In a sure sign that spring is not far behind, the first Purple Martins of the year have been spotted in Purcell, Oklahoma. The arrival, cheered by the Purple Martin Conservation Association in a national release today, reminds that Purple martins, the largest swallows in North America, became acclimated to the dried gourds hung by Native Americans and handcrafted birdhouses designed by European colonists. The prevalence of these ready-made houses, coupled with the decline of natural cavities, has changed the behavior of the species. Now, only man-made nests will do and it’s time for landlords to hoist the homes.

The birds were seen on February 8 in Purcell by a Purple Martin enthusiast – one of many throughout the eastern and central United States who track and report on the birds’ annual migration on behalf of the Association. The migration of these unique birds can be reported and tracked through a community science project called the Scout-Arrival Study. 

The current fentanyl crisis in America is directly tied to the Biden administration’s unwillingness to secure our southern border.

Over the past three years, over 8.8 million illegal migrants have crossed the southern border. That is more than twice the population of Oklahoma. This number includes over two million known “gotaways” who evaded border patrol, smuggling drugs and trafficked persons into our country. The Biden administration’s open border has created a national security, public health, and humanitarian crisis.

Joe Biden’s incompetence has proven deadly. On Joe Biden’s watch, over 56,380 pounds of fentanyl have been trafficked into our country. Now, illicit fentanyl poisoning has become the leading cause of death among American adults ages 18-45.

Fentanyl is a controlled substance. However, illicit fentanyl production is the primary driver of record-breaking overdose numbers. Fentanyl abuse has become more common and dangerous in recent years due to “fentanyl analogs” and “fentanyl-related substances,” which are similar in chemical makeup but far more powerful. In fact, of the pills tested for fentanyl, an alarming 42 percent contain at least two milligrams of fentanyl – a lethal dose that could fit on the tip of a pencil.