On Mon, 29 Jun 1998, Janet Carroll wrote:

>... Strangely, another female
> plumaged purple martin spent a lot of time in the nest box on the next
> piling, but was attended by what looked like another female. Have no
> idea what this was about. I have seen what I thought were an adult pair
> and two young flying around the area for the past couple of weeks.

Janet, I'm thinking that you have an adult female paired up with a
young male that has not yet attained adult male plumage. Anyone out
there have any knowledge of this in Purple Martins? Maybe someday
I'll review my notes from the late 1980's when I paid a lot of attention
to nesting Purple Martins. I seem to have this recollection of
subadult-plumaged males pairing up with adult females.... Hmmmm,
where does one's memory go after 40 ....

Purple Martins at the DNR Marine Station north of Olympia have responded
to some maintenance work. The condo box that had been lowered to pier
level was raised to the top of its pole and a pair took posession soon
after. Kevin Li delivered and helped place three new boxes and
one of them was occupied four days later. I made five more boxes
out of 8 inch diameter sewer pipe and put them up. I haven't
yet been back to see if there are any colonizers. Hoping lots
of martins...

Kelly McAllister