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Scores of purple martins return to their nests on Lake Murray’s Bomb Island at sunset each day during the summer.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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Hundreds of thousands of migrating purple martins are known to summer at Lake Murray before their long flight to South America for the winter.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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Purple martins have sleek, pointed wings and a forked tail that make them acrobats of the skies, chasing down elusive flying insects such as dragonflies.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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The largest bird of the swallow species, purple martins aren’t really purple, but a deep black that shimmers an iridescent purple in the sunlight.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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Popular sunset cruises on Lake Murray are a good way to witness the spectacle of purple martins flocking back to their nests on Bomb Island.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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(From left) David Radick, Bill Rice, Deb Rice and Laina Radick join boat Captain Zach Steinhauser for a sunset lake cruise to witness the purple martins.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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Zach Steinhauser has been conducting boat tours on Lake Murray for the past 10 years. He is one of several captains who run tours on the lake.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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Zach Steinhauser looks in on a clutch of purple martin eggs in one of the gourd-like “apartments” at his parents’ lakeside home.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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Purple martins often return to the same, familiar nesting spot each year.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
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All the purple martins east of the Rocky Mountains were born in human-made houses and are dependent on people for their survival due to the disappearance of their natural habitats.
Photo by Thomas Hammond
Dark clouds drift slowly over Bomb Island in Lake Murray, threatening rain near sunset. Then one cloud—smaller, moving quickly, made up of swirling specks—dips and curls, circles the island, then settles in its treetops.
The cloud is made up of purple martins, swift birds, the largest of the swallows. They are considered the jet fighters of the avian skies, as they live on fast-flying insects.
Other flocks emerge from the four compass points as the sun begins to set in the west. Soon, Bomb Island is alive with thousands of chattering birds.
A small flotilla of pontoon boats circles the island as well—lake residents and sightseers on guided tours. They, too, flock daily to the island during the summer to see the mass gathering of the birds, one of the Southeast's most striking natural phenomena.
"It never gets old," says Tillman "Bubba" Meetze, who is cruising the lake with his wife, Pam, and friends Stephen and Pam Kirkland. It's his fifth trip to watch the birds.
"It's amazing to see them gather in such large numbers," he says, as the boaters nosh on snacks and drinks while marveling at the spectacle. "I'm a big fan."
Long flight home
Hundreds of thousands of the sleek birds migrate to this isolated, 12-acre island each year to bulk up before their long flight to the Amazon basin, where they will winter. They use the island as a nighttime base before foraging for insects around the lake during the day.
The annual Bomb Island gathering, or "roost," is billed as the largest in North America. The birds' mass liftoff in the morning has been known to show up on weather radar.
The roost attracts more than half a million birds and scores of human visitors to Bomb Island. The island in Lake Murray, outside Columbia and Lexington, was given its name because World War II B-25 bomber crews from the Columbia Army Air Base used it for target practice.
The island is a mile from the nearest shore and is devoid of land-based predators such as raccoons, making it a perfect spot for the charismatic martins.
"Purple martins choose it because it sits in the middle of the lake," says boat captain Zach Steinhauser, who is piloting Meetze and his friends. "Isolation means safety for them."
There are purple martin roosts throughout the country. But why the birds show up in such large numbers at Lake Murray "is one of the great mysteries of nature," Steinhauser says. "They just feel like it's a good spot, so they invite all their friends and have a big party."
Jet fighters of the skies
Purple martins aren't really purple, but a deep black that shimmers an iridescent purple in the sunlight. Males look more purple; females less so. They are the largest of the swallow species, about 8 inches long with a 16-inch wingspan. They live exclusively in the skies and treetops.
A flock is called a "haze," like a pride of lions or a murder of crows.
And the birds' distinctive call has been compared to R2-D2, the lovable robot from "Star Wars."
They have sleek, pointed wings and a forked tail that make them acrobats of the skies, chasing down elusive flying insects such as dragonflies. (They rarely eat mosquitoes, contrary to what many believe, because the bugs stay too close to the ground.)
