Feed me, Seymour!!!!!

[Guest]

Hello all,

This is third day of zero opportunity feeding weather in southwest Nebraska. Yesterday and this morning, the wind blew so hard that you couldn't have fed if you wanted to. There was no way I was going to lower a house, (to put crickets in some compartments), as I was fearful that any martin flushed from the house would be unable to reach it again.

This afternoon, even though it is still only in the mid 30's outside, the wind has subsided considerably. I had to run a few errands and when I left the house, I noticed a few martins had decided to brave the elements and had ventured out onto the porches.

Upon my return, one of the resident males leapt from the house and flew right to me as I was exiting my pickup. He literally flew between my open pickup door and the cab. He didn't miss my face by more than a couple of feet. He then flew up to the top perch and started calling loudly. I'm pretty slow but I was fairly certain that a demand for dinner had been made.

Okay, okay, just let me take my stuff in the house! Jeez Louise! (Sorry Louise)

Anyway, the birds were obviously excited when I reappeared with my spoon and bowl. About ten minutes and a sore finger later, everybody seemed to be well satisfied as a cricket or two were making it to the ground.

I have never had a martin behave like this before. I may be all wet, but it sure looked like he wanted my attention and right now. Anybody else ever had a martin act like this?

Just curious, Tim

[Guest]

haha, that's to cool. My little guy, was buzzing around me any chance he could today, trying to get my attention. I went out to try and find some crickets, but no luck. All I could find was wax worms or meal worms and I wasn't sure if they would find this acceptable.

So if he's still around in the morning I'll cook him up an egg.

[Guest]

Not a martin no...

Hummingbirds, absolutely. They can't wait for me to hang the feeders up and try to feed while it's swinging in my hand. If I don't hang the feeder up early enough, I find them at my screen door, buzzing around. (That's the door that accesses the back yard.)

The mourning doves are like chickens in my back yard. Sure they'll scatter when I approach but not very far and will move back in as soon as I start going about my business in the garden. I have a mockingbird that doesn't fear me either. Chickadees will eat out of my hand if I sit at the feeder long enough.

Therefore, though I have never hosted a purple martin, I am not surprised at all that the plucky purple martin has grown to know you as a person who will help them. After all, they know your property by heart! I'm sure that you could probably (and have probably) taught them much more.

[The Olsons]

Tim,

Just another one of your heartwarming stories.... NO, I never have heard anything like that before, but I am so glad that this little guy spoke for himself and for all of your martins and got your attention. These martins are just so special and so are you for responding to their demands. I myself am a "now and immediately, pronto" person, so I know how relieved this little guy must have felt when you attended to his and his friends needs.

I know you take excellent care of your martins, just like last year, best wishes and please keep us posted and most of all.....I hope your weather warms up!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Astrid

[duck]

I have never had luck with feeding Martins and I share your frustration, mine is of winds blowing off L Ontario and blowing the crickets away. I always buy some and keep trying, maybe this year, so far they have not arrived, thank God!! My crickets are ready as we have snow possibly coming in. I am hoping that some year I will get a Martin who had learned to feed at some other colony who will teach my kids how to do it. What do you think?? One year, in rotten weather, I had a female who looked so interested, she sat and watched us tossing bugs but never flew at any. She did look like she was enjoying it though.

[Guest]

You can buy crickets by mailorder from a place called TOP HAT. It's located in Portage, Michigan (near Kalamzoo).

[duck]

I got my crickets from the PMCA website. Postage is expensive but the crickets are great. I freeze them anyways so it doesn't matter to me if they arrive cold, which they did not, they were very lively.

THEY ALSO ARRIVED IN RECORD TIME, I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW FAST THEY GOT HERE.

PMCA gets a profit from the sale too.

[Guest]

That's right, from the PMCA's home page, click on "buy live martin food" in the right column. ReptileFood does give the PMCA a donation equal to 5% of your order amount. It looks like they beat Top Hat's prices too, although I've not ordered from them, so I don't know what postage does to the advantage.

- Steve

[zoefluf]

I've never tried them, but I hear the PMs really like meal worms.
Jeanne

[The Olsons]

Like Steve I buy my crickets and meal worms from Reptile Food which I found on the PMCA web page. Great service!!!!! The PMCA now also offers dried meal worms, which look nice and plump like the live ones, they just do not wiggle

Astrid

[1 Ron Vasser]

Tim I had the same thing happen yesterday. I don’t have to wonder when the Martins are hungry anymore, they’ll just come and ask. It rained, sleeted, hailed, and was cold yesterday after a couple of weeks of nice weather. There was a freeze warning for North GA last night so Kyle and I were out covering plants on the bobcat (farm vehicle) just before sundown when Martins started coming and floating on the wind about three feet in front of use. Kyle said she’d finish covering plants so I went to get the eggs and meal-worms ready. I got a few snapshots before sundown.