Houstonians Please Reply

Guest · Thu Feb 24, 2011 3:00 am

Does anyone know why we do not have any birds this year yer. Landlords for over 20 yes and no birds even heard in our neighborhood ???? We have birds at our Lakehouse which usually arrive later than our Houston birds. What is going on ???? Help please anyone know anything

Emil Pampell-Tx · Thu Feb 24, 2011 4:31 am

Gary, we have many here in the Richmond - Rosenberg area, and also Katy had martins.

Is your site tree encroached? Do you have owl protection and predator guards? You should have some by now so there may have been a problem last year already..

Guest · Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:21 am

Gary I also have a few, maybe 13 or 14 and gaining one/day.

dick

Emil Pampell-Tx · Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:37 am

Gary Berger, whom lives near you has 20 martins, and his neighbor has 6 martins.

I think something happened to your martins last year....they don't want to come back this year...hope however, that you will get some different new ones.

You probably should start thinking about changing something.

mflangolf · Thu Feb 24, 2011 10:41 am

2 adult pair here in spring texas. don't normally get PM's until early march but pairs arrived on 22nd. hang in there they will be here soon.

billb · Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:01 pm

Hi Gary:

I have 3 - 5 in Katy. First 2 arrived last weekend. They were on time from past seasons, so I don't see any broad impact on migration at this time.

Hope it improves for you.

Bill

Adam Romain · Thu Feb 24, 2011 12:16 pm

Hi Gary!

I just saw my first male on Tuesday and my first female this moring. However, I would just reminder you that it is still early in the migration, so don't panic even if you typically see martins in late January or early February. Still a lot of martins to move through the area and this time of year, the martins are few in number.

Keep the faith and I hope you have a great season! Let us know how things go when you can...

wbmiller3 · Thu Feb 24, 2011 7:51 pm

I saw and heard my first 3 today. This is quite late for my little colony. Fortunately they are already going into the houses.

I am in the Clear Lake area.

JHeap · Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:11 pm

I don't know where in Houston you are but I am out 290 in the outskirts of Waller. I have been ringing my hands. Yesterday I sighted my first adult male and female but they didn't hang around. Tonight, I had 5 adult males, one female and one undetermined check out the houses. I think a male and the female went in for the night in one of the holes. It may be the pair that arrived first last year. It is the same hole that was first last year. I have usually had them arrive last week. So maybe they are just down the road!

Sherrie · Thu Feb 24, 2011 8:51 pm

I live in Deer Park just East of Houston. I have the first three spending the night tonight - two ASY females and one ASY male. I had a male pay a visit earlier this week but didn't stay. These are about two weeks behind their arrival in prior years. I'm just relieved they finally started showing up! Maybe it will be a good year after all!
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Edit:

I forgot to mention that I have two friends in Deer Park who have small colonies. Neither of them had birds as of yesterday.

Retpsub · Fri Feb 25, 2011 12:52 am

For some years we have had the first bird show up on Feb 14th. Really neat ! By the weekend a couple of more came and now there are 8 total and they seem like they are going to stay. There is one that likes to stay out about 10 minutes longer in the evening after all the others have come in for the day. Hang in there and I'll bet you will get some soon. *BW*