The nestling death toll at my colony is now approaching 30. I think there are only a couple of young ones left in a gourd and I don't expect them to make it. It seems most of the adults have now deserted and I'm not sure those remaining 2 are even being fed. I lost 6 just today. They are thin and weak. I'm not sure the adults are feeding them in this heat. Although the "official" temperature at DFW airport has only been 101-102, my part of town has been in the 105 range. This is way too stressful and the joy has gone out of the hobby. This will be my last year to host martins.
Patrick
a gruesome scene...
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Guest
Sorry Patrick,
I was thinking the same thing today but then I realized how hard it would be to watch them return next year with no place to nest.
Wish I could say something to make you feel better. Hope you revisit this thought.
I was thinking the same thing today but then I realized how hard it would be to watch them return next year with no place to nest.
Wish I could say something to make you feel better. Hope you revisit this thought.
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Joe Zorn
Hi Patrick. Good to hear from you again, but sad to hear your news.
I sure know how you feel. I've seen the same here.
Rain has finally started to cool things off again. I only have one baby left in a gourd, but it's long overdue to fledge. I found it on the ground late in the evening after a very bad storm. A good bit of damage to my garden plants and lawn furniture throw further than they should have been, since they were steel. I went to put it back in the only nest that still had babies, and all the other babies were gone as well. I had four there two days before, but it was fledge time, so I am hoping they went out into the world. The one that I picked up was weak, protruding breast bones, very light weight, and an eye that was closed.
That was two days ago. Yesterday and this evening, I see him with his head out of the gourd, and now and them a male and female do fly-by's and squalk at him, but I've not seen any feeding. They must be doing it though, as he's still alive. Maybe he'll fledge in a day or so.
The excessive heat here has demanded quite a toll on the yard plants and garden. All was doing well when we went on a short vacation in early June. When we got home 10 days later, plants were dying and veggies not producing well. That's with automatic soaker hose watering system working just fine. Plenty of water, scorched plants.
So you know the baby birds suffered a LOT.
I hope you change your mind. It's been a bad year, but what would have been those babies chances without your help? Probably not nearly as good.
I sure know how you feel. I've seen the same here.
Rain has finally started to cool things off again. I only have one baby left in a gourd, but it's long overdue to fledge. I found it on the ground late in the evening after a very bad storm. A good bit of damage to my garden plants and lawn furniture throw further than they should have been, since they were steel. I went to put it back in the only nest that still had babies, and all the other babies were gone as well. I had four there two days before, but it was fledge time, so I am hoping they went out into the world. The one that I picked up was weak, protruding breast bones, very light weight, and an eye that was closed.
That was two days ago. Yesterday and this evening, I see him with his head out of the gourd, and now and them a male and female do fly-by's and squalk at him, but I've not seen any feeding. They must be doing it though, as he's still alive. Maybe he'll fledge in a day or so.
The excessive heat here has demanded quite a toll on the yard plants and garden. All was doing well when we went on a short vacation in early June. When we got home 10 days later, plants were dying and veggies not producing well. That's with automatic soaker hose watering system working just fine. Plenty of water, scorched plants.
So you know the baby birds suffered a LOT.
I hope you change your mind. It's been a bad year, but what would have been those babies chances without your help? Probably not nearly as good.
Last edited by Joe Zorn on Sat Jun 27, 2009 10:19 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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The Olsons
- Posts: 3200
- Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:57 pm
- Location: North Padre Island, TX
Patrick,
I am so sorry about your losses and the sad times you have to endure.....I had a very,very bad year last year and did not know why my babies were dying. It was terrible to find them dead and all I could do was burry them...I was ready to give up but then thought where are all my resident martins would go to ...This is not about me, this is about the martins and how much I can help to make them survive and thrive.
This year we finally had a chance to supplemental feed (we tricked the sea gulls)a, we put Sevin in the cavities as well and had a sprinkler going, and other than loosing 4 babies and one egg right at the beginning of the season we have been doing fine. What I am trying to say is, please do not give up....the martins need you. I was there last year, ready to give up but I just could not do it and I am glad that I decided to hang in there, because of a few changes we made this season with all the drought and high temperatures, it was still a very good and succesful one.
Again, I am sorry and sad about your but please do not give up...the martins need you and all of us.
