PM's leaving earlier this season?????
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geneinmurphy
- Posts: 348
- Joined: Thu Nov 27, 2003 12:09 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Murphy
My wife and I both have noticed that we seem to be losing PM's earlier this year than normal. Many of the adults (along with their recent fledglings) seemed to have "moved on" already where as in the past they normally hang around at least until early to mid July.....has anyone else noticed this? Is this due to the warmer winter we have had this year????
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
They leave shortly after the babies successfully fledge. If they lose their eggs or babies, they may renest, and then they stay until the middle of July or even later. I still have about 5 pair feeding babies, plus after 7:30 or so, we get lots of visitors. About 10AM, there may be 50 to 75 martins here, all chirping at the same time. We get lots of visitors from a nearby roost, the roost is only about 10 miles from here.
Also, if you have a young colony, the martins may pair up late, and then again, you will have later martins. We never are certain if they are renesting or if they paired up late.
Also, some years they start nesting later. This is especially true if you have hawks bothering them around nest building time, they are afraid to pick up sticks for the nest, so they nest later. If this happens, then they stay longer (later)
Also, if you have a young colony, the martins may pair up late, and then again, you will have later martins. We never are certain if they are renesting or if they paired up late.
Also, some years they start nesting later. This is especially true if you have hawks bothering them around nest building time, they are afraid to pick up sticks for the nest, so they nest later. If this happens, then they stay longer (later)
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
Mine seem to leave earlier this year as well (around July 6th). Usually they're here until mid-July, sometimes a little later. I was a little concerned as to why but all the babies had fledged and all seemed well, so I guess it makes sense that they've move on.
Visit me at http://www.birdsnsuch.com/
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DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi
my first two pairs left with their babies about 2 weeks ago. My last pair has yet to hatch. Wild spread, but if I had a mature colony all my birds would be gone right now so I am happy. a 3 month martin season, just wouldn't be the same a the 5 month one I will get.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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James Johnson
- Posts: 109
- Joined: Sun Jul 31, 2005 5:30 am
- Location: Arkansas/Western Grove
We had 108 hatched and lived until the extreme hot weather resulted in three dead chicks and four left the nest before they could fly. The colony started leaving around July 1st and I have not seen or heard a Martin in three days. They usually do not leave until Mid July.
Our last nest fledged over 3 weeks ago.
They have started thinning out since then.
I don't seem to have any overnighters but still have morning visits ranging from 2 to 15 or so.
We had a mini-flash flood yesterday afternoon where there was 1.2 inches dumped in about 20 minutes, then the sky cleared again.
About an hour later, the area was filled with Martins grabbing flying termites out of the air.
Just as fast as they appeared, they disappeared.
They have started thinning out since then.
I don't seem to have any overnighters but still have morning visits ranging from 2 to 15 or so.
We had a mini-flash flood yesterday afternoon where there was 1.2 inches dumped in about 20 minutes, then the sky cleared again.
About an hour later, the area was filled with Martins grabbing flying termites out of the air.
Just as fast as they appeared, they disappeared.
Cheers,
Joe
2015 - 40 cavities - 37 pair - fledged 172
2016 - 40 cavities - 38 pair - fledged 192
Hosting Purple Martins since 1976...Managing since 2006.
Joe
2015 - 40 cavities - 37 pair - fledged 172
2016 - 40 cavities - 38 pair - fledged 192
Hosting Purple Martins since 1976...Managing since 2006.
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Don~VA
- Posts: 391
- Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:01 am
- Location: Virginia/King George
- Martin Colony History: Had a colony many years ago which dwindled over a couple of years and then did not return. Kept trying each year for almost 20 years and finally had a small success in 2011 with two pairs nesting. Colony has grown slowly each year with 22 pairs in 2015. In 2016 my gourd rack of 18 gourds filled up so I added 4 more gourds and then put up a small rack of 6 gourds. All of those were claimed within a few days so I believe I have at least 25 pairs this year.
My pair and their 5 babies also left early (Jul 9) when the babies fledged. Did not see any martins for two days but now I am seeing more martins every day. I do not think any of the fledges have returned and many of these new visitors seem to be ASY's.
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member