Monthly meeting of The Sussex Bird Club. The Sussex Bird Club's primary objective is to promote the knowledge and enjoyment of wild birds through guided field trips and monthly meetings about various aspects of birding. Meetings are open to all and beginning birders are always welcome

This month's meeting features a presentation on purple martins by Joel Martin, a member of the Purple Martin Conservation Association, who has been tending to Purple Martin colonies for over 25 years. He will speak on his experiences with these remarkable birds.  

Purple Martins are North America’s largest swallow. In their eastern range, they rely exclusively on human-made nesting boxes. These gourd-shaped hanging structures are a familiar sight in many local yards and farms. Practically no other wild animal in North America has such a close association with and dependence upon humans. The diet of the Purple Martin is made up of flying insects, including mosquitoes, dragon flies, wasps and flies, and they eat their weight in insects each day. During cold weather when insects are not available, the Martins migrate as far south as South America. Many of us eagerly await their return in the spring and delight in watching their aerial acrobatics as they snap up airborne insects and fill the air with their cheerful songs.

The Sussex Bird Club and the Lewes Public Library are partnering on the community-wide initiative Lewes Loves Books, a One Book One Community program.