It's a GIRL! My First arrival is a female martin!

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
Post Reply
KathyF
Posts: 3522
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: Missouri/Licking
Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.

Checked outside this morning at 8:25 and there she was - a single female martin on one of my gourd racks! My first arrival last year was also a female. She's one week earlier than last year!!
YAY!

Image

Brrrr - it's only 35deg!
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
Top
Gobbler T
Posts: 1518
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:13 am
Location: Mississippi / Columbus

Yeeaaayyy Kathy!

Glad to see your season off to a good start!

Hope you have a prosperous martin year!
Tony


2007 --- 0 2011---0 2015---4
2008 --- 0 2012---0 16-19—0
2009 --- 0 2013---1 2020—?
2010 --- 0 2014---3
Top
landonn
Posts: 282
Joined: Thu Aug 20, 2009 7:50 am
Location: Indiana/Logansport

Congrats. Have a great season. Hopefully it warms up where you are.

Landonn
Top
mcollmer
Posts: 140
Joined: Thu Mar 04, 2004 2:33 pm
Location: Oklahoma/Hobart

Congrats Kathy, I hope it warms up for you. Wishing you a great year.
Martha

PMCA member
Top
Don Strickland
Posts: 430
Joined: Fri Mar 12, 2010 4:38 pm
Location: Oklahoma/Shady Point

Congratulations Kathy!!
Top
John Barrow
Posts: 982
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas

Great news Kathy. :grin: I can feel the vibes in South Texas that your great work has notched up for the season. Have a great one, and thanks for all you are doing to aid martins in your area.
~~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)
Top
Steve Kroenke
Posts: 4342
Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
Location: Louisiana/Logansport

Hey Kathy,

Thanks for sharing that great news with us! Though I usually see male martins arrive first, I have had a few cases where the "ladies" showed up initially.

I hope you have a great martin season. We all appreciate your hard work in promoting purple martins and helping other folks become martin landlords.

Steve
PMCA Member
300+ pairs of martins each season
Top
Paul P
Posts: 69
Joined: Fri Nov 12, 2010 4:15 pm
Location: Missouri/Macon

Kathy

Great News! I didn't think they would get up to you quite this soon, but I know you will enjoy seeing more. Just another 150 miles North of you there is a nice remodeled colony waiting for any over load you might get. :lol:

My pair of Canadian geese arrive this morning on my pond. This is the fourth year for them. Their names are Pat and Mike. They are two weeks early compared to last year. So that may mean the Purple Martins will be early also.

Paul
Top
Tim Mangan-Kansas
Posts: 1728
Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:25 am
Location: Kansas, Pittsburg
Martin Colony History: 2016 - 22 Pair

Kathy:

Congrats on your first arrival for the season. I guess you better hurry up and order that new Gemini rack so it will be in place for all the subbies headed your way this year. I bet you could hit 60 pair, if not more.

Have a great season.

Tim
Licensed Bander
2015 - 14 Pair - fledged 68
2014 - Moved to Kansas - 7 Pair, 35 eggs, 28 fledged in first year
2010 Thru 2013 - Moved-Tried to start new colony
2009 - 46 pair, 217 eggs, 178 fledged
Top
Keith
Posts: 435
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Missouri/Ava
Martin Colony History: 85 pair in 2020. Seems fairly consistent the last few years.

Kathy,
I've been watching for this post of yours. "Girl"? This just could be the same one that showed up first at your place last year. Just curious to know if this female has selected the same cavity as last year. With your first arrival I'm thinking that I can set my timer about two weeks from now. Have a great year with our Missouri Purple Martins.
Keith
Top
KathyF
Posts: 3522
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: Missouri/Licking
Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.

Thanks, everyone - yes, there is a LOT of excitement here and I've been willing it to be warmer today. Is there a Native American dance that I can do for SUNSHINE?? :lol:

Keith, she only came back once so far and has not entered a cavity yet. She's still just perching outside. Of course, we changed the round holes on my Trendsetter to now be Conley II entrances, so she's probably a bit wary of those right now.
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
Top
Carolyn C
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:45 am
Location: Georgetown, TX

We need more females! I feel sorry for the 2 that we have as the other 6 males keep eyeing them. I've been able to name one pair Ralph and Alice (Kramden) because they do a lot of fussing to each other. I know who they are because I know where they always sit and go in for the night. Ralph had to defend her honor last week against an "unattached" male.
Carolyn
Top
pugsleyhall
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:28 pm
Location: Alabama/Grant

Great news Kathy, love the happy dance! Hopefully this will be our last cold "snap" for the winter. I think we are all ready for spring.


Melissa
Proud member of the PMCA
2008-0
2009-0
2010-Several Lookers
2011-Quite a few visitors but none stayed
Top
Davlyn
Posts: 624
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 8:55 pm
Location: Ga/Pavo

Hey Kathy , thats GREAT news ! I had a female scout last year and this year a male . I know your excited , I am sure thats a understatement ! Best wishes for you this season !
April McClelland


PMCA Member
Top
Owens
Posts: 28
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 9:00 am
Location: Texas/Plainview

Congratulations, Kathy! We got our first scout today too! A beautiful male...and we are pretty sure he is ours from the last two years... Flew right over our heads and "bleaked" us..... What a happy sight!
Top
Jeff Robinson
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 3:32 pm
Location: Rogersville, Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2008 - Current
72 Cavities - 70 Pairs in 2021
PM Mentor

Fantastic news Kathy! Keep her warm - maybe she'll have a mate by Friday when the temps climb into the 60s again!

Jeff
PMCA Member - Bedrock Colony
Top
John Miller
Posts: 4866
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
Location: St. Louis, MO

Cool.

My earliest a few years ago in Forest Park was March 13, a female, and she holed up for a week of snow flurries, with me flushing her out on better days to fill her compartment with crickets. Actually..I filled a whole Trendsetter as I wasn't sure which compartment, and learned to keep all but one side plugged early in the season. She survived and was joined by several males a week or so later.


John M
Top
Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2442
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

Kathy .....great news .... Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Purple Martin Forum”