News story in St. Louis Post Dispatch about banding

[John Miller]

The St. Louis Post Dispatch did a nice story about banding of our purple martins here.

As a PR guy, I eagerly used the banding event as an opportunity to pursue a little martin coverage in the paper. Story mentions the PMCA too.

Thanks to the PMCA for referring me to these banders.

http://www.stltoday.com/news/local/metr ... dc8a2.html

More photos on this link, scroll down at the page

http://www.stltoday.com/search/?l=50&sd ... ple+martin

John M

[Louise Chambers]

John,

That sure did make a wonderful article - photos, info, etc, all due to your efforts over the past years. From zero pairs to almost 100, in areas where 1000s of people can encounter them. I can't say enough 'thank you's, but I hope you can tell I am giving you a standing ovation

[Dennis D]

Saw the article first thing this morning John. Very nice. Will be interesting to see where those banded subs show up next year. Great job!

[Louise Chambers]

Dennis,

Isn't it you that has helped John with Cahokia Mounds site? My hat's off to you, too

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

John:

Good job and I think it is great the organization doing your banding is also banding other martin sites in Missouri. I hope you have many sightings of returning SY's next year.

Tim

[Dennis D]

Dennis,

Isn't it you that has helped John with Cahokia Mounds site? My hat's off to you, too

Yes it's me I do help him out over here in Illinois, but he is the Master in the area. Along with re-establishing martins in St Louis he has made in my opinion a possibly larger impact on the area. I realized it at one of our seminars at Cahokia. Education. When he works with these martin landlords and want-to-be landlords he is educating them to do things right. In the long run this means more fledglings. And that's what it's all about. Success.

We here on this site know larger compartments are better. We know nests checks help us find something wrong so we can fix it, and so on. Many people we talk too are unaware of these management techniques. John gets them on the right track that will help increase their colony size and fledge numbers.

Thanks for the kind words Louise!

[KathyF]

Very cool, John! They did a great story. I wonder if the "Licking News" will do one when we band this week?

Did you guys finish up today, or are they banding more tomorrow?

[John Miller]

Thanks guys.

Kathy...we are finishing up this morning. Dana and Ethan are doing good work in Missouri and this has been a very rewarding experience.

The story included my phone no. for calls next year if any one spots a returning banded bird, but I had about 10 calls yesterday, and have not yet returned them all. Dennis is right. Nearly all the calls were from people who have a few pairs and are hungry for more information.

Now why all these folks would not just go online...I dunno. But they are enthusiastic and it's the same questions: should I clean out the housing year in; where can I buy..and so forth. People need help...as much as they can get apparently... and there's work to be done!

John M

[KathyF]

John, I have one landlord whose mother tells him that "there's no need to clean out the housing, the martins clean it out themselves when they return". She claims she has seen them carrying out stuff when they start nesting. I explained to him that they may very well pull out some stuff, but they can't clean out a sparrow's nest.

Yes, LOT's of work to be done! I'm going to send a link to this article to our local paper, and see if they want to send someone out to do a story, of if I should just submit a story. After all, they ARE a little short staffed here in Licking!

[Paul P]

John,

Great article and photos. Photos say a thousand words. I'm sure your story gave purple martins a wonder boost. I commend you for your great efforts.

Kathy,
I bet if you told your local paper what was going to happen at your place and sent them John's writeup, they'll be there. You know, I remember an old printer that was down in your area (late 50s or 60s). His name was Bill Minnomin (sp). He was from Macon, the ugliest guy you ever saw . At one time he was the publisher of the Salem newspaper. His daughter stopped in the shop one day and told us of his passing and said he talked about us so much that she just had to come and meet us. Small world.
See you Wed.
Paul P

[KathyF]

Paul,
I did just that and they're going to send out a reporter on Wed. to take pictures and do a story! Yipee! Hey, what they can do in St. Louis, WE can do in Licking too!!

The same guy owns the Salem newspaper (about 35 mins. from here), so he's going to run the story in Salem too.

More eyes on the skies next year to watch for bands!

[Linda Reynolds]

Wow, the folks in Missouri are giving the Texans a run for their money.........

All of you (including Dennis from Illinois) are doing wonderful work.

John, you should be very proud of all the work you do and the progress made at all of your public sites. Your growth is phenomenal. I think this was a wonderful article and paid good tribute to you and all of your dedicated and hard work.

Dennis, congratulations to you too.......The Cahokia Mounds site is important and your assistance and humility is greatly appreciated, but you too, are doing GREAT work.

Kathy, in Licking............you are responding to the Licking jokes and innuendos very nicely. Love your comebacks. Hooray for Licking!!! Great idea presented by Paul, and wonderful that you followed up. I hope the Licking paper and the Salem News will provide links to the story that is run.

GREAT, GREAT job by all in Missouri (and Illinois).

[Chriscreole]

Great story, KUDOS!!!!

I hope to grow my tiny colony of 9 nesting pairs to double that next year by changing my S&K setup to a T-14 and a 24 gourd Super system with all TVG's.

Way to go!

[Matt F.]

John,
That is a great article.
You are really doing some wonderful work up there!

[rdhd]

W

[KathyF]

Well Dana and Ethan banded another 56 birds this afternoon at my place and the local paper from here in Marshall was on hand to do a right up. I will post site when it makes the paper probably in about a week.

Wow, Randy - that's awesome! How many do you think you'll fledge this year? How many have been banded so far?

[rdhd]

I

[starling shooter]

way to go John!