Astrid
I am so sorry about your losses and the sad times you have to endure.....I had a very,very bad year last year and did not know why my babies were dying. It was terrible to find them dead and all I could do was burry them...I was ready to give up but then thought where are all my resident martins would go to ...This is not about me, this is about the martins and how much I can help to make them survive and thrive.
This year we finally had a chance to supplemental feed (we tricked the sea gulls)a, we put Sevin in the cavities as well and had a sprinkler going, and other than loosing 4 babies and one egg right at the beginning of the season we have been doing fine. What I am trying to say is, please do not give up....the martins need you. I was there last year, ready to give up but I just could not do it and I am glad that I decided to hang in there, because of a few changes we made this season with all the drought and high temperatures, it was still a very good and succesful one.
Again, I am sorry and sad about your but please do not give up...the martins need you and all of us.
Astrid
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
The deaths probably are caused by a combination of 3 things:
1) SY females are excellent mothers when conditions are ideal, but when things start getting difficult, they slack off on feeding, and may even quit. Also, the males seldom help the SY females. The females will abandon the nests and go to the roosts quite often.
2) The drought makes it more difficult to find food
3) The heat puts additional stress on the babies, plus the parents do not feed them as often, and dehydration sets in.
I have seen where the ASY females are regularly feeding their babies, and the male is helping. However, the SY females make about 1/4 of the trips, and they get little help from the males. I have recently decided that this is an important issue in the deaths of so many babies this year.
1) SY females are excellent mothers when conditions are ideal, but when things start getting difficult, they slack off on feeding, and may even quit. Also, the males seldom help the SY females. The females will abandon the nests and go to the roosts quite often.
2) The drought makes it more difficult to find food
3) The heat puts additional stress on the babies, plus the parents do not feed them as often, and dehydration sets in.
I have seen where the ASY females are regularly feeding their babies, and the male is helping. However, the SY females make about 1/4 of the trips, and they get little help from the males. I have recently decided that this is an important issue in the deaths of so many babies this year.
Thanks for all the words of encouragement. I lowered the houses today. There were 2 more dead in a gourd, one almost dead, 3 more dead in different compartments. I did find 2 lively ones on the ground that I'll try to feed but the houses are now empty and I'm glad it's all over. There were very few mites so all this seems heat related, although there were 2 abandoned nests with eggs in them. What surprises me most is that until this heat wave dragonflies seemed abundant and the birds were actively feeding. I might have had a few fledge early on, but I think all of my fledglings died. This might make my decision for me. I wonder if they will even return next year after having a totally unsuccessful season this year. I'll have to think long and hard about continuing, but i thank everyone for their encouragement.
Patrick
Patrick
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Sandy - NC
- Posts: 617
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:40 pm
- Location: Rocky Mount, NC
Have you done any mods for ventilation? What kind of gourds and what kind of houses? Ventilation mods may not have made any difference, but it also could have made all the difference in the world. Everything I have is modified for extra ventilation from enlarging the bottom drainage holes to adding two 3/4" 90 degree elbows.
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Peggy Riley
- Posts: 885
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:21 pm
- Location: TX/Tolar
Patrick, I'm sorry. I lost 8 this weekend, saved 3 others. Only two nests with little ones left and found two of them dead under the rack. I'll also be glad when they are gone. I have little hope for the remaining little ones. Had 108 degrees two days in a row.
Peggy
Peggy
I'm sorry you're having to go through this too, Peggy. One of the little ones I rescued over the weekend died and the other doesn't look too well. I think all of the jumpers got too weak and dehydrated before they jumped and they just couldn't make a comeback. My colony is completely empty now. For the most part the adults have abandoned it. There are few here each morning but they don't stay long. They might not return next year. Hang in there.
Patrick
Patrick
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Steven Spencer
- Posts: 118
- Joined: Mon Apr 24, 2006 10:53 am
- Location: Jasper. Texas
Patrick, I've lost probably close to 40 fledglings due to the heat/drought. When I lost the first few it really really bothered me and I got very stressed about it. Every day I got home from work I would find 4 or 5 scattered across the lawn. But I soon realized that if these martins were not in by back yard they would have died somewhere else and probably in much higher numbers, since few people manage their colony like me or those on this forum. I try to stay focused the big picture and not on loss of fledglings. Yes I've lost around 40 which is a ton but I've also put around 250 new martins in this world.
