I was just looking at the scout reports and wondering if those reporting have had any more martins show up since their first report.
Our first bird, an ASY male, showed up on March 2nd. So far no more.
This is the second time in 16 years that we've had one show up this early. The other time was in 1999. That year the first one didn't stay. We didn't have any stay until about the 20th of March. Our first one this year has stayed and seemed at home from the first. He knew what mealworms are and has been eating real well.
Luck to you all
Frank
Mo., Ill, Ind. Scout reports
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JoLita
- Posts: 44
- Joined: Thu Feb 22, 2007 2:21 pm
- Location: Missouri/East Prairie
- Martin Colony History: I have been a landlord for 24 years.
Three gourd racks with total of 28 super gourds.
2021 - 28 nesting pairs
Frank,
I reported one martin on February 25th which is the earliest date that any have shown up at my home. There are now 10 martins staying. I live in Southeast Missouri approximately 20 miles southeast of Sikeston and 20-25 miles west of the Mississippi River. Since it is going to be warmer this week I expect more martins to be flying in!
Jo Lita
I reported one martin on February 25th which is the earliest date that any have shown up at my home. There are now 10 martins staying. I live in Southeast Missouri approximately 20 miles southeast of Sikeston and 20-25 miles west of the Mississippi River. Since it is going to be warmer this week I expect more martins to be flying in!
Jo Lita
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Glen Webb Jr
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:03 pm
- Location: Illinois/Stewardson
I really figured I'd have seen one today at my colony. Almost all the gourds are ready for them. I just need to order 9 more excluder II entrances. I did shoot a starling from a cresent troyer this morning. I hope it didn't get into it, as it is one of the few I didn't convert to excluder II entrances. I thought I saw it sitting in there when I pulled up, but it may have just been sitting at the entrance trying to get in. Either way, he was dead in a few minutes.
Maybe I'll see my first scout tomorrow or this weekend. I usually seem to get them right before a cold front or storm passes through. I'm really going crazy. It's all I think about right now. I'm definitely in "martin mode" right now!
Maybe I'll see my first scout tomorrow or this weekend. I usually seem to get them right before a cold front or storm passes through. I'm really going crazy. It's all I think about right now. I'm definitely in "martin mode" right now!
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Frank Hargis-IL
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2003 5:22 pm
- Location: Illinois/Flora
Jo Lita,
Looks like you’re way ahead of us! Seems like your neck of the woods always get martins well before us. Still interesting to here where they are showing up though.
Glen,
We now have our second male martin. Showed up about 4:00 pm today. Bet if you don’t have martins by now you will very shortly. Keep looking up!!!!
Good luck,
Looks like you’re way ahead of us! Seems like your neck of the woods always get martins well before us. Still interesting to here where they are showing up though.
Glen,
We now have our second male martin. Showed up about 4:00 pm today. Bet if you don’t have martins by now you will very shortly. Keep looking up!!!!
Good luck,
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Glen Webb Jr
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:03 pm
- Location: Illinois/Stewardson
I wanted to add something earlier but it slipped my mind. Being the "nature nut" I am, I generally like all things native (except Cooper's Hawks) and what I saw this evening was pretty neat. I wondered if anyone else experienced anything like this before.
This evening i visited my colon site and while there I noticed some sort of "bug" buzzing around the gourds. At first I thought the insects were ladybugs, but quickly realized what I was watching was much larger. A closer inspection revealed the "bugs" to be some sort of native bee, like a mason bee or something of that size. There were about two dozen or so and they kept swirling around the gourds. They didn't enter the cavities but they would land on the outside surface and dart off again. It was one of the neatest things I'd seen in a while. I have mason bees nesting on my property but never realized they were interested in gourds. Maybe the bright white of the gourds attracted them?
This evening i visited my colon site and while there I noticed some sort of "bug" buzzing around the gourds. At first I thought the insects were ladybugs, but quickly realized what I was watching was much larger. A closer inspection revealed the "bugs" to be some sort of native bee, like a mason bee or something of that size. There were about two dozen or so and they kept swirling around the gourds. They didn't enter the cavities but they would land on the outside surface and dart off again. It was one of the neatest things I'd seen in a while. I have mason bees nesting on my property but never realized they were interested in gourds. Maybe the bright white of the gourds attracted them?
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Guest
Glen,
It is interesting that you have mason bees. I ordered some this spring and I have made a mason bee house to put on the side of our pole barn. I want to establish mason bees on our property to act as pollinators for our fruit trees and garden.
The current plight of the honey bee is very sad. I had considered trying to provide housing for them but there is a lot more work involved (I am not interested in harvesting the honey) and they are suffering from the parasites and disappearing colonies. I hope that solutions can be found for the honey bees soon, but in the meanwhile I'm looking to the mason bees can take over their pollination job.
Jeff
It is interesting that you have mason bees. I ordered some this spring and I have made a mason bee house to put on the side of our pole barn. I want to establish mason bees on our property to act as pollinators for our fruit trees and garden.
The current plight of the honey bee is very sad. I had considered trying to provide housing for them but there is a lot more work involved (I am not interested in harvesting the honey) and they are suffering from the parasites and disappearing colonies. I hope that solutions can be found for the honey bees soon, but in the meanwhile I'm looking to the mason bees can take over their pollination job.
Jeff
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Glen Webb Jr
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:03 pm
- Location: Illinois/Stewardson
Yeah, my dad and I have been talking for a long time about making those box hive things for the mason bees. I'm not sure if that's what it was I saw yesterday, but they were definitely some sort of native bee.
Finally, had my first martin this morning. Wow, it just made my day. I pulled up at my colony site this morning, and he popped out of an Excluder II hole. That was more than reassuring. Glad he took to it so quickly. I tried them last year and the Excluder IIs were a hit. Had to shoot another starling this morning too. THey just don't give up. Even when they cannot enter any of the cavities, they just hang around making those disgusting sounds and making the whole place feel like a dump.
Finally, had my first martin this morning. Wow, it just made my day. I pulled up at my colony site this morning, and he popped out of an Excluder II hole. That was more than reassuring. Glad he took to it so quickly. I tried them last year and the Excluder IIs were a hit. Had to shoot another starling this morning too. THey just don't give up. Even when they cannot enter any of the cavities, they just hang around making those disgusting sounds and making the whole place feel like a dump.