Purple Martins at Minsi Lake

Jim Wilson, Recreation & Conservation Specialist, Northampton County Parks in July- September 2024 Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

There were no Purple Martins nesting at Minsi Lake before 2020.

Purple Martin project at Minsi Lake

Since Northampton County Parks Martin Habitat Partnership initiative with LVAS was begun in 2020 with Mike McCartney, Scott Burnett, and Tim Kita, the success of this species at Minsi Lake has been phenomenal. Thanks to LVAS volunteers, a large and growing Purple Martin colony can now be seen at Minsi.

Over the past five years, five 18-unit condo towers have been installed. Occupancy this nesting season in those condos (36 of which are new this season) is over 90% with nesting pairs in 80 of the 90 condo units. At Minsi Lake, it really is a build it and they will come situation. The lake provides an ideal habitat for these birds of greatest conservation need—a shallow, warm water lake teeming with dragonflies and other food sources.

There is lakeside space at Minsi for eight more 18-unit Purple Martin nesting towers.

Northampton Parks and Recreation will fund three more towers at the Lake for next year’s nesting season, and Friends of Minsi Lake will have funding for the remaining five towers.

The expanded Purple Martin project at Minsi Lake means more volunteers will be needed to maintain and monitor the nesting condos over time. The Northampton County Parks and Recreation and LVAS partnership now manages 108 condos in six nesting towers—five at Minsi Lake Park and one at Louise Moore Park. Next year, they’ll be tasked with 144 units, which the small team of dedicated volunteers have agreed to do. If the Purple Martins indicate there’s continued need for nesting cavities at Minsi, up to five more towers will be provided the following year—for a total of 13 Purple Martin condo towers and 234 units to maintain and monitor from March through September.

Maintenance involves removing the PVC nesting gourds from their towers after each season, hosing them out and storing them at a nearby Parks and Rec facility. The gourds are then brought back to the lake in late winter. Pine straw is placed in each condo and the condos are attached to the towers in numeric order for recording nesting data in each unit throughout the spring and summer.

Monitoring during the nesting season requires one or two volunteers to visually check each of the 18 condos hanging from the towers by lowering and raising the racks. Observations are then recorded on a datasheet that is eventually shared with several national databases to track Purple Martins and the community and citizen conservation science needed to sustain them here in the East.

After hatching, only federally licensed bird banders can physically handle and weigh, measure and band the Purple Martin chicks when they are several weeks old. Volunteers are still needed to shuttle chicks in baskets back and forth from their nests to the banding station set up next to the towers.

Northampton County Parks and Recreation needs LVAS continued support to help with installation labor, monitoring, maintenance, winter storage, and, of course, all the banding and data collection done each nesting season. If anyone is interested in volunteering their time to this project in 2025 and subsequent years, please send an email to James Wilson, Recreation & Conservation Specialist for Northampton County Parks, at jwilson@norcop.gov.

LVAS Donates Birding Backpacks

Barbara Malt in January - March 2024 Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

LVAS recently donated four birding backpacks to the children’s room at the Allentown Public Library. Each knapsack contains a field guide, a child-friendly pair of 6x Kowa binoculars, and simple instruction sheets in English and Spanish . Many thanks to our partners who helped make this possible: Lehigh Gap Nature Center for design/layout and Spanish translations, LL Bean for donating the knapsacks, and Kowa for donating the binoculars! What a team effort!

If you live in Allentown or any municipality that has library privileges with Allentown, you can check out a birding knapsack for up to three weeks. Parents and teachers out there, please alert any child or parent who may be interested!

Photo of LVAS Board Member, Barbara Malt, delivering Birding Backpacks to Allentown Public Library

LIGHTS OUT – PART 2

Peter Saenger in April - June 2023 Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

Bird-window Collisions

Audubon Lights Out Image, Minneapolis

We live in a world where we can research anything with the simple click of a button. This is a wonderful thing to be able to do, but we must also realize that not everything we find is fact or current. This holds true when you do a search of the web for bird-window collisions. You can find a wide range of facts, half-truths, urban legends, and just out-right wrong information. It can be difficult to sort through all this and to know what is correct or not.

