17 dead chicks
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
I lost 4 chicks to the cold spell. Need to do another nest check & see if we lost any more. Nature can be cruel at times.
ToyinPA
ToyinPA
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oneidalaker
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Sun May 22, 2005 6:39 pm
- Location: New York/Cicero
Cransy, we got hit hard too. Found 69 dead young out of 191 on our July 3 nest check. Have 39 pairs, 213 eggs and 191 hatched. Found 4 more dead birds today. 40 have fledged as of today, can't wait for the rest to make it.
Scout arrival, nesting, egg laying and hatching was all about 1 week early this year. Had 5.46 eggs per nest, hatch rate was 89.6%, thought we had a banner year going and then a couple of days of cold wet weather.
I don't believe that we have more than 1 or 2 SY pair which was unusual
Oneidalaker
Scout arrival, nesting, egg laying and hatching was all about 1 week early this year. Had 5.46 eggs per nest, hatch rate was 89.6%, thought we had a banner year going and then a couple of days of cold wet weather.
I don't believe that we have more than 1 or 2 SY pair which was unusual
Oneidalaker
Leave nothing to chance
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Joe Zorn
To the three of you,
I doubt I need to say this, but will. Expect loses. Because you are going to get them, whether you prepare for them or not. And it's heartbreaking. Mother Nature is heartless.
From the numbers you've posted, it sounds like a lot of new babies are going south this year, and that's the end result. Just keep doing the best you can for them while they're in your care.
Last summer, post after post was about losses to heat down south, cold up north and black flies in the middle areas. I believe things have been milder this summer.
Congratulations on your successful nests, so far.
I doubt I need to say this, but will. Expect loses. Because you are going to get them, whether you prepare for them or not. And it's heartbreaking. Mother Nature is heartless.
From the numbers you've posted, it sounds like a lot of new babies are going south this year, and that's the end result. Just keep doing the best you can for them while they're in your care.
Last summer, post after post was about losses to heat down south, cold up north and black flies in the middle areas. I believe things have been milder this summer.
Congratulations on your successful nests, so far.
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3788
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
Joe, I know exactly what you are talking about. I was looking at the Troyers catalogue the other day and in the front he has nesting results from every year. I can't remember the numbers now but he only fledged like 16% or something crazy like that last year. It was a bad year for everybody it seems. That is part of the reason I was surprised to start my colony this year, I figured there would be a lower number of SY's.
2026 HOSP 26
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
With so few here in central PA I hate to loose even one let alone several.
If there were other martins in my area they'd come in during fledging. Thing is no other martins show up. Haven't now for a few plus years. If I don't fight to save as many as I can I feel my area will lose all martins.
There are others in my area that have put houses up, but have never gotten martins. I had hoped with all my hard work & care the martin population would eventually return to pre 1972 Agnes Flood amounts. Sadly that's not happening. Too many fall victim to prey, illiness or weather.
If the chicks, who have survived so far make it, 8 will fledge this year. That's not very good numbers considering I had 9 pair starting out this year. Factor in the losses during migration. Next year I'm adding a B&B & will also consider hand warmers if the weather turns cold again. They can tough it out in the high heat, but the cold is extremely hard on them.
I won't give up tho, as my husband & I love the martins & look forward to their return each year.
ToyinPA
If there were other martins in my area they'd come in during fledging. Thing is no other martins show up. Haven't now for a few plus years. If I don't fight to save as many as I can I feel my area will lose all martins.
There are others in my area that have put houses up, but have never gotten martins. I had hoped with all my hard work & care the martin population would eventually return to pre 1972 Agnes Flood amounts. Sadly that's not happening. Too many fall victim to prey, illiness or weather.
If the chicks, who have survived so far make it, 8 will fledge this year. That's not very good numbers considering I had 9 pair starting out this year. Factor in the losses during migration. Next year I'm adding a B&B & will also consider hand warmers if the weather turns cold again. They can tough it out in the high heat, but the cold is extremely hard on them.
