Ohio Landlords Chime In with your 2011 results to date!

MingjoMartins · Sun Apr 17, 2011 2:16 pm

I visited two other colonies in the central Ohio area yesterday, found it interesting that even though for the most part the entire state of Ohio is now purple, here are the results I discovered.

My own colony - Single male (out of 3 pairs in 2010/2 extra-sub adults)

Colony 1 - Approximately 25 birds in residence, vast majority male 85% or more, hosted 48 pair in 2010.

Colony 2 - Approximately 45 birds in residence, vast majority male 85% or more, hosted 116 pair in 2010.

Please feel free to post your experience in Ohio thus far in the 2011 season.

chickadee · Sun Apr 17, 2011 5:17 pm

Hi I had 7 pair last year 2010 and. 3 was asy 4 was sy. I lost a sy pair last year that lost their young. Last 2 yrs they came around april 26. This year I had a asy female show up april 3 then few days latter a asy male. She comes and goes he always stays. But last 2 nights he has not stayed. Weather warmed up today but 30 mph winds. Not sure if they got to eat today,but I hope so since next 3 days calling for rain. I'm worried about them and hate that they are here early and don't all stay to where I can help. I live 6 miles from deer creek state park. Where their has been a decent colony for some years now. I'm in hopes they hang out their untill nest time.

Terry · Mon Apr 18, 2011 8:39 am

Hello Mingjomartins, I am in NE Ohio. We have over 50 back and most are paired already. Just a few extra Males as of today.
We hosted 84 pr. last year and they fledged aprox. 310 young.

Guest · Wed Apr 20, 2011 7:53 am

I still haven't seen a single one

As a reminder, I replaced a decades old, dilapidated wooden house with a new one this Spring. No such luck...yet. I'm in Lancaster.

Dave Reynolds · Wed Apr 20, 2011 10:14 am

MingjoMartins --

I replaced my old houses with two T-14 this year. All of the openings are closed at the moment. Sparrows are looking, but can't get in. Tree Swallows looking, but can't get in... Starling are looking but can't get in..
I play the Dawn Song most of the day, ( my neighbors know it my heart) I am surveying the sky all the time. I promised myself that I would not open any holes on the houses until I see a Subbie..
I do not expect to see any action until on or after May 1st. I have had Subbies here before, but not until a week before Mother's Day...
I have a neighbor that has 15 to 20 Martins currently, but no Subbies. I will keep you informed .....

Dave -- in Little Hocking

birdbrat · Wed Apr 20, 2011 3:58 pm

My year is off to a start. Over 40 birds as of yesterday. When I came home this afternoon there appeared to be some new ones (fussing over compartments and such). I won't get a good count till night time. I have been feeding, off and on, as needed. Last years count was 53 pair. Brenda

MingjoMartins · Wed Apr 20, 2011 6:47 pm

All - Well looks like the strong storms last evening brought in some more buckeye martins!

I came home today to 4 males and a single female, who appears to have already chosen her man and her compartment.

Our weather is going to be cold and wet tonight, but although it stays wet, continues to get a little bit warmer each day in the 5-10 day forecast.

I'm jealous of you landlords who have taught your birds to supplemental feed, mine just have not yet gotten hungry enough to catch on.

For those of you still trying, I've got my fingers crossed that this year will be your year, the waiting is hard, but the reward is well worth it!

John

BigT · Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:50 pm

John, were feeding some scrambled eggs tonight and there must have been 50 birds here. Can't believe some rode that nasty storm to Ohio. Been watching a Bachelor male on he nest cam, and tonight he found a beautiful lady. Cuddled up like two love brds. My Best, Terry

MingjoMartins · Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:55 pm

Terry -

Send one of your highly educated birds my way.....pretty certain mine are delinquents and drop outs, haven't had any success in supplemental feeding.

Luckily, all look cold, but very active and alert, so I have my fingers crossed!

John

TerryG · Wed Apr 20, 2011 8:59 pm

Mingjo, I updated my Rutland, OH site with 2 more gourd racks a Chuck Abare house and a T-14 that I built over the winter. This offers the birds 74 cavities, and there are about 25% full now with more coming I hope. At home in Pomeroy,OH I just got 5 birds tonight 3 ASY males and 2 girls. These birds are as contagious as Golfing!