The first misconception to address is: Big cities with very tall buildings and bright lights are the biggest danger to birds colliding with glass. A recent peer-reviewed, published paper states that only one percent of the 365 million to one billion annual collisions in the US occur at tall buildings four stories or greater.

Backing up a bit, I’d like to look at the numbers. Way back in 1979, Dr. Daniel Klem estimated between one hundred million to one billion birds collide with glass in the US annually. More recently in 2012, Dr. Scott Loss, with a team of others and with 40 years of additional data, updated the estimate to between 365 million to one billion. Big numbers! I, myself and assume others, just can’t wrap my mind around said numbers; too big to comprehend easily. If you use the low number of 365 million collisions annually and compare it to the population of the US, it would be greater than the population of the 200 largest cities. Think about that; New York City, Los Angeles, Chicago, Houston, Phoenix, Philadelphia, and on and on! Still too big for my brain! How about using the median number of 599 collisions annually, which statistically should be the most accurate. Nope. Ok, how about using the low estimate, and see that it conveniently divides by the number of days in a year to one million a day. Still a big number, but think about this; on average, one million birds collide with our windows each and every day, year after year! That is a very sobering fact.

Now, if only one percent of those one million daily collisions occur at high-rise buildings, where is the other 99% happening? The remaining 990,000 daily collisions are split almost equally between our homes and low-rise buildings four stories or less. Just think about the millions upon millions of homes, and thousands of corporate centers, colleges, etc., spread out across this country.

The good news is, this means that 495,000 daily collisions occur at residential homes where any caring homeowner can treat their windows to prevent collisions. But why then, aren’t more of us doing so? Do homeowners need permission? Nope. Don’t they care; is it too expensive? Or, is it the simple fact that most are simply unaware, or don’t think their home is part of the problem. I have been told hundreds of times, “We have never had a collision at our home” or “we only have one or two a year, and they fly off.” So, no big deal. Right? Nope, not right. Think of how many homes are out there and if each one only has one or two collisions a year, how quickly the numbers add up. I don’t believe I’ve ever not found evidence of a collision at any home with untreated windows, with decent habitat around them. Two more sobering facts to keep in mind. One, research has shown that up to 50% of all collisions leave no evidence. No bodies, no marks on the glass; nothing. And two, in conversations with a number of rehabilitators and veterinarians, and reviewing a recent study, it is speculated that more than 50% of collision victims die after flying away. This includes the bird that was stunned, lying on your deck for a few minutes, then flew away. As well as those that bounce off the glass, flying away immediately, not appearing to be hurt at all. They die out of sight from concussions and unseen internal injuries. Fifty percent leave no evidence, and up to 50% die later. How many birds did your house kill last year?

People are simply unaware, and this is where Lights Out efforts offer so many benefits. They save energy, they help preserve our view of the night sky, etc., and they bring collisions to people’s attention. Then, of course there are the bird lives that they save. Even if the mass collisions only occur infrequently, they can save thousands in a single night. How many homeowners do we need to convince to treat their windows to save thousands of bird lives Thousands. An uphill battle for sure. I see Lights Out efforts as a springboard to educating people of the problem.

When a city goes dark, how many people did it take to agree to doing so? How many people notice and ask why? How much media attention does it get? I am thinking a huge number of people learn about the collision problem for the first time because of Lights Out programs. This is the perfect opportunity to work together to educate not only on the problem of bright lights, but also on the problem of the one and two birds killed at houses around big cities, in the endless urban and suburban sprawl. Don’t forget what I said in Part One, that even if there is not a mass mortality event in downtown, thousands can die in a single day, if the bright lights confuse our birds, causing them to descend into the surrounding sprawl. There, at dawn they face the reflections of sky and habitat on our windows.

If you care or even have just a casual interest in learning more, I would suggest reading Dr. Daniel Klem’s recent book, Solid Air, found at: https://www.hancockhouse.com/products/solid-air. Written in the style of Silent Spring, so an easy and informative read for the general public, as well as any professional wanting to better understand the problem. We have developed materials to help educate people on this subject and I’m offering to help anyone interested in learning more. I can be reached by email at psaenger@muhlenberg.edu, and you can also visit our website at: http://aco.muhlenberg.edu

Turn off the lights, treat those windows, and save our birds!

