"What's that telephone pole with the gourds hanging all over it?" It's actually a man-made safe haven for purple martins, a type of colonial bird that spends most of the summer months in similar structures throughout North Carolina. When nesting, they rely almost entirely on man-made bird houses, which you can typically spot around farms, pastures, lakes or ponds. For more information on purple martins, visit bit.ly/2OofUDT | NC Wildlife Resources Commission