You are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for doing this and helping these little guys out
Astrid
Attention-Houston, TX Area Landlords!!!
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The Olsons
- Posts: 3200
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:57 pm
- Location: North Padre Island, TX
Donna,
You are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for doing this and helping these little guys out
Astrid
You are the BEST!!!!!!!!!!! Thank you for doing this and helping these little guys out
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
Donna,
Astrid said it best! You are the best. Hopefully, everything will go well. The resisdent martins will most likely communicate to the new arrivals, that dinner is set at a specific time 
I would have taken these guy's in a heartbeat if I had any of them close in ages.
I guess I need a Super Colony! Donna, I think you are well on your way to a Super Colony!
Yes, and thanks to Lee too!
Sparky
Astrid said it best! You are the best.
Hopefully, everything will go well. The resisdent martins will most likely communicate to the new arrivals, that dinner is set at a specific time I would have taken these guy's in a heartbeat if I had any of them close in ages.
I guess I need a Super Colony! Donna, I think you are well on your way to a Super Colony!
Yes, and thanks to Lee too!
Sparky
I'm a "nestcamaholic" Is 18 hours a day a bad thing? (I have 2 this year, luckily I have 2 eyes!)
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
OK they are in nests pray for the best.
I had to put the two little ones (looks like 10days old) in with my 7 day olds because they were just too tiny to go anywhere else. Even though my 7 day old babies don't have feathers they are all the same size.
Two of the babies went in with 17 day old babies and they are just a little smaller than them.
Three of the babies were at least 30 days old or more so I put them in with nest that should have fledged but have not.
Four of them looked to be 25 days or older so I put them in nests that are about to fledge.
All of these older babies may or may not be accepted we will have to see.
Everybody got a big handful of crickets.
I had to put the two little ones (looks like 10days old) in with my 7 day olds because they were just too tiny to go anywhere else. Even though my 7 day old babies don't have feathers they are all the same size.
Two of the babies went in with 17 day old babies and they are just a little smaller than them.
Three of the babies were at least 30 days old or more so I put them in with nest that should have fledged but have not.
Four of them looked to be 25 days or older so I put them in nests that are about to fledge.
All of these older babies may or may not be accepted we will have to see.
Everybody got a big handful of crickets.
Donna Gillbee
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
Wow update -
3 of the big martins just fledged and that is what I was afraid of since they were so old BUT the martins all joined in including the parents of the nests and took them to trees.
3 of the big martins just fledged and that is what I was afraid of since they were so old BUT the martins all joined in including the parents of the nests and took them to trees.
Donna Gillbee
Wow, I'll say. What an update! They sound like quick learners! Yeah Donna!
I'll bet that was fun matching them up. I go through that quite a lot. You just need a sense of humor!
Keep us posted!
I'll bet that was fun matching them up. I go through that quite a lot. You just need a sense of humor!
Keep us posted!
I'm a "nestcamaholic" Is 18 hours a day a bad thing? (I have 2 this year, luckily I have 2 eyes!)
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
Sparky 2 of the babies are in the camera gourd.
I didn't want to say anything until I made sure everything was o.k. and I think it is. You can tell the babies because they are banded and one of them is a pig, it ate half the crickets that Mama was trying to feed all the babies.
This camera has a sunspot on it that it gets every year so I really need to replace this camera next year since it has gotten worse.
Two hawks came through and martins showed up from everywhere and swooped down to get the babies in the trees and take them with them. I just love how these martins work together.
The thing I'm really worried about the most are the little ones especially my 3 little ones that don't have feathers yet that I had to put two babies that do have feathers in with them. I will have to feed this nest everyday for awhile and check on them. I guess the drought was for a reason otherwise I would not have been pulling my racks down everyday and I would not have been able to do this with so many older babies.
The Hawks are just so bad this year since they decided to nest here at the big pond, I am hoping it is because of the drought and they won't do it next year.
Pray for the Best!!!!
I didn't want to say anything until I made sure everything was o.k. and I think it is. You can tell the babies because they are banded and one of them is a pig, it ate half the crickets that Mama was trying to feed all the babies.
This camera has a sunspot on it that it gets every year so I really need to replace this camera next year since it has gotten worse.
Two hawks came through and martins showed up from everywhere and swooped down to get the babies in the trees and take them with them. I just love how these martins work together.
The thing I'm really worried about the most are the little ones especially my 3 little ones that don't have feathers yet that I had to put two babies that do have feathers in with them. I will have to feed this nest everyday for awhile and check on them. I guess the drought was for a reason otherwise I would not have been pulling my racks down everyday and I would not have been able to do this with so many older babies.
The Hawks are just so bad this year since they decided to nest here at the big pond, I am hoping it is because of the drought and they won't do it next year.
Pray for the Best!!!!
