Early scout!!!!!!!!!!! Do I report it???

M.Stephens · Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:42 pm

I saw my first martin today at 5:00 pm circling as I was adding sevin under my prenests.

It was definitely one of mine because I saw it land before dusk on the light pole and then off and on the light pole wire next to where one of my older martin houses were at.

I am sure it would have landed on and probably went in the house if it were there.

This is definitely the earliest I can remember seeing them!

Do I report it as my first scout or will it need to land on my housing that I moved in the pasture?

dsonyay · Fri Feb 03, 2012 7:52 pm

I asked PMCA staff about this very thing and was told yes. It's a scout. So report the scout- As long as your are sure it's a martin

congrats!

As soon as I see my first martins flying over my area, I will report it too.

Last year I had martins investigating my gourds in early March, so I reported it. It wasn't until a few weeks later that I had a pair staying the night. Had I reported the later, the scout report would have looked as if martins were arriving in Slidell much later than when they really arrived. Plus - I think I was the only person in Slidell reporting scouts, so the earlier sighting was the more significant to report and made more sense.

Louise Chambers · Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:27 pm

I agree, report it. Sounds like it was circling over your site and landed -it counts!

Reports that don't add much value would be someone sees a martin somewhere - not at a colony, just flying overhead - that's a sighting but not return of bird to colony site.

M.Stephens · Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:32 pm

WOOHOOO!!!!!!!!!! I can officially say my season has started!!!!!!!!

Connie Roman ~ NJ · Fri Feb 03, 2012 8:55 pm

Malcolm,
Congratulations! You got the work done at your site just in time.
Connie

M.Stephens · Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:03 pm

Thanks Connie! I sure hope everything works out like Christmas for you tomorrow.........

LDCLSU · Fri Feb 03, 2012 9:06 pm

Congrats

KathyF · Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:13 am

Congratulations, Malcolm - 2012 is ON!

Stretch · Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:24 am

Congrats Malcolm! Here's to a kicking off a great season!

Jeff Robinson · Sat Feb 04, 2012 9:31 am

Congrats Malcolm - wishing you better Martin conditions this year and a great season!

Jeff

M.Stephens · Sat Feb 04, 2012 4:59 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone! : )

I have been patiently watching and listening towards the skies today but I haven't heard or seen her return back....maybe she'll return late like last night.

I wasn't up early enough to see if she were here this morning! I hope she'll be ok.

The temps are supposed to get down in the 30's tonight. : (

Dave Reynolds · Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:20 pm

Malcolm --
Congratulations!
You are off to a good start, just knowing he or she is circling over head is great news. Have a great year..

Dave -- in Little Hocking, Ohio

M.Stephens · Sat Feb 04, 2012 10:42 pm

Well she flew over my colony site this evening about 5:40 but she never landed ....she is looking for her old nesting site.

What do I do?

I don't have the dawn song but I do have a cd of martin chatter ...should I play that over the new site?

She nested in an S&K John Deere barn in years past.

I don't want to put it back up.

I want them to nest in my new location but I don't want to lose my first scout!

I have plans to put those S&K houses on my other property.

M.Stephens · Sun Feb 05, 2012 6:02 pm

Well I put the John Deere martin barn back up because colder temps are forecast for this week, high today was only 48.
I closed off all rooms except the one facing south, put crickets on the porch, put a hand warmer in the compartment and added pine needles.
If she comes back this evening her home is ready.
I plan on taking it down when other scouts arrive at the new location. They should pull her over there. : )

TX Rehabber · Sun Feb 05, 2012 7:09 pm

Malcolm,

It was good talking to you again. Glad to see that you went with my advice about closing some of your housing and getting hand warmers. Hope your little girl can get through this cold spell. Good luck this season.

Penny

M.Stephens · Sun Feb 05, 2012 11:31 pm

Thanks Penny I gladly thank you for your advice. I don't want to lose my scout....who does?
I'll be looking for her tomorrow , hopefully she went in the house at dusk . Like most everybody else I had to go to a SB party. : )

Donnie Hurdt MN · Mon Feb 06, 2012 9:52 am

I would have stayed home and watched to see if she came in. You see, I dont give a rats hiney about football or most other sports.

To me sports are just a wast of time and natural resources,but that is just my openion and I am not knocking anyone who loves sports or makes a living in sports.

M.Stephens · Mon Feb 06, 2012 11:35 am

Donnie believe me I really didn't want to go. I would've stayed home but my family would really think I was nuts if I stayed.
She will be ok martins are pretty resilient.

Gobbler T · Mon Feb 06, 2012 1:58 pm

"I dont give a rats hiney about football or most other sports"

I'm with you Donnie, I would just about rather get pink eye than watch a ball game of any kind.

(The wife is a sports NUT)

Not knocking those that enjoy it! But if I'm going to do something that repetitive, I'll just watch martins fly back and forth and back and forth, and back and forth!