Purple Martins topic of birder's talk

Richard Marx, board member of the Genesee Land Trust, will present a lecture entitled: "Purple Martins' Majesty: Attracting and Managing This Unusual Bird," on Tuesday, February 27 at the Brighton Memorial Library, 2300 Elmwood Avenue.

Marx, an environmental engineer, active not only with Genesee Land Trust, but also the Braddock Bay Bird Observatory, is currently leading up the Purple Martin Conservation Project in conjunction with the Genesee Valley Audubon Society, focusing on establishing nesting colonies of these unusual birds.

Birding has been a lifelong pursuit of Marx, taking him on voyages all over North America, Mexico, the Caribbean, Great Britain, Brazil, and Bolivia. But here at home, in the Rochester area, Marx works at attracting and protecting Purple Martins on Lake Ontario, Canandaigua Lake, Honeoye and Hemlock Lakes. His work has included the design and construction of wetlands and the installation of more than 100 nest boxes and other structures to protect songbirds, waterfowl, birds of prey and bats.

Marx will share his experiences on February 27 and will focus particularly on the Purple Martins -- one of his favorites. Marx will also encourage audience members to learn more about birding groups in the area, specifically Braddock Bay Bird Observatory which is a center of international migratory bird research. This critical stopover is protected by the Genesee Land Trust, a local land conservation organization that preserves over 2,500 acres in the Greater Rochester Area. The Trust was also instrumental in saving Corbett's Glen in Brighton, working in partnership with the town and establishing it as a nature park.

Richard Marx's lecture and PowerPoint presentation which is free and open to the public is sponsored by the Brighton Memorial Library and by Genesee Land Trust. No registration is required. For information call the Trust at 256-2130 and visit www.geneseelandtrust.org.

February 4, 2007