Lake Murray, South Carolina
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Columbia, SC |
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Columbia, SC |
North America's first officially designated Purple Martin sanctuary is at Lake Murray! It's also one of the largest roosting sites in America. Late each afternoon from June through late August or early September, hundreds of thousands of purple martins make their way to Doolittle Island (also called either Lunch Island or Bomb Island) to nest for the night. The number has been placed in the range of 750,000 purple martins returning to roost each late afternoon. Is is believed that the Lake Murray purple martin roost is the largest in North America (and possibly the world).
On summer evenings, boaters by the dozens are anchored around the island to watch this sight. The island is about 12 acres in size and has small to medium size trees and shrubs. The island was used by pilots practicing bombing runs during the 1940s in World War II. The island is named for General Jimmy Doolittle who organized his Doolittle Raiders in Columbia, SC for their famous Tokyo air raid. In 1995, the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, the Columbia Audubon Society, and the South Carolina Electric and Gas Company, which owns Lunch Island, signed a joint agreement officially designating the eastern end of Lunch Island as the nation’s first purple martin sanctuary
When birds are roosting in the summer months, no one is allowed on the island. As the martins leave the roost in early morning, going in all directions to forage for the day, their departures are so massive that it shows as distinct rings on Doppler radar maps. By late summer, the purple martins begin their migratory flight to South America for the winter.
CLICK on the pictures below for larger image sizes. (Pictures from July 2009)
 Boaters Watching Purple Martins |
 Purple Martins Watching Boaters |
The Purple Martin Conservation Association | Purple Martin Society | The Purple Martins of Lunch Island | All About Birds: Purple Martins | Wikipedia: Purple Martins | How to Help Purple Martins | Purple Martin Vocalizations
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Lake Murray * Lake Murray SC * Lake Murray South Carolina Lake Murray Purple Martins * Purple Martins at Lake Murray * Purple Martins * Purple Martins sanctuary * Doolittle Island