Donna Gillbee
Ok, we're praying! It looks like they should work out. I had adiekaty's orphan last year and it was a couple days older than the rest. Just like these it had feathers and mine did not.
This season, I had some jumpers. One of them was undersized but almost a week older than the nest I put it in. The fledgling aged baby was confined to the porch by the parents. It could fly, however it was limited to a 180 while the parents were away. The parents continued to feed the little ones and this older one. The parents held out until all were ready to fledge. It was really neat to observe. It was funny because the older sibling was on the porch all the time during the day talking to the adopted siblings inside. Kinda like big brother, big sister.
I'm so sorry about your hawks. I hope they move on next season and hopefully the drought will end. The hawk problems I had, seemed to be temporary as they were migrating through and my neighbors bird feeder didn't help with matters.
Sparky
This season, I had some jumpers. One of them was undersized but almost a week older than the nest I put it in. The fledgling aged baby was confined to the porch by the parents. It could fly, however it was limited to a 180 while the parents were away. The parents continued to feed the little ones and this older one. The parents held out until all were ready to fledge. It was really neat to observe. It was funny because the older sibling was on the porch all the time during the day talking to the adopted siblings inside. Kinda like big brother, big sister.
I'm so sorry about your hawks. I hope they move on next season and hopefully the drought will end. The hawk problems I had, seemed to be temporary as they were migrating through and my neighbors bird feeder didn't help with matters.
Sparky
I'm a "nestcamaholic" Is 18 hours a day a bad thing? (I have 2 this year, luckily I have 2 eyes!)
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The Olsons
- Posts: 3200
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:57 pm
- Location: North Padre Island, TX
Donna,
I just now had a chance to read all your updates...you are sooo great. I feel so good and happy knowing these babies are with you. I will keep praying for you and them, but you are doing the best you can and that is all that matters.
They sure do not sound shy around you scarfing all the crickets down, and I wanted to look at "little pig" on your camera but cannot get a connection right now. Glad to hear that the fledged ones were escorted by the other martins.
Because you keep great records and kept feeding your babies due to the drought conditions you are able to help this little orphans.....what a wonderful story. Thank you again, and again, and again for stepping in and taking care of the little guys.
Sparky,
Thank you for getting all this going and Lee thank you for your offer to help as well. You guys are all great and Donna ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Astrid
I just now had a chance to read all your updates...you are sooo great. I feel so good and happy knowing these babies are with you. I will keep praying for you and them, but you are doing the best you can and that is all that matters.
They sure do not sound shy around you scarfing all the crickets down, and I wanted to look at "little pig" on your camera but cannot get a connection right now. Glad to hear that the fledged ones were escorted by the other martins.
Because you keep great records and kept feeding your babies due to the drought conditions you are able to help this little orphans.....what a wonderful story. Thank you again, and again, and again for stepping in and taking care of the little guys.
Sparky,
Thank you for getting all this going and Lee thank you for your offer to help as well. You guys are all great and Donna ROCKS!!!!!!!!!!
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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Guest
Donna - you are terrific. What a job. I am retired and can't imagine doing all that you do. Wish I lived close enough to have helped. I know there must be a rehabber near me that I might help some day, when I have more experienc under my belt.
The PMTV has been out since 0630 today. I have tried on and off but to no avail. But I will be peeking in at your babies.
Thank you from one of those that could not help.
The PMTV has been out since 0630 today. I have tried on and off but to no avail. But I will be peeking in at your babies.
Thank you from one of those that could not help.
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
Thanks guys y'all are so sweet...
It is almost 9:00p.m. and I am wiped, wow a lot of work this year with the drought and the hawks. The hawks start in before sunup and don't quit until sundown so I will be glad when this season is over so they can be safer somewhere else and I can take care of my family that is not of the feather kind.....smile.
Liz, Simon is checking the site to see whats up. The babies are in camera #2 on Donna Gillbee's but it is a daytime only camera even though you can still hear audio.
It is almost 9:00p.m. and I am wiped, wow a lot of work this year with the drought and the hawks. The hawks start in before sunup and don't quit until sundown so I will be glad when this season is over so they can be safer somewhere else and I can take care of my family that is not of the feather kind.....smile.
Liz, Simon is checking the site to see whats up. The babies are in camera #2 on Donna Gillbee's but it is a daytime only camera even though you can still hear audio.
Donna Gillbee
You deserve a long vacation after this season... 
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Guest
www.PurpleMartin.tv is down right now. The datacenter in MN had a major power outage. I just spoke with Hauns Frohlingsdorf, the network admin up there... he'll get the machine powered back on in the morning. Look for more martin tv action 9-10am CST tomorrorw!
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Donna - TX
- Posts: 889
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2006 6:44 pm
- Location: Texas/Pearland
Thanks Pat I will relay that to my husband...
Donna Gillbee
