By Kurt Welke
Friends of Lake View Hill Park
The storm had passed and a rainbow was forming against the backdrop of billowy clouds to the east. I could count maybe six or seven of them as they zig-zagged, dove and glided in the western part of the Great Lawn. On the opposite side, more silhouettes could be seen going about the evening feeding routine.
It was purple martins I was watching. Perhaps the most acrobatic and vocal of the birds found in Lake View Hill Park, their presence has been a pleasant addition to the breadth of diversity the park hosts.
In spring 2020, the Friends installed the first eight-gourd martin colony. The thought was that the wide-open sweep of the Great Lawn downhill of the Dane County Social Services building would attract martins, who require broad open areas to feed. Our naiveté taught us much after an unsuccessful first season. Sparrows, incorrect timing, and a lack of birds who had fidelity to our colony made us rethink how to attract nesting pairs.
We learned that opening the gourds later, after the majority of sparrows had nested elsewhere, gave martins a chance to nest free of competition. By May 2022, the colony had two nesting pairs and two immature pairs of martins setting up house. In 2023, a second eight-gourd colony was placed on the west edge of the Great Lawn, farther from sparrow interference.
The gourds are cleaned, raised and opened for occupancy in late April each year. Initially, only two gourds per colony can be entered by birds. The other doorways are taped shut until the scouts arrive and other martins become aware of the location. By June, pairs build tidy nests from dry vegetation and lay eggs atop a bedding of green leaf pieces. By early July, chicks have hatched and the Great Lawn is a buffet table for parents feeding and returning to the nests of hungry young. We typically inspect the nests for the last time by July 4, after which we don’t disturb the fledglings.
It’s difficult to know exactly how many chicks actually make it to adulthood or return the next year. However, this year our 16 gourds had 12 active nests with an average of four eggs each. Two nests had newly hatched young.
The Great Lawn provides a peaceful vista to watch the birds as they crisscross the expanse and sing loudly. Early evening is prime time to sit and watch and listen. Bring binoculars, as other birds also frequent the meadow margins of the yard. Fly catchers, red-winged blackbirds and bluebirds are common visitors.
Lake View Hill Park is an island of green, quiet refuge in our urban setting. A visit there reconnects one with the simple beauty of nature and its marvelous workings. Take a child and enjoy the birds and opportunities that our communal woods and natural areas gift us.
