Sleet is currently falling here in Baton Rouge, with possible light snow tonight. When I turned on the camera in my SuperGourd tonight, I saw 5 Martins huddled together! Anyone ever see this before? 8+ Martins have been on and around houses for past few weeks, but there are enough compartments open to take care of all.
I have a gourd camera in one of my gourds and I had 5 in one gourd last night also!! I think they do this to keep warm. Hopefully they will be able to go out and eat today.
I have a gourd camera in one of my gourds and I had 5 in one gourd last night also!! I think they do this to keep warm. Hopefully they will be able to go out and eat today.
Communal roosting to keep warm apparently is pretty common, but I've only seen up to three or four in one compartment.
I find it worrisome because a friend in nearby Illinois, near St. Louis, lost about 10 in a T-14 compartment one year. There were so many they piled up against the opening and could not get out. This might be more of a problem with SREH.
So keep an eye on them -- maybe do nest checks on a sunny morning in the next day or so.
I seen this a few years ago with Tree Swallows in the Garden. I had up 3 Swallow boxes in the early spring, and the weather took a turn for the worst that evening. Only the House in the garden was used but I stopped counting them entering at 20!!! I could not believe how many jammed in there, it was like Bees!!! and it was COLD/a spring BLIZZARD.
When I turned on the camera in my SuperGourd tonight, I saw 5 Martins huddled together! Anyone ever see this before? 8+ Martins have been on and around houses for past few weeks, but there are enough compartments open to take care of all.