Dr Klem's book, SOLID AIR, describes the cause and breadth of bird window collisions and how to solve it. Copies can be purchased from the publisher at: hancockhouse.com/products/ solid-air

LIGHTS OUT – PART 1

Peter Saenger in January - March 2023 Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

LIGHTS OUT Programs: Do they help and is it worth the effort? The short answer is YES! But, it’s not that simple.

Audubon Lights Out Image, Minneapolis

On the night of the first and morning of the second of October 2020, over a thousand birds died in Philadelphia colliding with glass in a small block radius in downtown. Totally tragic and mostly preventable. But reading the news reports, one stated that a similar event had not happened there in the past 70 years.

The first thing people need to understand is why these mass collision events occur. It takes three major factors to occur simultaneously, a perfect storm, to cause a mass collision event. During migration, nocturnal migrants usually choose clear nights with favorable winds. The favorable winds the birds look for can occur at very high altitudes (10,000+ ft), but in general it is safe to say that most are flying 1,000’s of feet above the landscape for most of their journey. On these clear nights nocturnal migrants are far above and safe from the effects of city lights. However, when nocturnal migrants fly into less than favorable weather conditions like low, heavy clouds, fog, and precipitation, which can force them to fly lower, their troubles begin. If you have tens of thousands of migrants already on the move run into these unfavorable conditions and they are near or over a city with bright lights, this is when and where mass collisions are possible. Imagine driving along a highway on a clear day and suddenly being hit by either a heavy downpour or a heavy snow squall. You can go from being able to see fine to being totally blind in seconds. A better example of what the birds can experience is driving along on a clear night and running into a thick fog bank with blinding reflections of white.

So, for a mass collision event to occur, three things must come together:

1) Large concentration of migrants,

2) Inclement weather, and

3) A bright city nearby.

This is why even nationwide these events are not reported annually.

This is not to say that thousands of birds are not forced down more often, into the surrounding neighborhoods and suburban areas, only to face the uncountable windows at dawn, as well as outdoor cats and the multitude of other human caused hazards. There, when a bird dies here and there, even if thousands die in a single morning, they go mostly unnoticed. Mass events in downtown areas occur where sidewalks don’t hide the dead and dying, hundreds of people witness this, and reporters document it. The casualties spread out through large areas with vegetation often hiding the bodies are simply not counted.

The annual USA death toll due to bird-window collisions is between 365 million to one billion. Using the LOW estimate equals an average of one million a day. A peer-reviewed, scientific paper stated that 54% of window collisions occurred at low-rise buildings like college and corporate campuses, 45% occur at residential homes, and only 1% occur at high-rise buildings.

Back to the question, are Lights Out programs worthwhile? Yes, is the clear answer because they save bird lives, save dollars, and help reduce light pollution. Even if a city has had few or even no mass mortality events in a downtown area, there have probably been many mass fallouts when thousands of migrants have descended prematurely due to inclement weather into habitat less than prime for them and containing the many hazards, we humans have created.

A city with a Lights Out program can save thousands of lives in a season. The next step is to get people to treat their windows in the surrounding jungle of glass, to prevent the much greater number of birds that die there, unnoticed and uncounted. Remember, 1% of the millions of deaths occur at high-rise buildings, and the other 99% occur where individuals can make a difference.

Think, a minimum of 45% or 164,250,000 birds die at windows every year that do not need anyone’s permission to make bird-friendly, but YOU. Do you care, really?

Read More in LIGHTS OUT - PART 2

Support Birds with No-Glue Traps for Lanternflies

Learn how to be bird-friendly by using no-glue traps to manage spotted lanternflies. More info and resources are on our Bird Bycatch webpage. Please SHARE with friends and family.

Chronicling a Whirlwind Effort to Save Our Swifts

Jennie Gilrain in April - June 2021 Newsletter of The Lehigh Valley Audubon Society

This is the story of how a community came together to protect a species by saving its urban habitat.