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Guest
Sorry to hear you are in the same boat with me over here in Plano (see my sad sad week post). I just returned 6 jumpers to the nests after feeding them over night and today. Found a few healthy ones still in the nests which should be close to fledging. I feel the same way you do about continuing as a landlord. But, in spite of the bad taste right now, I think we should give it one more year. If things are like this next year, then I'm definitely giving up being a landlord too...Bud Hopkins, Plano, TX
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Guest
I am there with you 
.. I lost 7 more today. A nest of 5 .. one jumper and one baby. I have never had a year this bad. I lost more this year than I have in the last 6 years combined . I hate to check the nests. Luckily we had a little rain today and it didn't hit 100 until 5pm. I pray it helps. It makes me sick to my stomach...We have lost sooo many.
.. I lost 7 more today. A nest of 5 .. one jumper and one baby. I have never had a year this bad. I lost more this year than I have in the last 6 years combined . I hate to check the nests. Luckily we had a little rain today and it didn't hit 100 until 5pm. I pray it helps. It makes me sick to my stomach...We have lost sooo many.Yes, it is a disheartening situation. I guess what makes it such a bitter pill to swallow is that we do all the right things. I'm almost positive the parents just stopped feeding when the heat hit. The babies were thin and poor and some had diarrhea. Even when first rescued their appetites were poor. This last one I am trying to feed is going downhill fast. He doesn't seem to have an appetite, is weak and lethargic. I don't know, Bud. This is the 2nd hard year in a row. Last year's drought was pretty bad, but nothing like this. At this point I'm not up for another year but I will admit by next spring I might have the fever to try it again. Condolences to all going through this rough time.
Patrick
Patrick
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Guest
I'm so sorry to hear this from all of you. I didn't have martins this year (again), but maybe I should take some consolation in the fact that it may well have been a really bad year here too. This is heart-breaking, but please reconsider your thoughts on stopping your landlording endeavor. It's great landlords like all you guys that help keep martin numbers growing. God knows they have enough of a fight just dealing with starlings, sparrows, and predators in unmanaged housing sites. Although I have never met any of you, I feel like you are friends in spirit, and I would miss seeing you guys post here.
Please reconsider. All we can do is work the best we can with the situation we have. No one can ask for or expect more.
Please reconsider. All we can do is work the best we can with the situation we have. No one can ask for or expect more.
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martinteach
- Posts: 188
- Joined: Tue Mar 04, 2008 8:14 am
- Location: Richmond, TX
Hi Patrick,
DON'T GIVE UP!
We were having a great year at Smith Elementary. I had around 100 fledglings and everything had gone well until this heat wave. I had to go to a meeting today and was at my school for the very first time. They have found 7 fledglings on the ground. I think that all of them had finally died. I told the custodians to call me because I have spent 1 summer at the bird rehab in Houston and I know that birds have a good chance there. I don't know if I will find many dead birds inside the gourds and houses.
I think that my birds arrived in 2 waves and I believe that the first wave of birds were flying around before school ended. There is not much I can do for the late arrivals and I feel it's just nature in control.
I do know that the staff put the sprinklers on and the birds stayed around flying in the water streams.
If you haven't been to a purple martin roost in August - go to one and you will see how many martins have survived and you will be amazed.
Sandy,
I am a very visual learner. Could you post some pictures of the modifications that you made for your gourds during the heat?
Thanks.
Daryle
DON'T GIVE UP!
We were having a great year at Smith Elementary. I had around 100 fledglings and everything had gone well until this heat wave. I had to go to a meeting today and was at my school for the very first time. They have found 7 fledglings on the ground. I think that all of them had finally died. I told the custodians to call me because I have spent 1 summer at the bird rehab in Houston and I know that birds have a good chance there. I don't know if I will find many dead birds inside the gourds and houses.
I think that my birds arrived in 2 waves and I believe that the first wave of birds were flying around before school ended. There is not much I can do for the late arrivals and I feel it's just nature in control.
I do know that the staff put the sprinklers on and the birds stayed around flying in the water streams.
If you haven't been to a purple martin roost in August - go to one and you will see how many martins have survived and you will be amazed.
Sandy,
I am a very visual learner. Could you post some pictures of the modifications that you made for your gourds during the heat?
Thanks.
Daryle