Wow. What an interest there is in bringing the purple martin back to Wellington County. Never before have I had such a response to a single request. It just tells me that the general public is not unaware of what is happening to our environment. The boggled actions and inactions of not only the individual but of our existing and previous government bodies, municipal, provincial, and federal, in their reluctance to forbid the spreading of a fog of poison to control insects, which should have long, long, ago been stopped.
Poison cannot differentiate between bad insects and good insects, nor can it stop the buildup eventually harming the secondary victims which is obviously the birds in short term, as they eat and feed their ravenous young on the poisoned insects and in the long term the residual buildup over time effecting human life. The finger of many of our cancers are so pointing in this direction.
We have driven the martins, Mother Nature’s insect control, out of our county by poisoning their food source and the chain saw has cut down any and all of their natural nesting cavities. But it is better late than never, to correct our mistakes of the past, and attract them back by putting up ample available housing for them, and I personally do not think that we have left it too late, but we will not know unless we try.
The bluebirds, the wild turkey, and the osprey, are a good example of what can be done with concerted effort over an extended period. They have all made quite a successful come-back within the last double decade, when given a little encouragement on the part of man. So perhaps it is not before long that we bring back the martins by erecting ample nesting sights, in widespread areas for them.
And, too, some thought should be given to the planting of suitable habitat to bring back the ground dwelling bobwhite quail, which are designed by nature in controlling weed seeds. They, too, were once quite popular in the hedgerows and meadows of this area. The purple martin, as well as all swallows, which catch their food on the wing, are our most beneficial group of birds, for their annual spring arrival coincides with the time the first crop of flying insects take wing, and before the majority of them have laid eggs. If this were not so, man and his earth would be quickly inundated by hordes of these pests. Martins are the largest of the world’s swallows, and are friendly, insect-eating birds, that like to live in colonies near human activity, and are willing to settle in urban, suburban, and rural locations. Their place in nature’s plan is to destroy mosquitoes and other flying insects. And it has been noted by scientists that it is not unusual for each of these “skeeter-eaters” to devour countless thousands of flying insects, daily, each summer season while raising their young when they visit us.
Since Rachel Carson’s, explosive, Silent Spring hit the markets in 1963, (who, incidently, herself has since died of cancer) much has been written about the national concern over the proliferation of insecticides. More and more Canadians are awakening to the dangers to which we have exposed ourselves and our future generations.
If you are interested in taking part in this natural insect-abatement project, and wish to listen to the bubbling chatter of the martins, while watching their graceful flight, you can do so by putting your money were the martins are now not. The members of Greenspaces for Wellington are willing to construct, erect, and maintain as many of these houses as we can find financial support for, but we need more help. We already have a dozen or more, widespread sponsored locations, but our cost of proper construction, and erection of species specific designed housing for our area, runs just a little short of $500 for each. Whether you live in a house apartment, condo, or retirement residence, you can help our group meet our goal, we are interested in donations in increments of $50 or more. Feel free to call me direct, at 519-843-4544. Ask for Big Bad Barrie the bird man.
In the meantime I have some exciting times coming up. My second book is due to roll of the presses this next week, and being a founding member of a new writers group, Independent Authors and Illustrators of Canada, on April 26, from 10am to 3pm, I will be taking part in their inaugural book fair, at the West End community centre, off Imperial Road, just north of Paisley, in Guelph. This will be a good chance for all of you readers near Guelph, or south thereof, who have not had the chance to come up to Fergus, to drop in and say Hi. See you all there, then. Mark your calendar.
Take care, ’cause we care.