Too Late

[Meem]

I have had Martins since 1995. I put up housing the end of January. I see 4 martins flying and circling but they have not even checked out my house or gourds. Is it too late now for them to take up housing and should I go on and take everything down. I am so upset. Nothing has changed. Why wouldn't they come back.

[Louise Chambers]

It's not too late at all. How many pairs nested last year, and did they fledge young? The drought in 2011 made it tough for the martins to keep their nestlings fed, and many did not make it.

Subadult birds are arriving now, and will keep coming for several weeks more. Keep house sparrows out and hopefully those adults will settle in.

Have you lowered the house and inspected house and gourds to make sure wasps are not moving in? I had to remove a mud dauber nest from a house last week.

[Laverne]

Hello Meem.

I checked back on some of your old posts from last year and the year before and saw that you were concerned when the birds were late then, too. However, that was in March and February. This is April. They should be back. How many did you have last year? Do you have a tree that has gotten bigger and is close to the PM housing? You were worried that a change to crescent from round entrances might have caused you to lose birds. But, we know that will not cause a returning bird to abandon his/her colony. Something else is happening at your house. Can you tell us more? We want to help you -- but, we need to know more.

[Meem]

Thanks for the help. I had 4 pair last year. I lost 2 babies that fell out of the gourds and they weren't found till it was too late. Nothing else has changed. I sit out every morn. and wait for them and the eve when they usually would come in. I see them in the morning feeding right over my head, we have a creek behind us and they loved to feed over some large trees about two blocks away. It is just so strange as it was Mar. 15th last year and I wouldn't think anything about it now but I can see them but they don't come home.

[flyin-lowe]

Meem
I see your profile says you had 13 pair which I am assuming has not been updated since you said you had 4 pair last year. How many cavities do you offer? I see you said you have had martins since 1995, has this been at the same site or were part of the years at somewhere else? A colony that old should be increasing in numbers not decreasing unless you have lowered the number of cavities you offer. I have read that statistically speaking it takes 6 pair to ensure that you will have returning ASY's, again these are just statistics and not absolutes. So with the drought last year and the % of PM's that don't survive the migration it is possible that none of your four pair from last year survived. I still think it is likely that predators or some other environmental issue is causing your numbers to go down and not up. Post as many details as you can about your location, housing, trees, number of cavities etc, predator gaurds etc. Are there any trees that have grown over the years and might be causing your site to be abandoned?

[Laverne]

Well, Meem, bless your heart! Please don't take your Purple Martin housing down, yet. There are a lot of young birds still moving into San Antonio area that will need a place to raise their young. Do you remember when you found the babies on the ground last year? And, do you remember when the Purple Martins left last year (when was your season over)?

If you are seeing Purple Martins flying overhead at your home, but they are not coming back to your housing in the evening, then they must be at somebody elses colony close by. Have you seen any other housing in your neighborhood? Maybe your PMs have moved to their colony and maybe the people there could help you with your place in determining what might be the problem. It's worth a try.

I hope you get some birds back at your housing this season. Let us know what happens.

[Meem]

I was just out cleaning the gourds. Dern sparrows, The only thing we changed was last year and we put the cresent openings on the gourds. The house already had them when we bought it. I have two racks with 5 gourds on each and the house has 12 holes. The trees have been trimmed so that isn't a problem. Everything else is the same. Haven't seen but a couple of starlings. Just sparrows I don't remember the guys name but he was putting up a big colony last year south of us at a school. Would that have anything to do with mine not coming back. Still hoping that they will come. It is so depressing to wait to hear that beautiful song....I miss it.

[Laverne]

Are you talking about Mike Scully's project at the school where he teaches?

I feel I must defend him by saying, a Purple Martin colony will not abandon their home site if they have successfully raised young there during the last season. Nest competitors such as the English House Sparrow will cause the decline and ultimately the loss of a colony of Purple Martins. In other words, somebody else cannot steal your birds from you. Mike Scully and his students have gone around their area taking photos of some pretty poor PM housing that was infested with HOSP and falling apart. Yet, they still had the occasional PM pair or two hanging on and trying to raise their young.

