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February 2, 2026Meet Our Newest Employee: Danielle Wittenberg
February 2, 2026
A Growing Home for Purple Martins at Glenn by the Bay
A small wildlife project at Glenn by the Bay has developed into an encouraging local conservation effort, with three managed gourd-tree nesting systems and 89 chicks documented during a 2026 monitoring visit.
At Glenn Insurance, our connection to South Jersey extends beyond the work conducted in our offices. For the Glenn family, it also includes a longstanding interest in the people, wildlife, and natural spaces that help define the region.
One of those places is Glenn by the Bay at Veterans Memorial Park in Galloway. The property, formerly owned by the Glenn family, now includes public open space, trails, a welcome pavilion, a pollinator garden, and habitat used by local wildlife.
The Purple Martin project reflects the work of knowledgeable volunteers, the Glenn family’s connection to the property, and the value of consistent attention to local wildlife habitat.
Managed nesting structures with multiple compartments for Purple Martins.
Recorded during a monitoring visit in the 2026 nesting season.
Approximately two years of volunteer monitoring and maintenance.
The 89-chick figure is a snapshot from a 2026 monitoring visit. Nesting activity and counts may change as a season progresses.
From an aging birdhouse to three managed nesting systems
Approximately two years ago, a small group of Purple Martins was using an older, damaged birdhouse on the property. Its condition raised questions about whether it could continue providing suitable nesting space.
Tim Glenn’s longtime friends Lester Block and John Rokita volunteered to help monitor the birds and care for the nesting area. Their involvement grew from a shared interest in local wildlife and conservation work.
The effort has since expanded to three gourd-tree systems. Each contains multiple nesting compartments that can be inspected and maintained during the breeding season.
Two Purple Martins resting together inside one of the nesting gourds at Glenn by the Bay.
Why use nesting gourds?
In eastern North America, Purple Martins now nest almost entirely in housing supplied by people. Properly located and maintained gourds provide individual compartments that can be accessed for periodic monitoring.
Housing alone does not ensure that a colony will establish or remain successful. Location, weather, food availability, predators, competitors, and ongoing management may all affect nesting activity.
Young Purple Martins observed during a routine monitoring check at the nesting site.
Monitoring involves more than installing housing
During a monitoring visit in the 2026 nesting season, Lester and John documented 89 chicks across the three gourd-tree systems. The figure shows the scale the project had reached at that point in the season.
Purple Martins are aerial insectivores that capture flying insects in the air. Cold snaps, prolonged rain, fog, drought, or high winds can reduce feeding opportunities for adults and their young.
Active colony management can include inspecting compartments, maintaining the housing, recording nesting progress, and watching for nonnative European Starlings and House Sparrows that may compete for nesting space.
Stewardship is built through regular attention
Conservation can include maintaining suitable local habitat, observing changes over time, and supporting the conditions that allow wildlife to return, nest, and raise their young.
The work at Glenn by the Bay is modest in scale, but it shows how consistent attention from knowledgeable volunteers can turn an aging nesting site into a closely monitored community project.
The volunteers behind the work
Lester Block and John Rokita have contributed time to checking the systems, observing the birds, recording nesting activity, and helping maintain the housing. Glenn Insurance and the Glenn family are grateful for their continued care of the site.
“Be safe, watch out for turtles, take care of nature, and enjoy your time with family and friends!”
A closer look at the Purple Martins
This short video offers another view of the nesting systems and birds at Glenn by the Bay, including a closer look inside one of the nesting gourds.
Purple Martin information and colony-management resources
Readers interested in Purple Martin biology, nesting behavior, housing, and colony management can explore these educational resources.
Following the colony through future nesting seasons
The Glenn family looks forward to following the Purple Martins at Glenn by the Bay and sharing future updates as the volunteers continue their work.