Zach Steinhauser will debut his long-awaited documentary on one of the many wonders of the Lake Murray and Lexington area, the purple martins! Purple Haze: A Conservation Film will be presented on Saturday, April 23rd at The Icehouse Amphitheater in Lexington. The event will have giveaways from the Purple Martin Conservation Association, Wingards Market and Steel Hands Brewing and a raffle held by the National Wild Turkey Federation. Must be present to participate. Snacks and beverages from Tin Can Kettle Corn and Old Mill Brew Pub will be sold at the film’s unveiling beginning at 7:00 pm. The film will begin at 8:00 pm and end at 9:20 pm. Admission is $10.00 per person at: https://www.purplehazeacfmovie.com/.
This unique phenomenon that happens annually around Bomb Island on Lake Murray has drawn scientists and bird enthusiasts since its discovery in 1988. One of them, Zach Steinhauser, a Lexington local, spent five years researching and following the purple martins to put together the documentary about the local sensation. Zach is a United States Coast Guard licensed Captain who has been all over the United States and Brazil to study this songbird. He hopes that his film, Purple Haze: A Conservation Film, will educate and inspire others to take steps and help preserve these gentle, beautiful songbirds for generations to come.
Purple Martin Fun Facts:
- As many as 750,000 purple martins gather each evening in July and August to feed, socialize and rest on Bomb Island
- The roost is so large that it has been seen on radar and is the largest in North America!
- In the morning, they fly off, as far as 100 miles away, to prepare for their migratory flight to South America, in late August.
- While not endangered, the Purple Martins have faced about a 40 percent decline as a species in the last 50 years because people have steadily stopped putting up housing and provided nesting habitats for Martins to bring in future generations.
