Spent the afternoon doing gourd maintenance as the martins are early this year and already starting to nest. After about 30 minutes I heard two martins that were flying nearby give alarm calls for an incoming hawk and they flew quickly to the northeast at tree top level. I looked in that direction and saw a strange combination of light gray on top and black underneath fluttering slowly toward the ground and then recognized the annhh annhh annhh! call of a caught martin. Several martins converged on the area and they disappeared briefly behind my storage building. I walked in that direction and then all of a sudden here comes the male martin with a male merlin right on his tail. The martin out turned the merlin and then the merlin fixed its attention to a female martin that was outside of the large group of martins. It quickly caught up to her but she out turned it few times and then the merlin broke off and swooped off to the north with several male martins escorting it away. The merlin had to have come out of nowhere in a surprise attack as I never heard martins give the alarm in advance of the catch.
I did notice today green leaves in some martin nests, on March 29. I don't believe I have ever seen green leaves in martin nests this early in the season. We had an unusually mild winter here, like most of the country, and the martins came back in large numbers much earlier than usual. After the merlin attack the martins didn't seem too concerned and returned to normal activity within a few minutes. Wishing everyone a successful season. - Kent Justus / Mt. Vernon, Arkansas
Male merlin catches martin... then loses it
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Connie
- Posts: 441
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:05 pm
- Location: WALKER, LOUISIANA
- Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied.
Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.
WOW, scary story. Must say, I am glad I didn't see and more than glad to hear he escaped. That was one lucky lil man! 
Connie
I hate Merlin's!!!!!
Will be putting up cages of some sort today!
Will be putting up cages of some sort today!
2009. 98 eggs, 66 hatch, 61 fledged.
2010. 114 eggs, 89 hatch,70 fledged.
2011. 96 eggs. 80 hatch,68 fledged.Heavy Merlin preditation.
2012. 89 eggs. 56 hatch, good fledge. Guards installed. Merlin not sighted at houses.
2013. First Egg May 24, first Baby June 13.
2014. successful.
2015. successful.
2016. Martin's population decline, suspect new housing in the neighborhood. Merlin eating well also!
2017.Population explosion . first egg May 25 in a BO-11
2018. Population stable.
2010. 114 eggs, 89 hatch,70 fledged.
2011. 96 eggs. 80 hatch,68 fledged.Heavy Merlin preditation.
2012. 89 eggs. 56 hatch, good fledge. Guards installed. Merlin not sighted at houses.
2013. First Egg May 24, first Baby June 13.
2014. successful.
2015. successful.
2016. Martin's population decline, suspect new housing in the neighborhood. Merlin eating well also!
2017.Population explosion
. first egg May 25 in a BO-112018. Population stable.
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Caroline94535-ND
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:12 am
- Location: North Dakota/Larimore
- Martin Colony History: Will add later
Robbo...could you email me at [email protected] and describe how you trap merlins in a cage.
I have lost ALL my yardbirds...finches (gold, purple, and house) nuthatches (red and white breasted), chipping sparrows, chickadees, red polls, woodpeckers, robins, etc. because of a pair of Merlins that are setting up housekeeping in one of the neighbor's trees. Even the migrating grackles are avoiding my house and the three blocks around it.
I have not had one single yardbird at my many feeders in an entire month now. The silence is breaking my heart.
My martins are due back in two or three weeks. I'd so love to have these merlins relocated far, far away before them.
I have lost ALL my yardbirds...finches (gold, purple, and house) nuthatches (red and white breasted), chipping sparrows, chickadees, red polls, woodpeckers, robins, etc. because of a pair of Merlins that are setting up housekeeping in one of the neighbor's trees. Even the migrating grackles are avoiding my house and the three blocks around it.
I have not had one single yardbird at my many feeders in an entire month now. The silence is breaking my heart.
My martins are due back in two or three weeks. I'd so love to have these merlins relocated far, far away before them.
~ Not all those who wander are lost.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Caroline,
He means putting cage guards around his martin houses. Trapping and relocating the merlins, or any native birds, is illegal.
Are you certain of the ID, Caroline? Map does not show merlins nesting in much of the US, but maybe you are seeing kestrels, which nest in cavities, or sharp-shinned hawks? http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/id
He means putting cage guards around his martin houses. Trapping and relocating the merlins, or any native birds, is illegal.
Are you certain of the ID, Caroline? Map does not show merlins nesting in much of the US, but maybe you are seeing kestrels, which nest in cavities, or sharp-shinned hawks? http://www.allaboutbirds.org/guide/Merlin/id
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Caroline94535-ND
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:12 am
- Location: North Dakota/Larimore
- Martin Colony History: Will add later
Hi Louise,
I'm sorry for my confusion. I got far too excited when I saw "merlin" and "cage" in the same paragraph! I won't do anything illegal, but may have a heart attack caused by these merlins. I take pride in playing by the rules. (It doesn't help being a former corrections employee married to a military cop and a near neighbor who is a game warden! LOL)
Yes; these nasty birds are Merlins. I've had them checked out by several far-more-experienced birders than me. They nest in Canada; and I'm within spitting distance of there.
The male was here for a couple of weeks before sweet thang showed up. They're using an abandoned crow's nest. The neighbor has even offered to cut the 100-ft. + tree down...would that be considered okay if the birds have not yet layed eggs? Or would we have to wait until after the fall?
I'm sorry for my confusion. I got far too excited when I saw "merlin" and "cage" in the same paragraph! I won't do anything illegal, but may have a heart attack caused by these merlins. I take pride in playing by the rules. (It doesn't help being a former corrections employee married to a military cop and a near neighbor who is a game warden! LOL)
Yes; these nasty birds are Merlins. I've had them checked out by several far-more-experienced birders than me. They nest in Canada; and I'm within spitting distance of there.
The male was here for a couple of weeks before sweet thang showed up. They're using an abandoned crow's nest. The neighbor has even offered to cut the 100-ft. + tree down...would that be considered okay if the birds have not yet layed eggs? Or would we have to wait until after the fall?
~ Not all those who wander are lost.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
If there are no eggs in the nest, taking the tree down would be okay - good luck, it's a tough situation, and other than cage guards and lots of decoys, and some yard patrol - I can't think of other options for you. I appreciate your attitude, with three do it right types in the mix.