This report is from Texbirds. Two purple martins, one an adult male, were seen on a "green and white metal house" in Austin, Texas today. Perhaps the unseasonably warm weather has brought a few birds in early.
Patrick
Purple martins in Austin, TX...
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Linda Reynolds
- Posts: 1308
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 8:33 pm
- Location: Adamsville, TN
Patrick, while I know we are all very anxious for the first return report, I have serious doubts about this report from texbirds.
Here is the link to the actual report:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/TE ... 1293402801
Most always martins will first return to southern Florida, and perhaps southern Texas, but to be reported as far north as Austin is something to be questioned.
Here is the link to the actual report:
http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/TE ... 1293402801
Most always martins will first return to southern Florida, and perhaps southern Texas, but to be reported as far north as Austin is something to be questioned.
Ever-Grateful,
Linda
Linda
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apundt-TX
- Posts: 986
- Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 7:34 pm
- Location: Pflugerville, Texas
- Martin Colony History: :
2022-1 pair
1 pair 2021
2020- Didn't get setup fast enough in Pflugerville
2019- Apartment
2018 Divorce lost Colony in Dripping Springs
19 pair 2017
17 pair 2015
12 pair 2014
8 pair 2013
5 pair 2012
2 pair 2011
Linda,
I know where this house is and it usually doesn't get martins until March 1st at the earliest.
A.P.
I know where this house is and it usually doesn't get martins until March 1st at the earliest.
A.P.
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Linda,
Thank you for posting the link to the "sighting". I had also read the Texbirds report. Texbirds is a user list that anyone can look at, join and post on. It has some good information and some that lacks credibility--in fact sometimes it gets quite comical. There is no oversight, except from other birders who might take an interest and offer an opinion. One seldom sees an opinion voiced on that list when purple martins are the subject. Why carry that information over to this site?
Last year, some late December/early January "flyover" reports were made in the scout report-by Texbirder members, for Texas. In my opinion those reports, like this one, are false. A five second drive by sighting, by a person living 150 miles away, who could only identify one of the two birds, is not the type of information that should be posted on any forum. I have no doubt that had the report been made on the PMCA scout report, it would have been deleted.
I make this post so others around the country will not be dispelled into beliving that Texbirds is some kind of official listing. It isn't. In my opinion, reports from that blog should not be carried over to this forum. We have a scout report page, and competent people to follow up on the legitimacy of reports.
Thank you for posting the link to the "sighting". I had also read the Texbirds report. Texbirds is a user list that anyone can look at, join and post on. It has some good information and some that lacks credibility--in fact sometimes it gets quite comical. There is no oversight, except from other birders who might take an interest and offer an opinion. One seldom sees an opinion voiced on that list when purple martins are the subject. Why carry that information over to this site?
Last year, some late December/early January "flyover" reports were made in the scout report-by Texbirder members, for Texas. In my opinion those reports, like this one, are false. A five second drive by sighting, by a person living 150 miles away, who could only identify one of the two birds, is not the type of information that should be posted on any forum. I have no doubt that had the report been made on the PMCA scout report, it would have been deleted.
I make this post so others around the country will not be dispelled into beliving that Texbirds is some kind of official listing. It isn't. In my opinion, reports from that blog should not be carried over to this forum. We have a scout report page, and competent people to follow up on the legitimacy of reports.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
LOL.......very funny!
2004...notta
2005-2008 lookies
2009...lookies, and a SYM hanging around a bunch
2010...an ASY pair! 5 eggs, 5 babies fledged! yehawwwwwwwwww
2011....still only one nesting pair..extreme heat killed the babies
2012..ASY pair...fledged 4 babies!
2013 notta, few lookie lous
2005-2008 lookies
2009...lookies, and a SYM hanging around a bunch
2010...an ASY pair! 5 eggs, 5 babies fledged! yehawwwwwwwwww
2011....still only one nesting pair..extreme heat killed the babies
2012..ASY pair...fledged 4 babies!
2013 notta, few lookie lous
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Joe Zorn
Are we on the attack of our fellow members already in the 2011 season? The man simply stated what he read, and said so. Why come down so hard?
Patrick, I am pretty sure that none of these folk meant any redicule directed toward you. I have seen that kind of thing here often enough, but never by any of these people.
Thanks for the report, Patrick. I read it after Linda posted the website. The author sure thought he saw at least one Purple Martin yesterday in the Austin area, and described what he felt pretty descriptively. Even if he did say it was a "five second" observtion. Sometimes that's all we get.
Please don't leave the forum, friend. I, for one, enjoy reading your posts.
Joe
Patrick, I am pretty sure that none of these folk meant any redicule directed toward you. I have seen that kind of thing here often enough, but never by any of these people.
Thanks for the report, Patrick. I read it after Linda posted the website. The author sure thought he saw at least one Purple Martin yesterday in the Austin area, and described what he felt pretty descriptively. Even if he did say it was a "five second" observtion. Sometimes that's all we get.
Please don't leave the forum, friend. I, for one, enjoy reading your posts.
Joe
Patrick, please post...this is from a TX girl! My Mister & I have "lurked" on "The Forum" for the last nine months. I have finally decided to "speak" out!
Sincere regards,
Tammy Winger
Sincere regards,
Tammy Winger
Chet & Tammy Winger
PMCA Members
PMCA Members
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Guest
I'm sure there are many early sightings that are never reported that are actually PM sightings.I don't and won't dismiss as a falsehood.
I have seen a number of early arrivals over the years that I thought were PM's but I did not report them as I wasn't 100% sure but in the back of my mind they were.Yes it's early but that doesn't remove it from the realm that this really could have been PM's.
