Purple Martins have arrived on Nantucket for the first time ever. After three years of conservation efforts to support breeding habitat for the species, they have finally “set up house” at the Linda Loring Nature Foundation, primarily due to the efforts of Libby Buck, Conservation Science and Land Steward with LLNF.

First, a little more about purple martins: the latest seasonal residents on Nantucket Island.

Purple martins are colonial birds that are the largest of the swallow family in North America. They are insectivorous, which makes them a very welcome addition to our island.

As June settles into true summer, the flora of Nantucket really comes alive. The beach roses scent the air along the dunes, our yellow thistles open for pollinators, and the golden heathers carpet the moors. This past week, while enjoying the early summer splendor, another blossom caught my eye: small clusters of whitish-green, each flower only ¼-inch in size. The delicate five-petal flowers aren’t showy or brightly colored, but they are pleasant, gently draping in small clusters. These flowers, however, aren’t the kind to put in an arrangement or bouquet. These deadly beauties actually belong to the poison ivy plant.

A familiar sight along the harbor and around our many ponds, Ospreys are a common site as they dive for fish across the island. Ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) are iconic on-island, a part of our maritime community. Also known as Fish Hawks, they are abundant on Nantucket this time of year, having migrated back this way in late March. While these majestic birds of prey are now a fixture of early spring and summer on the island, that was not always the case.