Dave Reynolds,,,,,we will have to hit the links soon. Terry

Dave Reynolds · Thu Apr 21, 2011 7:34 pm

Terry---
We will get on the golf course one of these days... Right now I can't get away from the lawn chair and the Bincluars. I'am still waiting... But it won't be long, so far I don't have any Tree swallow to deal with, just a few rat birds. But I am set for them too.

Send some of those Rutland Martins my way please..

Dave -- in Little Hocking

MingjoMartins · Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:21 pm

It's official - 100% of my birds have returned , 3 pairs with 2 extra ASY males!! 8 total!

Now if this rain would just move on, and the weather would warm up a bit!

John

Dave Reynolds · Thu Apr 21, 2011 8:30 pm

John --

That's good news to here... Congrats..

Dave -- in Little Hocking

BigT · Thu Apr 21, 2011 9:28 pm

John, Congratulations! We need to have a few cook outs and visit some local colonies this summer! Terry

TerryG · Fri Apr 22, 2011 9:56 am

Dave, There is no logical reason that you don't have birds! Come over home early one morning and we will kidnap some Rutland martins

we will have to be quick as mom may think we are starlings and shoot at us! I hope some of your visitors stay. I'll be talking to ya. Terry

flyin-lowe · Fri Apr 22, 2011 10:13 am

Dave
I am not a buckeye but I live close by. I would not be steadfast on your decision to keep your housing closed until the subbies arrive. Especially since you had visitors for a few weeks last year. That is exactly how my colony started. I had a subbie stick around for a couple weeks and then the next year he came back as an ASY and attracted 5 more pair. I don't think it would be a bad idea at this point to open a few cavities that you can keep an eye on, that way you can keep the S&S at bay.
Do you have any housing for the Tree Swallows? They can be a big problem when starting out, I battled them for about 3 years.

Dave Reynolds · Fri Apr 22, 2011 5:30 pm

Flyin-lowe

Thanks for your thoughts... I don't think the Martins really care what kind of tee shirts we wear. (Buckeyes or Hoosiers)

There are just happy we are putting up housing for them..

I did open two holes on both houses, just in case one might slip in on me. When I got back from church Sunday, a pair of Sparrows started house keeping in one of the rooms. Cleaned them out and closed the houses until yesterday. Reopen the two rooms again on the two houses, that I can see, from the window, and keep an eye out for them.

I'll get em, in a few days, with the trap doors I built on one of my old metal houses.

No, I don't have any housing for the Tree Swallows, this year, or ever until I get Martins established first.. Then the Tree Swallows will be welcome..

Dave -- in Ohio

MingjoMartins · Fri Apr 22, 2011 7:17 pm

Dave -

I think that it is a great idea that you have decided to open up a few of your cavities, I came home today and was told that I had over 14 birds perched on the housing, simply hunkered down riding out the storm. They were gone when I got home, but they are heading somewhere.

I had a friend in Missouri who started her colony when a neighborhood non-managed house was blown over in a storm and the pair moved to my friends managed colony.

Considering our current weather pattern, not a far fetched idea!

John

Dave Reynolds · Fri Apr 22, 2011 8:34 pm

John --

I tell ya, with this crazy weather, you never know. Any thing can happen..

I got to see first hand the SREH holes this evening in action, a couple starlings came over and it was funny watching the starling trying to get in the SREH. He even tried to peck on the wood to make the opening bigger but, he stayed just long enough to catch a piece of lead from my hand held lead spitting shoulder mounted machine.

I got a feeling it won't be long now, this was the end of week 5 plus 3 days, sense my neighbor got his first arrival this year. Soon there will be some action here. I am looking at the end of week 6 and the start of week 7 for things to get hopping and the Subbies will start to arrive.

The weather is going to turn for the better, mid 70s next week. Wish me good luck...

Dave -- in Little Hocking

MingjoMartins · Sun Apr 24, 2011 8:24 pm

All -

I'm beginning to be a strong believer in these storm systems!!

Both in front of and in back of these storms I am seeing martins arrive, last night I was content with my 8, and then realized this morning that 8 had turned to 10.

Well low and behold, tonight I'm talking to my friend in Indiana who is trying to get colony started, and I saw 4 birds come in like they owned the place taking my total numbers tonight to 14 birds spending the night!

Not certain, if the last 4 will stay, but who knows......

Wishing everyone the best!

John