I won't give up tho, as my husband & I love the martins & look forward to their return each year.
ToyinPA
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Joe Zorn
I see what you mean, TOY. That is a scarey situation. Extreme cold in July is never going to be one of our problems here in South Louisiana. Extreme heat with 100% humidity is our killer. I even installed an electric 12vdc mini fan in the top of my webcam gourd. Those five babies hatched when the last of all my other nests were fledging.
Boy, did that make a world of difference! Since they were in the webcam, I got to watch them closely. They were snug and comfortable. Infact, the took 5 days to fledge, past their 28th day in the nest. Just were in no hurry.
No one knows better than you what it's going to take to pull those 8 through. I wish you the best. I'm positive you will do anything to help them along, including moving them into the kids (grandkids?) room and moving the kids to the sofa.
Boy, did that make a world of difference! Since they were in the webcam, I got to watch them closely. They were snug and comfortable. Infact, the took 5 days to fledge, past their 28th day in the nest. Just were in no hurry.
No one knows better than you what it's going to take to pull those 8 through. I wish you the best. I'm positive you will do anything to help them along, including moving them into the kids (grandkids?) room and moving the kids to the sofa.
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
Joe:
We had triple digits with 93% humidity, then the temps dropped for a few days & nights were in the 40's. The drastic change is what took it's toll on martin chicks in the north. Most chicks can endure the heat & humidity here as it's not normally weeks on end, but a few days, then cools down some. Summers here can be horrendous humidity wise, as we're all mountains & valleys. Temps normally range in the 80's to 90's. However we've had several days in triple digits with humidity to match, no rain & then sudden cold. One chick had no clutch mates, so I took him out & fed him when it got hot, as the parents didn't seem to be feeding him enough. I know lack of food not only starves them, but also dehydrates them, so I decided to take action & feed him crickets dipped in water. He's doing fine. I have another clutch of 3 & one with a single chick, but they're on the shady side of the house & parents are feeding OK.
No kids here(all gone & no grandkids(9) here either....ummm 4 great grandkids too) just 3 parrots & 4 poodles who are beyond spoiled rotten & cared for.
My husband offered to build or buy me a cage to house any martin who could not migrate for whatever reason, be it injury or disability. Almost thought I'd have one last year, as he was abandoned. I feed him for 3 or 4 days & he made it.
The 1972 flood wiped all the martins & their food source out completely. Summer of 1999 five ASY martins showed up in my yard & kept coming back. We got them a house & they've come back each year. They chose me to look over them & I do the best I can.
ToyinPA
We had triple digits with 93% humidity, then the temps dropped for a few days & nights were in the 40's. The drastic change is what took it's toll on martin chicks in the north. Most chicks can endure the heat & humidity here as it's not normally weeks on end, but a few days, then cools down some. Summers here can be horrendous humidity wise, as we're all mountains & valleys. Temps normally range in the 80's to 90's. However we've had several days in triple digits with humidity to match, no rain & then sudden cold. One chick had no clutch mates, so I took him out & fed him when it got hot, as the parents didn't seem to be feeding him enough. I know lack of food not only starves them, but also dehydrates them, so I decided to take action & feed him crickets dipped in water. He's doing fine. I have another clutch of 3 & one with a single chick, but they're on the shady side of the house & parents are feeding OK.
No kids here(all gone & no grandkids(9) here either....ummm 4 great grandkids too) just 3 parrots & 4 poodles who are beyond spoiled rotten & cared for.
My husband offered to build or buy me a cage to house any martin who could not migrate for whatever reason, be it injury or disability. Almost thought I'd have one last year, as he was abandoned. I feed him for 3 or 4 days & he made it.
The 1972 flood wiped all the martins & their food source out completely. Summer of 1999 five ASY martins showed up in my yard & kept coming back. We got them a house & they've come back each year. They chose me to look over them & I do the best I can.
ToyinPA