I don't doubt that the author felt it was PM's and I thank them for reporting .I don't think its a federal case to report this, right or wrong.You know even if they were not correct, so whats the big deal.The next thing you know we will be barred from posting a sighting until we have met certain requirements.
JB you have your opinion and I salute your knowledge but there is not any reason to comedown on someone or an organization because they made what they believed to be a true observation.
I have become more of a bystander/lurker than an active member because of accusations and finger pointing.
Such is life, it takes all kinds........
dick
I have seen a number of early arrivals over the years that I thought were PM's but I did not report them as I wasn't 100% sure but in the back of my mind they were.Yes it's early but that doesn't remove it from the realm that this really could have been PM's.
I don't doubt that the author felt it was PM's and I thank them for reporting .I don't think its a federal case to report this, right or wrong.You know even if they were not correct, so whats the big deal.The next thing you know we will be barred from posting a sighting until we have met certain requirements.
JB you have your opinion and I salute your knowledge but there is not any reason to comedown on someone or an organization because they made what they believed to be a true observation.
I have become more of a bystander/lurker than an active member because of accusations and finger pointing.
Such is life, it takes all kinds........
dick
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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
We live SW of Houston, about 70 miles from the coast. I have been a landlord for over 40 years, have 240 gourds, and I am retired so I spend a lot of time outside. Dick and I live about 10 miles apart, so we are friends.
I have never seen a martin earlier than about Jan 19th. I have seen what initially looked like a martin earlier, but it ended up being a blackbird or some other bird. Even then, I became excited when I saw it but for a first martin in the USA, maybe a little more care should be used to verify that it is a martin, be positive, and then report it. Sure it makes for good reading, and maybe there actually were some early martins, but I will not report one until I am positive. It is important to me that I not report something that would most likely be false.
I tend to dismiss the early martin report, as it often is wrong, but aren't we all enjoying this???? I sure am, and am lookng forward to the new season, and I am confident that some martins will be chirping in our backyard very soon..I will start putting out my gourds today.
I have never seen a martin earlier than about Jan 19th. I have seen what initially looked like a martin earlier, but it ended up being a blackbird or some other bird. Even then, I became excited when I saw it but for a first martin in the USA, maybe a little more care should be used to verify that it is a martin, be positive, and then report it. Sure it makes for good reading, and maybe there actually were some early martins, but I will not report one until I am positive. It is important to me that I not report something that would most likely be false.
I tend to dismiss the early martin report, as it often is wrong, but aren't we all enjoying this???? I sure am, and am lookng forward to the new season, and I am confident that some martins will be chirping in our backyard very soon..I will start putting out my gourds today.
Last edited by Emil Pampell-Tx on Mon Dec 27, 2010 9:41 am, edited 1 time in total.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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apundt-TX
- Posts: 986
- Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 7:34 pm
- Location: Pflugerville, Texas
- Martin Colony History: :
2022-1 pair
1 pair 2021
2020- Didn't get setup fast enough in Pflugerville
2019- Apartment
2018 Divorce lost Colony in Dripping Springs
19 pair 2017
17 pair 2015
12 pair 2014
8 pair 2013
5 pair 2012
2 pair 2011
I don't think that Linda, John or I where directing this to you. I am sorry if you feel that way. I just chimed in as I live close to this area mentioned on that other forum.
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loco for purple
- Posts: 187
- Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2005 7:06 pm
- Location: arlington/texas
Anything is possible. A couple of years ago, I had a lone female show up here in North Texas in the middle of January. I do not know how long she had been here because I was not looking for any martins too arrive for a few more weeks.I have several bird feeders and there was a huge flock of redwing blackbirds in the my back yard feeding at the feeders. They spooked and flew past the martin housing. I then noticed a bird with pointy wings fly out of the housing and realized it was a martin. It would be another three to four weeks before another martin showed up. If it was not for the blackbirds, I would have never noticed her. She could have been here for a week or she may have just arrived, who knows. I flipped her numerous superworms and crickets and she did survive our rollercoaster winter that year. I will never forget that martin.......
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GeneP
- Posts: 525
- Joined: Mon Jul 23, 2007 7:35 am
- Location: Kansas, Lawrence
- Martin Colony History: 1 gourd rack with 24 gourd capacity. 2018, my 11th year hosting martins.
18 pair in 2017.
Here is a later post by the same individual. Keep in mind, it could happen to any of us. http://www.surfbirds.com/birdingmail/Ma ... rds/837446
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M.Stephens
- Posts: 1130
- Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:14 pm
- Location: Texas/Texarkana
Boy this story just keeps get'n better! Apundt- TX.? Can you verify if the house has decoys on it?
Malcolm
2015 (110 nesting pair)
2014 (92 nesting pair)
2013 (75 nesting pair)
2012 (35 nesting pair)
2011 (20 pair)
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PMCA Member
2015 (110 nesting pair)
2014 (92 nesting pair)
2013 (75 nesting pair)
2012 (35 nesting pair)
2011 (20 pair)
____________
PMCA Member
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apundt-TX
- Posts: 986
- Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 7:34 pm
- Location: Pflugerville, Texas
- Martin Colony History: :
2022-1 pair
1 pair 2021
2020- Didn't get setup fast enough in Pflugerville
2019- Apartment
2018 Divorce lost Colony in Dripping Springs
19 pair 2017
17 pair 2015
12 pair 2014
8 pair 2013
5 pair 2012
2 pair 2011
It does...I didn't think about that until I saw the reply on texbirds.