I was just watching our martins feeding their babies, everything was so calm and peaceful when all of the sudden I hear all this screeching and see a little dark cloud coming at me Yes, you are right.....a cloud of SYs, about 20 of them again. They landed on one of the systems and sure stirred things up. The mommas and daddies trying to feed were not very happy about this visit and some little fights broke out. I had to do some clapping with my hands to get everyone situated again and the SYs flew over to one of the perching arms where they rested for a good 30 minutes before continuing their journey to you martin friends up NORTH
I had to physically remove an SY male out of my camera #2 nest this morning, I opened the nest picked him up and through him in the air. The parents were having a difficult time getting him out and when I pulled the nest down and looked in he had already made one of my babies bloody but I think he is ok.
A lot of males are now coming in and it is hard when you have over 200 babies and about 100eggs in the nest to watch each one and try to figure out if the right birds are going in the nest. But if I see and injured baby in the nest that SY will usually be back so I watch carefully that nest.
They can move up north at anytime!
I am so glad you were there when that SY male tried to do damage on that nest. It seems that the SY males are worst this year than ever before. I am sorry that you have to deal with all the nerve wrecking attacks by hawks and now SY males as well. Best wishes and hopefully the SYs move on soon from your area....
Help me. I have had trouble in the past distinguishing between females and SY males. I've been studying the photos on this PMCA website. Up here in Minnesota, my ASY martins (7 pairs) are busy building nests, not having been here very long. There are not many eggs, yet, in these parts.
Yesterday, 5 new birds joined my colony in the rain. All the birds were wet and dark colored, and I thought they were all females. However, this morning it appears that one of them is a SY male.
Help me with this. The wings and back aren't particularly dark blue, but the crown, especially just above the beak is very black/blue, and the chin is also darker than the females', so it lacks that distinctive "raccoon mask" look of the females. Could this bird be a SY male?? Even though the wings and back are more brown than black?
Watch to see if they are singing the male song, with the crieeek ending. That is very helpful in ID-ing the sub males. Females never give that song ending.
Edit: here's a link to the song, it's called Croak song:
Peggy some of the SY males have such few spots you have to really look through the binoculars to see so I do what Louise says and watch for that song ending, it's easier.
We live in northern alberta, canada and my houses are still empty...playing my dawn song and daytime chatter...we have lots of nesting swallows one pair last year and this year 10 pairs...wow...
so I will keep my fingers and toes crossed that the martins are still coming....way up here please
Watch to see if they are singing the male song, with the crieeek ending. That is very helpful in ID-ing the sub males. Females never give that song ending.
Louise
Thanks for your suggestion! Yes, he is, indeed, a subadult male. This morning he is "crieeking" his little heart out!
Hi,
I live up north, so DO NOT SEND ANY STARLINGS UP HERE, SEND THEM SOUTH OR TO HELL AVENUE, MILWAUKEE , WISCONSIN OR ANY GANG INFESTED AREA TO GIVE THESE GUYS SOMETHING TO KILL INSTEAD OF PEOPLE.
Yes, you are right.....a cloud of SYs, about 20 of them again. They landed on one of the systems and sure stirred things up. The mommas and daddies trying to feed were not very happy about this visit and some little fights broke out. I had to do some clapping with my hands to get everyone situated again and the SYs flew over to one of the perching arms where they rested for a good 30 minutes before continuing their journey to you martin friends up NORTH 
And THEN Hwy 40 