Meem, that's an idea... why don't you go over and talk to Mike Scully about the loss of your colony. I'm sure he would be glad to help you figure out the problem at your site. Just an idea... but, I believe he is truly dedicated to educating the world about Purple Martins.

[John A Green Jr]

I feel your pain about the song meem. Whenever I'm out in the yard and I hear that wonderful song way up in the air I quickly look for them but usually can't find them I just smile to myself and realize how lucky I am to have what few I do. Keep the faith and don't give up on them. They can't come home if there is nothing to come home to. Good luck.

[James Strickland FL]

Meen, I feel your pain I had martins years a go and then I had to start over. It took 5 years to get them back. I have one pair and I worry everyday that something will happen. I just pray that nothing will and I can grow my colcony. I wait every night to make sure they come home.

[DAVE]

Meem! 2 years ago I had the same thing happen and they set in a tall tree about 100 yards away and would not come down. So played the Dawn song, they came down like there was a feast going on. they didn't stay the night, so for 3 days I did it again they would come down and stay for about 2to3 hours then go away. The 4th day play it again for 5 min.and shut it off. When they started to fly away I would play it again. Did this for about 4 hours and they stayed.Ended up with a full House. I have always had a full house every year. Started in 2007 I have 18 Natural Gourds.
Thought this might help GOOD LUCK!

[Meem]

Thanks for all the advise. The last two days I haven't even seen them over head feeding. I drove around and there are not any other houses/gourds. I am going to give it another week and then take the set up down. Thanks again and I hope all of you have a super season. I thought sure George and Gertrude would be back. Maybe something happened to them.

[Guest]

At lest you have seen some PM's i have not seen anything . Had some visitors last year but nothing as of now except HOSP. I am going to give it till June if nothing by then every thing comes down .
Brad

[Meem]

We are going to take the set up down and clean. I am going to plug the holes and put it back up... Do you think that will help or should I just take them down and wait till next year?

[Louise Chambers]

Subadults will be arriving for several more weeks - keep it up and open a few holes. Last year's drought was very hard on martins and there won't be as many young birds returning as we'd like, but they will be looking for places to nest.

[John A Green Jr]

Meem,
I only had 5 birds on Thursday and last night counted 10 that are roosting at my place. New additions seem to be subbies but I'm still trying get the identification exactly right before I report. But they continue to arrive. Good luck.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

They are still coming in here. I had an empty gourd, never saw a martin attempt to enter it. Last night, an SY pair went into that gourd, and there are many more looking for an empty cavity.

About taking your house down, NO, its too early. Leave it up and open all the cavities, we never know when the martins will choose your place.

If you have a starling & sparrow problem, then trap and shoot them as much as you can, try to keep them away. They are a hugh problem when starting a colony.

[Brad-AL]

It sounds like your colony has been in a decline for a few years and it's now gone. If you use to have 13 pairs, then had 4 pairs last year, something happened. Martins don't leave a colony for no reason. Likely either tree encroachment or predation. Try to figure out what happened and fix it.

[Guest]

Do not know if this will help but here ir is. I am fairly new to this and learned the very hard way. Do not give up like all have said they are still coming in. I have tried for the last 5 years to get Martins. I live in South AL. Lots and lots of tall trees. I even took down 2 60 foot pecan trees and numerous others to try to pave a way. Last year my luck was good until the heat came. I had 1 pair they hatched 3 I lost all three. I was using natural gourds. I gave in and got the Super gourds with the modified entrance and made a PVC rack. Had it up in January and did not get anything until 2 weeks ago. They start arriving here in January and are still coming. I was on the verge of throwing in the towel but luck held out. Don't give up or put up yet!!!
Good luck, I know how disappointing it can be.