 Every spring in late April-early May, I anticipate the return of the Chimney Swifts. Somehow the sky seems dead without them. They bring sound and movement to the air we breathe. High above the trees of my urban backyard, they play and flirt in two’s and three’s, performing tandem feats of daring, and my heart soars.

Paying Attention

This summer, my husband and I decided to look for their nighttime homes. In July of 2020, we stumbled upon a large roost at the Masonic Temple, 202 Wyandotte Street in our South Bethlehem neighborhood. This chimney was 45 feet high and 5 feet square.

Swifts at Masonic Temple of Bethlehem Pennsylvania by Peter Saenger

In August of 2020, we frequently brought family and friends to watch these spectacular aerial acrobats. We wanted others to experience the sense of awe and joy inspired by their beauty. Every evening at dusk the birds gathered, flying in large circles around the chimney. The flight pattern morphed into a figure eight, then back to a swirling tornado. Finally, they began pouring into the mouth of the chimney like a bag of sunflower seeds into a birdfeeder. On August 23rd, we estimated 2,200 birds entering the Masonic Temple chimney.

The number of birds diminished gradually throughout the month of September from 2,000 to 1,000, 500, 250, until only a few stragglers remained. Then in October they were gone, on their way to South America-- Peru, Brazil and Bolivia. The skies over Bethlehem seemed suddenly silent and empty above the river and rooftops.

Danger Afoot

Walking through the neighborhood on November 21, 2020, I was shocked to find a chain link fence surrounding the Masonic Temple property. Construction signs warned passersby to keep out. “Warning: Construction Area, Hard Hat Required, High Visibility Vest, Safety Shoes.” For years, we heard rumors of redevelopment and demolition, but had no idea it was about to begin! I suddenly panicked, imagining a “silent spring” (Rachel Carson) in South Bethlehem. My love and passion for these birds inspired a call to action. I asked Christine Ussler, architect for the redevelopment project to ask the developer to consider the birds. I alerted the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society (LVAS), Bethlehem City Council, Bethlehem Environmental Advisory Council (EAC), Bethlehem Director of Community and Economic Development, and Lehigh University South Side Initiative to the potential destruction of habitat.

 A New Hope

On December 8, 2020, I got a phone call from John Noble, the Masonic Temple/ Wilbur Mansion property owner and developer. I was surprised to learn that John and his family loved wild animals and nature. John wanted to know more about the birds. Amazing!

John Noble property owner and developer has agreed to “Save Our Swifts”

Photo by Peter Saenger and Jennie Gilrain

On December 11, 2020, at 9:00 am, LVAS Habitat Committee Chair and Chimney Swift expert, Scott Burnet met with Developer, John Noble, at the Masonic Temple to consult about the possibility of preserving the existing chimney or building a replacement tower on the property about 60 feet North of the original. John’s wife, Lynn, and daughter, Cassie, construction manager, were also present, as was architect Christine Ussler.

On December 14, 2020, we convened a meeting of concerned citizens via Zoom to discuss ways to support the effort to preserve or relocate the Masonic Temple roost. Attendees included Bethlehem Director of Community and Economic Development, Bethlehem EAC President and members, Sierra Club Lehigh Valley Chair and members, LVAS President, Lehigh University South Side Initiative Director, and Developer John Noble and family. LVAS President, Peter Saenger pointed out how unusual and commendable it was for a developer to change course at great financial expense for the sake of protecting wildlife. The community decided to work together to support John Noble in his commitment to save the swifts by saving or replacing the Masonic Temple roost.

On December 19, 2020, Ed Gallagher, wrote his first blog post about the swifts as The Bethlehem Gadfly. And we’re off! The Gadfly kept the public informed and entertained, as well as attracting the attention of other journalists from newspapers and television, including Bo Koltnow of Channel 69, The Morning Call, The Bethlehem Press, Fig Magazine and NBC News in Philadelphia.

