While this season’s weather has been a factor in lowering some agricultural production rates, the purple martin population at Chautauqua has experienced the opposite end of the spectrum.

A higher number of birds than ever recorded have fledged at Chautauqua, that is, have matured and left their nests — an indication of the most successful breeding season ever at the Institution.

That did not happen naturally. Humans need to care for the birds for the birds to have successful survival rates. At Chautauqua, naturalist Jack Gulvin fills that role and dutifully records the numbers of eggs laid, hatched and fledged. Each year, he forwards his detailed data sheets to the Purple Martin Conservation Association for inclusion in their Project Martinwatch.