Is it better to downsize?

[Guest]

This is the first year we haven't been excited about our martins coming home. Last year left us heart-broken. Due to excessive heat and drought we lost an estimated 60 nestlings and several adults.

Last year we offered 42 compartments and had nests in all but 2. Things completely fell apart the second week in July. There was nothing we could do. At one point we had 10,000 crickets and realized that many would only supplement them for a couple of days. They ate all the crickets we supplied, but didn't eat the eggs very well.

One one hand, we know that nesting space is desperately needed, but on the other hand it seems irresponsible to take on more birds than we have the time and means to take care of.

They're already predicting another scorcher for our area this summer.

Any suggestions?

[CraigMo.]

Leave it the same and hope for the best. You are giving them a home and once they come back you will be happy again Its sad on bad years but you do have more good years than bad. If its to much work for you to maintain then downsize cause that means you are not enjoying it anymore. Possibly downsize and just use gourds. IMO gourds are easier to maintain

Craig

[dsonyay]

How has the rainfall been? I think it's important to offer plenty of housing. You just can't know for sure what will happen this summer.

When the martins start arriving- they are wired for one thing- find a female and make make more martins (ok, two things). None of them will have last year on their mind. So be tough- like them.

I like the profile pic... is it a Schnauzer? I'm looking through my cell phone and can't tell for sure. We lost our male, Major, last year. 16 years of loyal service. This is Mulie...our female. She's 7.

Edit: oops, my eyes are bad... looks like its a grayhound.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Another thought, if you do downsize, then where will your martins go? They most likely will end up at some inferior housing where nobody will pay any attention to them, and predators may get many of them. If you provide good safe housing, then you are doing them a great favor. It helps to feed them, but you still cannot save all of them even in a perfect year. Good luck

[Louise Chambers]

I agree with the others - the weather may not be any better, could be worse if heat is extreme again this year. But they have a good secure place to nest with you. I know it's no fun to see them struggle to raise families, but sometimes that's how it goes.

We fed a LOT of crickets, 2000/day for days on end - but not all the parents would use it. Some sure did, we watched them. So some fledged 5-6, many fledged 2-3.

Do your best and don't blame yourself, you are doing much more than most landlords. And do what you can to shade, insulate, or cool housing - it will help. I remember your shade panels- good work!

[Kelly Applegate~MN]

Hi KellyTee,

I have a 24-unit gourd rack that runs near 100% occupancy each year. I found that as the colony gets older, they get much better at raising young, and the fledge rate gets better each year (if the weather cooperates). Are any of your neighbors interested in putting some housing up? That would give your subbies a place to nest in the future.

Kelly in MN

[Guest]

Thanks for the encouragement guys. I kind of feel in my heart that offering the same amount of housing is the right thing to do, it's just so painful to have things fall apart like that and be helpless.

Kelly, my folks live next door and have a small colony too, but most of the two colonies combined are adult birds. Last year was our 5th season. One of our neighbors showed some interest a few years ago, but later told me it looked like too much work. Our other neighbors think we're plain ole nuts!

dsonyay, yeah they are Italian Greyhounds... both are 11 years old dear members of our family. So sorry to hear about the loss of Major. They become such a part of your family.

Craig, we have all gourds except for one Waters Edge house. We've thought about replacing that with gourds in previous years, but didn't know how our older birds would adjust to that. It is always the first to fill. Do you think they would accept gourds?

Thanks for the encouragement.
Kelly

[CraigMo.]

Kelly I am not that experienced to know if your birds would adapt to gourds. I would bet so since you have gourds as part of your colony already and these pms want a home. Maybe someone else can put their input in this.
Craig

[dsonyay]

I can't see how they'd reject a better/bigger gourd either.... but if they seem to like the gourd you already have keep it. Does it have an access cap? I'm not familiar with Water's Edge. But if the birds like it, no sense in changing until you have to.

[dsonyay]

Oops misread your previous post. Waters Edge houses are really nice. I'd say keep that and add gourds elsewhere or under the house. Since the martins fill the Water's Edge first, it obvious they love it.

[Guest]

David, I think we've decided to keep things the same as last year.
Thanks all.