Things have picked up. We have about fourteen birds here with at least a couple of SY. Last night we were able to count around twenty birds circling and another separate large bunch headed somewhere. Nest building is in full swing. Got the Blue Birds in their own place now allowing the raising of our other house. I lowered that house and set a Blue bird box within an eye shot and they took right to it. Barnies are busy to along with the Chimneys Swifts. I am worried about the return trip across the gulf. Going to need to fledge as many as possible.
I am technically a "waiting" landlord! Had a pair in '02 that fledged 4, had a pair in '06 that fledged 6, but none since! I would love to hear from other landlords in my vicinity (very north eastern IL/our property borders WI). We had pm's years ago at another property..... Here we have tree swallows, plenty of bluebirds, barn swallows, etc. but no martins seen at our place yet this year.
We have an ASY pair that have been here for about 15 days now and another ASY female that showed up 2 days ago and is really intent on wooing the male. Of course, the other female is having a hissy fit. Can't wait for the SYs to start showing up.
If you really want to do something, you'll find a way...If you don't, you'll find an excuse.
My site is split up into two locations. The main location has 2 SY males singing their little hearts out. They both arrived this week. This is the location that got hit by raccoons and an owl last year. I had 42 pairs here last year, mostly ASY's and lost 39 nests, so I assumed I would be starting over this year.
My smaller setup down by the pond now has 20 birds back, 8 ASY pairs and a few ASY and SY males trying to find mates.
Its's been a rough 2 days on the Rumple Ranch. 30+ mph winds and now the temp is dropping to the high 30s tonight.
All of my colony has been huddled up out of the wind in the gourds and house all day. They did come out and greet me this afternoon as I walked around the site. It's so cold I had to start a fire in the wood stove. I saw 2 martins on the roof about 6' away from the flew. These guys are smart!
Lowered the gourd pole down because of high winds, they didn't seem to mind at all. Tomorrow the wind is suppose to die and get up in the 60s!
They say if you don't like today's weather in Illinois, stick around and wait until tomorrow, it will change! I'm ready!
Kevin 2014 - Added 12 more Gourds to existing Gourd pole, 34 Pair, 134 Fledged
2013 - Replaced Best Nest with T-14, Added additional T-14 93 fledglings, 27 pair
2012 - Added Trio Castle, 23 pair, banded 48 out of 85 fledglings
Right now I have 46 gourds up. Forty-four of those gourds have adult pairs. Two gourds that I put up on Friday now have subadult pairs. I have one more gourd to put up and I know it will be quickly taken by one of the many subbies hanging around looking for a place to nest. So far the season has been typical of other years and the martins seem happy. They rarely leave the site it seems. There are martins here all day long.
The cold Saturday this weekend wasn't good for them but most pairs opted to stay in their gourds, with only a few venturing out to feed. Today was just like any other day though. Martins singing, fighting, and behaving like happy martins.
I live at LeRoy Illinois just off of I74. Between Mahomet and Bloomington. I too is a wantabie landlord. I have several visitors in the past years. But no takers. I put up new gourd rack. I have a 1 1/4 dia 21 feet tall water pipe. Three foot in the ground. Top 1 foot for perching so the top arms of the rack are at 17 feet off of the ground. This puts it much higher than my garden shed. It is also next to an ally so they can have a good fly zone there as well north and south. I think the new set up should be more inticing. So keeping my fingers crossed for that first pair.
Hope all have a good season.
Steve Thomas (LeRoy,Il) trying since 2003, visitors 2006 & 2007 had 1 visitor.
2009 had 6 visitors, 3ASY & 3females(1 male serious)
2010 1ASY male & 1ASYfemale, May 9, 2010 I became a landlord
2011 They came back. Got cold .they left. Never came back. starting over.
2012 1 came by. 2013 (0)
Junior07 wrote:My latest count is 8 ASY Males and 6 ASY Females. They've been staying all night and singing in the morning/noon/night for about 2 weeks now.
Some nest building, I gave them a good start with dry fresh pine needles before they arrived.
Still looking for the arrival of the SY Male & Females. They should be along soon.
How's everybody else in the Land of Lincoln doing? Give us your report!
Kevin:
Up here in Poplar Grove, IL we still have just one pair. Have had many visitors in the past week, but none seem to stay. The pair we have is building a nest. Hoping more will take up residence soon.
Here north of Mahomet, my colony is also underway. I have to guess (other things are keeping me very busy), but I know that my colony founder male is back and the pair are building a nest. This pair have removed the pine needles that I placed as a pre-nest and replaced them with material of their choosing. I keep running out of time to place needles out as nesting material. I have probably 3 more ASY pair, and at least one single bird (for now I hope).
I've even seen a couple of compartments with fresh leaves inside - their timing is a bit off! No SYs sighted yet (I don't expect to see them until close to Memorial Day.
Give us your report! 