On December 23, 2020, John Noble met his friend and engineer, Ron Carr of D’Huy Engineering at the Masonic Temple to examine the chimney. They drilled into the side of the structure to discover its walls were three bricks thick and lined internally with terra-cotta tiles. Together the two friends determined that it was possible to save the existing structure. They viewed the effort as an exciting challenge rather than an impossible problem. This was good news, as the birds are much more likely to return to an existing roost than discover a replacement.

On December 30, 2020, the Lehigh Valley Audubon Society created the Save Our Swifts Go Fund Me Charity to raise funds to support the preservation or relocation of the Masonic Temple roost.

On January 5, 2020, I spoke at the Bethlehem City Council Meeting to propose naming Chimney Swift the Bird of Bethlehem, citing reasons of economic impact, historic significance, wildlife protection, and health and safety. Councilwoman Olga Negron took the reins and began drafting a Resolution.

On January 15, 2020, the Bethlehem Environmental Advisory Council wrote a letter of support for the effort to save the Chimney Swifts, to preserve the Masonic Temple chimney and to name the Chimney Swift the city’s official bird.

On January 22, 2021, fifteen Freemansburg Elementary School fourth grade students wrote letters to the Bethlehem City Council asking them to name the Chimney Swift the official bird of Bethlehem.

On January 25, 2021, the Lehigh Valley Engaged Humanities Consortium (LVEHC) funded a joint proposal of LVAS, Bethlehem Area Public Library (BAPL) and Lehigh University South Side Initiative to present a series of forums designed to engage the public in considering the plight of the Chimney Swifts and their threatened urban habitat. Our title: S.O.S. Save Our Swifts by Saving their Urban Habitat: Telling the Story of the Chimney Swifts and their Connection to Our City.

On February 2, 2021, the Bethlehem City Council voted unanimously, 7- 0, to adopt Resolution 10D: “Now therefore, be it resolved by the Council of the City of Bethlehem that in recognition of the special value of this bird species to our city the Chimney Swift is hereby designated the Official Bird of the City of Bethlehem. The resolution is sponsored by Ms. Negron and Mr. Reynolds.”

On February 17, 2021, the first LVEHC Public Event, “Chimney Swifts and their Adaptation to Urban Habitats,” hosted by BAPL on YouTube, featured a slide presentation by LVAS President Peter Saenger with an engaged live audience.

Forum #1: S.O.S. Save Our Swifts by Saving their Urban Habitat: Telling the Story of the Chimney Swifts

Bethlehem Area Public Library (BAPL) presentations in partnership with Lehigh Valley Audubon Society and the South Side Initiative: S.O.S. Save Our Swifts by Saving their Urban Habitat: Telling the Story of the Chimney Swifts and their Connection to Our City

On February 26, 2021, Lehigh University English professor and Director of the South Side Initiative, Mary Foltz, and Environmental Initiative professors, Karen Beck-Pooley and Breena Holland met to discuss ways to engage Lehigh students in the effort to protect Chimney Swifts and their urban habitat.

On March 11 and April 21, 2021, the second and third S.O.S. Save Our Swifts Public Forum Events will focus on changing building practices, the effect on urban habitat of Chimney Swifts, and the potential for cooperation between development and conservation.

Save Our Swifts: Forum #2!

Save Our Swifts Forum #3: Modeling a Solution of Cooperation between Conservation and Development

Currently, the Masonic Temple chimney stands alone, while the building has been completely demolished around it. John Noble plans to restore and reinforce the structure to make it safe. Mr. Noble also hopes to connect his Event Center to the chimney with a space dedicated to educating the public about Chimney Swifts.

Thank you

So much is possible when we engage the collective imagination of a community, when we listen to one another: children and adults, developers and conservationists, politicians and professors. Passion and dedication are paramount: John and Lynn Noble, Scott Burnet and Peter Saenger, Mary Foltz and Olga Negron, Ed Gallagher and Bo Koltnow, and so many others played key roles in this unfolding effort to save a species. Perhaps this marriage of conservation and development will inspire others to consider the birds. Our dreams take flight.

Links for More Information

https://www.bapl.org/saveourswifts/

Save Our Swifts: The Role of Chimneys in Swift Habitats - Southsider