"They are built like a jet," says Joe Siegrist, president and CEO of the Purple Martin Conservation Association. "They turn quickly—the fighter planes of the sky."
Purple martins love people
Purple martin populations have dropped 24% over the past 55 years, according to the association, as habitats shrink and invasive species bogart the few natural nesting sites, such as woodpecker holes. As a result, the birds have become dependent on humans for their survival.
All the purple martins east of the Rocky Mountains were born in human-made houses and are wholly dependent on people for their survival. Two other subspecies of the birds live in the Pacific Northwest and the desert Southwest, where the habitat is more conducive to natural nesting.
The Eastern subspecies, the most populous of the three, "are permanently intertwined with humans," says Siegrist from his office in Erie, Pennsylvania. "We're not going to regrow the forests or eliminate invasive species. The only thing that stands between them and extinction is us."
Native Americans hollowed out and strung gourds for the martins for thousands of years. The birds ate insects that harmed their crops. Through the years, strings of gourds and purple martin "hotels" on long poles have dotted the American landscape.
The birds like to return to the same, familiar nesting spot each year. They and their human hosts can develop relationships, including when humans feed them by sling-shotting crickets high in the air.
But purple martins are tricky. Houses need to be placed in open spaces or large yards, at least 40 feet from trees or houses. Nesting boxes should be designed to keep out invasive species and predators and cleaned out annually to remove pests.
"It takes a lot of tinkering and vigilance," says Steinhauser, whose parents keep a house at their lakeside home. "But without folks building houses, they would quickly disappear."
Beautiful boat ride
Steinhauser runs Carolina Safari Co. and has been conducting boat tours on Lake Murray for the past 10 years. He is one of several captains who run tours on the lake. His tours leave from Jakes Landing Marina in Lexington and last about two hours.
The birds begin showing up at the lake around Memorial Day. The numbers peak in late July and early August, "and by Labor Day, they are pretty much gone," Steinhauser says.
Steinhauser began offering tours at his family's Wingard's Market, a garden center founded by his grandparents Margie and Judson Wingard more than 50 years ago.
After graduating from the University of Florida, Steinhauser became a naturalist and still works at the market, educating customers on local wildlife, especially in customers' backyards.
But purple martins have become his calling. He produced a documentary on the birds, "Purple Haze: A Conservation Film," which is available on YouTube. He spent five years working on the film, including traveling to South America.
The lake tours offer a leisurely boat ride replete with beautiful sunsets, wide vistas and bird-watching, from great blue herons and waterfowl to eagles and hawks.
From her experiences on Steinhauser's tours, Pam Meetze advises passengers to bring a jacket, hat and sunglasses—and something good to eat and drink.
Like the annual synchronized firefly display at Congaree National Park, the purple martin roost at Lake Murray is an opportunity to see one of the world's most unique natural wonders, right here in South Carolina.
"It's something that everyone should see at least once," Bubba Meetze says. "And the trip on the lake is a bonus."
Purple martin tours
There are plenty of options for viewing the purple martin roost at Lake Murray, with the peak viewing season in late July and early August. Here are a few suggested guides from the Capital City/Lake Murray Country Regional Tourism Board.
Captain Zach Steinhauser, Carolina Safari Co.
(803) 359-9091, zach@wingardsmarket.com
carolinasafarico.com/lake-murray-purple-martin-tours
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Captain Kenny Hardee
(803) 530-3713
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Captain Ben Stickney
(803) 969-0105, pilotcoveventures@gmail.com
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Spirit of Lake Murray
(803) 250-5497, spiritoflakemurray@gmail.com
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Captain Rick Crout, Captain Hook’s Lake Murray Tours
(803) 603-1142, rickcrout@icloud.com
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Captain Dale Gossett, Lake Murray Island Tours
(803) 318-3911, capt.dg@icloud.com