Hi all,
I read other posts today and got inspired to post my results for 2010. The year turned out very well for the martins here also. Some do still come to the housing at night, but I think most have begun moving south.
I had 14 ASY pairs nest, and they had 79 eggs. Every egg hatched. This a first. There always had been some destroyed by sparrows in the past.
Of the 79 nestlings, 3 were lost within a week of the hatch date.
Of the 76 remaining nestlings, all fledged successfully during the firstweek to early the second week of July.
I had 8 nests with 6 nestlings that fledged. 4 nests had 5 nestlings and 2 nests had 4 nestlings. This would be an average of 5.43 babies fledged per nest.
96.2% would be the success rate on fledgelings at my colony this year. I am very happy about that.
There were very few if any bugs of any kind, even still the nests are not infested.
I will also mention the HOSPs bothering my colony experienced heavy losses to the tune of 88 birds, mostly due to my shotgun and a few to my trap. I am very proud of that! I think eliminating them is one of the reasons my martins did so well. That and the fact that insects were everywhere to be found.
Yay for the martins!
Anna
End of season numbers
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bwenger
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Good job Anna.
Those are great numbers.
We're having a great year in western PA as well. It seems that this year of fledges will definitely get us back on track after our large losses last year.
The best of luck in 2011.
Bill
Those are great numbers.
We're having a great year in western PA as well. It seems that this year of fledges will definitely get us back on track after our large losses last year.
The best of luck in 2011.
Bill
I had only one family of Purple Martins this, my first, year. They hatched 5 nestlings, but only 3 lived. Those 3 fledged yesterday! They came back last night to the same gourd...Mom & Dad were there also - two sub-adult Martins.
I'm going to hate to see then go for good. Hopefully, the parents will return next year and bring more with them.
Thanks for all the help here on the Forum.
Kat
I'm going to hate to see then go for good. Hopefully, the parents will return next year and bring more with them.
Thanks for all the help here on the Forum.
Kat