Status Of Our Purple Martin Colonies
incredible devastation.....incredible restoration. people are amazing at times, and nature is always amazing......thank God you are ok and the birds are recovering. Rick
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
Steve, I'm so glad you and Bob are ok. It is wonderful you were able to get most of your systems back up with the help of such good people. Best wishes to you for the rest of the season.
Trisha
PMCA member
2019, 36 pair
PMCA member
2019, 36 pair
Wow, thats pretty amazing that because all your help you got most of your systems up in two days. Glad you're ok, I hope you have a great rest to the season.
Landonn
Landonn
2010 1 pair at each site. Plus some unmated subadults hanging around at both sites.
2009 Had a lone subadult spend the summer
2008 visitors.
2009 Had a lone subadult spend the summer
2008 visitors.
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Hanover Bill
- Posts: 656
- Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:10 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Hanover Township
- Martin Colony History: 2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
Steve;
Remarkable job of restoring your colony in record time. Thanks for sharing those pictures at this difficult time.
Best of luck for the remainder of the season. We're all rooting for you.
Hanover Bill.
Remarkable job of restoring your colony in record time. Thanks for sharing those pictures at this difficult time.
Best of luck for the remainder of the season. We're all rooting for you.
Hanover Bill.
2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
You all did an AMAZING job!
We are all SO SHOCKED and SORRY this happened.
Carl
We are all SO SHOCKED and SORRY this happened.
Carl
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
I greatly appreciate all the nice and encouraging comments about the terrible tragedy our martin colonies have endured. Though the situation looked bleak at the beginning, things changed significantly for the better after nearly all our housing had been restored. We had some great friends who came to the rescue and saved our colonies.
It appears that there are fewer martins now in our colonies and that is to be expected after such a tragic event. But many of the martins are re-nesting it appears and new SY males are establishing territory.
We were unable to save any of the eggs found after the storm as all were smashed. But many martins were released from the gourds/houses and these martins flew well and probably returned to their nests later.
I updated the photos by adding a photo of Bob's destroyed colony after the storm and then another showing all his housing back up. This is truly a miracle!
Thanks again to all our Forum friends for your support, prayers, and offers of assistance.
Steve
It appears that there are fewer martins now in our colonies and that is to be expected after such a tragic event. But many of the martins are re-nesting it appears and new SY males are establishing territory.
We were unable to save any of the eggs found after the storm as all were smashed. But many martins were released from the gourds/houses and these martins flew well and probably returned to their nests later.
I updated the photos by adding a photo of Bob's destroyed colony after the storm and then another showing all his housing back up. This is truly a miracle!
Thanks again to all our Forum friends for your support, prayers, and offers of assistance.
Steve
PMCA Member
300+ pairs of martins each season
300+ pairs of martins each season
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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.
Steve, or anyone with infor., If Martins that were incubating a clutch of eggs in the gourds that did not get blown down, and if they left their nest during the storm, will the eggs not hatch even if the female returned the next day and began incubation? I'm thinking the eggs will have chilled and ruined. Not sure. Steve, I am sure hoping you will have a productive season with your remaining birds and you or anyone else will never experience something like this again.
Keith
Keith
Hi Steve, Very sorry for your loss, a lot can be learned from your expierence, I had a tornado come through my area 3 years ago that took down 2 Barns, my trees that were only 3 years old all bent over, but my Martin houses stood firm, I use all metal poles or wooden 4X4's Aluminum poles will bend easily, the only reason they sell aluminum poles is because of weight, and if it's not air craft quality the will bend due to the amount of weight at the 15 foot or 16 foot height, if you have 40 pounds of housing at 15 feet the stress on the pole is multiplied by up to 4 times just at a 50 mile per hour wind, if its a round pole you can use a schedule 40 pipe, thats mostly used for axle loads but the strenght is beyond that of any aluminum pole out there, same goes for a metal square pole, the down side is you need to paint them or they rust. I looked at you pics and I will say that those poles are stressed with the amount of gourds hanging on them, if you have a metal shop near by take the time to talk to them and get there input, you will be amazed at there knowledge of meatl versus aluminum. Greg Z.
Greg Z
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Scott D.- La
- Posts: 823
- Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:35 am
- Location: Louisiana
I would disagree that these poles are stressed or overloaded. They are quality systems designed to accommodate what is on them and have been through many storms. I don't consider this a equipment failure, but a act of nature that could happen to anyone, anywhere. When a Tornado comes calling, all bets are off, even lowered all the way, something is going to be damaged although, should greatly help minimize the damage. A direct hit from a powerful tornado, and your house will be flying along with the racks. All I am going to do is watch the weather and warning's and lower them if I think it's necessary, if I have the time to do so. I don't think Steve had any warning or time to react. I have used steel poles however, deleted them due to rust issues. They would have to be powder coated for rust not to be a issue. Weight is also a consideration for this material.