ago I talked with someone at the Atlas headquarters in Kalamazoo, it may have been Ray Adams himself where I was informed that Purple Martins are now considered expirtated from the whole Keweenaw peninsula and several places in the Upper peninsula!  (Sad)

     We also do 5 Federal USGS Breeding Bird survey routes in the state. 2 down here in St. Clair/Macomb countys,  1 in Kalkaska/Crawford countys, 1 in Antrim/Charlevoix countys, 1 in Oscoda county.  I can tell you on each of those routes the Martin sightings is dismal!  Without looking into my copys of the records, comes to mind I think, only 1 of those routes has a active Martin colony over near Richmond and that one of long standing and cared for diligently by the landlord is declining!
      Last I heard only about 50% of the available BBS routes to be done in Michigan are being done!   Data summarys for routes done across North America including MI are at  http://www.mp2-pwrc.usgs.gov/bbs   

       My thoughts are that Michigan would have been considered ranked as "Imperiled" or at least "Vulnerable"  However that would depend of course on what the majority of the rest of the state experiences Martin presence that I'm not aware of.

Hope this is of some help!

Russ Emmons, Regional Coordinator Michigan Breeding Bird Atlas 2 for Region 22  (Macomb and St. Clair countys)  Region 10, Kalkaska, Missaukee, Crawford& Roscommon countys 
 
(Also a LONG time wannabee Martin Landlord since the early 80s!)


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Kaluza" <fkaluza at sbcglobal.net>
To: <birders at umich.edu>; "'Russell Emmons'" <birdeland at pasty.net>; "'Mark Dietrich'" <MDietrich at senate.michigan.gov>; <jnelson at getbolt.com>; <info at purplemartin.org>
Sent: Monday, February 04, 2008 8:26 AM
Subject: "Michigan Purple Martin Conservation Related"


> I recently received the latest edition of the "Purple Martin Update"
> magazine from the P.M.C.A.  Lately the organization has been exploring the
> conservation status of Purple Martins in their breeding range.
> 
> I know some of the people I'm addressing this letter to are active
> Martin colony managers (or are trying to become one).  In this most recent
> edition, John Tautin has amassed a boat-load of data from different sources
> and I'm particularly noticing how in the opening figure, the shading applied
> to Michigan is a dark-green color indicating "secure".  There are 8 ranges
> including Presumed Extirpated, Possibly Extirpated, Critically Imperiled,
> Imperiled, Vulnerable, Apparently Secure, Secure and Not Ranked/Under
> Review.
> 
> The map is said to have been formed from "NatureServe" data and it's
> later stated that this data comes largely from Breeding Bird Atlas surveys
> in the area.  Based on the observations and personal experiences of the
> majority of experienced landlords in Michigan and Mark Dietrich's efforts, I
> hardly believe this designation represents our actual conditions in the
> state.  After all, a picture is worth a thousand words and If we're to get
> any help in understanding and/or resolving our situation here, we'd better
> not be painting a rosy image when none is believed to exist.
> 
> I realize that the article goes on to make a comment about declining
> populations in areas of the Midwest but compared to known levels in years
> past, I hardly think our state deserves a secure status, especially when
> people in perfectly suitable habitat have not so much as seen let alone
> attract nesting pairs in many years.  Perhaps Russ can educate us on how
> people performing the BBA surveys have decided all is well and good
> regarding Martin populations in the state.
> 
> Additionally, does anyone know who was given credit for documenting
> our "new" and "only" Martin roost at the Pointe Mouille game area?  I made a
> few trips there attempting to confirm what the NEXRAD RADAR indicated but
> was never able to positively identify any flocks with thousands or
> tens-of-thousands of Purple Martins yet we're credited in the "update" with
> a roost now.  Comments?  Fred Kaluza in Warren
> 
> 
> 
> In the end, we will conserve only what we love.
> We will love only what we understand.
> We will understand only what we are taught.
> -Baba Dioum (Senegalese Ecologist)
> 
> 
> 
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> 1:50 PM
> 
>
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