Open mic night in Falls Village
Brook and Leo Martinez perform at Hunt Library.
Patrick L. Sullivan
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Volunteers Laurie, Ashley, Hannah, Brendan, and Leah.
Mary Close Oppenheimer
Long before Europeans arrived, Indigenous people noticed that Purple Martins moved into gourds they had hung up to dry. They found that the birds, which primarily eat flying insects, would help protect their crops and villages from potential predators and pests. When European settlers arrived, they also put up gourds and homemade nesting structures for the birds.
Historically, throughout most of the U.S., Purple Martins nested in natural tree hollows, old woodpecker holes, and cliff crevices near water. Out West, two subspecies continue to nest in natural cavities like hollow trees or even the arms of saguaro cacti. In the eastern US, however, habitat loss and competition with non-native species, such as English House Sparrows and European Starlings, have resulted in the Eastern subspecies nesting almost exclusively in man-made boxes. They are now dependent on these artificial structures for their survival.
With impressive dedication, some people from the Kent Land Trust and Marvelwood School have volunteered for decades to study and restore inland populations of martins. They organize and teach young people associated with various conservation organizations on how to manage housing for Purple Martins, enhancing their survival.
During banding, each bird gets a silver federal ID band on one leg. On the opposite leg, the young birds receive colored bands to identify the bird’s birth colony. The color code for Sharon Audubon’s Miles Wildlife Sanctuary consists of a gold metal alpha/numeric band paired with a blue plastic band.Mary Close Oppenheimer
A binder with images of the birds at different ages is used to determine the age of the birds. The ones we banded were 11 to 22 days old.Tail and back feathers change daily, making dating them quite easy. While I was there, in addition to banding, the baby birds were counted and their ages were recorded. They usually fledge 26-32 days after hatching.
The Center tries to track the birds’ migrations to South America. It turns out that most go to Brazil. Some have radio transmitters attached, which track them whenever they pass a location with a signal. Some have a GPS device attached, which gives detailed migratory information if they are able to retrieve the device.
Purple Martins have experienced a significant population decline in recent decades, making monitoring crucial for identifying potential causes. Counting helps determine the impact of threats such as pesticide use, competition from other species, and changing weather patterns. By tracking population changes, researchers can evaluate the success of conservation strategies, such as providing artificial nesting structures and protecting wintering grounds.
Checking a martin nest.Mary Close Oppenheimer
There’s good news: increasing populations of martins in the northwest corner of Connecticut are beginning to pay dividends. An adult banded bird (from Miles Wildlife Sanctuary), along with another banded bird yet to be identified, was discovered by Jonathan Pierce to be breeding in an abandoned martin house near Stockbridge, MA. It is the first breeding record for Berkshire County since 1895!
It’s been fun to watch the activity in some bluebird nest boxes the Sharon Audubon Center installed on our property a few years ago. Since purple martins thrive around human activity, I’m now hoping they can also find a good spot nearby for a cluster of their homes.
The Audubon Center is a wonderful resource for learning about birds and nature. They and their collaborators are happy to teach us what we can do to help these beautiful creatures survive.
*All banding is conducted under a federally authorized Bird Banding Permit issued by the U.S. Geological Survey and state permits.
Debunking 10 myths of ambulance service
Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service headquarters is located at 8 Undermountain Road in Salisbury.
Most of us who serve on the Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service (SVAS) feel that we get back at least as much as we give — not only useful skills, but a true sense of purpose, a deep connection to our town and neighbors, and the pride that comes from helping people in some of their hardest moments.
We believe many more would join us, but for some persistent myths about ambulance training and service.We’re grateful for the opportunity to address those here.
Myth No. 1:The training is long.
Fact: EMR training is 60 hours: two nights per week for two months.The result? Incredibly useful skills you can use in any emergency situation anywhere.
Myth No. 2: Training is expensive.
Fact: Training is FREE if you commit to joining SVAS (or the Norfolk squad).
Myth No. 3: I don’t have enough time.
Fact: We are flexible with our scheduling. Some of us put ourselves on the duty schedule, and others “listen in” to the radio and respond when available.Some do nights, some only do daytimes.What we need are active, committed members who are willing to help cover our calls, whether in blocks of time or on a more ad hoc basis.And all of us have other commitments - we are teachers, business owners, lawyers, town employees, web designers, contractors, parents, grandparents, and more. We all do what we can, when we can.
Myth No. 4: Volunteers must stay at headquarters when on call.
Fact: We take calls from where we are - home, work, headquarters or elsewhere.We each have radios and pagers, as well as a phone app, that alert us and allow us to respond from anywhere.
Myth No. 5: I might be all alone on an ambulance call.
Fact: We always work in teams when responding to emergencies. You’ll be supported by other more experienced members - in fact, as an EMR, you are required to have at least one EMT (who has more training) join you on any ambulance response.During your training, you’ll also be given a mentor from the squad to help teach and coach you.
Myth No. 6: I can’t drive that huge ambulance.
Fact: Driver training is separate and optional (although encouraged). You won’t drive until after you become a certified EMR and successfully complete the additional training.
Myth No. 7: I’m not good in emergencies.
Fact: Most of us had no previous medical background.Training gives you the necessary skills, as well as a tried-and-true, systematic approach to dealing with emergencies. These will give you the confidence to get out there and start helping people. You’ll also never be asked to do more than you’re comfortable with or can handle.
Myth No. 8: I could never have someone’s life in my hands.
Fact: We love “Grey’s Anatomy” and “House M.D.” but TV medical dramas make field emergency care seem much more complicated than it is.Our main job is simple: stabilize our patients, make them as comfortable as we can, and get them safely to the hospital.We aren’t solving medical mysteries or performing tracheotomies with ballpoint pens.
Myth No. 9: Now you’ve made it sound boring.
Fact: On the contrary!Our town may be small, but we handle it all - falls, illnesses, motor vehicle accidents and extrications, Appalachian Trail rescues, cardiac emergencies and strokes, hazmat incidents, even childbirth.If it can happen, it has probably happened here.This work is often exciting, but even when a call is low acuity or routine, you will learn something.Regardless, you will be providing priceless comfort and reassurance to your patients and their loved ones.
Myth No. 10: Someone else will do it.
Fact:Simply put: if we want our volunteer ambulance service to remain operational and free to all, we need more volunteers.Some of our members have been on the squad for decades and will be retiring.And life happens - members move away, or their circumstances change.Having more members join us is mission critical.
Find us at salisburyambulance.org or salisburyambulance1971@gmail.com. Barrie Prinz is president of the Board of Trustees. For more coverage on Salisbury Volunteer Ambulance Service and information on how to join, turn to Page A3.