Finally Martins!!!!
Hi: You haven't heard from me for the last 6 weeks because I have been holding my breath. Finally got a pair after 34 years. A ASY male and a Sy mate they have five babies due to fledge around the 31st of July if all goes well. It kind of keeps you on pins and needles with only one pair but we are sure happy to have them. Ed
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Wow! That is wonderful news, Ed!
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Congratulatins! That was a long time to wait.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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DelmaWhisenhunt
- Posts: 778
- Joined: Mon Aug 08, 2005 10:17 am
- Location: Idabel, OK
If you have waited that many years, maybe there is still hope for me. At my age and time of life, they better not postpone too many more years. Congratulations!! Know you are thrilled.
Delma Whisenhunt
Idabel, OK
Martin Lover
Idabel, OK
Martin Lover
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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
congrats Ed!!
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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AvianStewardess
- Posts: 342
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
- Location: Maryland/Cambridge
Congratulations! Try to stay calm for a few more days; the pins-and-needles didn't stop for me until I saw them flying! I can imagine how much more if I had to wait 34 years. Wow! That's patience, my man. 
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
Reading your Profile, I see many similarities between your experiences and mine although we do not share the same housing choices. Without even knowing each other,and like so many other landlords who have "been there" too, we empathize with you on your quest for success -- however belated it comes.
Good luck, Ed! May this year's success be the beginning of many happy years to come.
Good luck, Ed! May this year's success be the beginning of many happy years to come.
PMCA member
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
Talk about patience! 
We live not too far away in Ontario and this year have our first pair with 4 babies. We have only lived in this rural location for three years and put up our martin house the first summer we were here. Our babies should fledge around the end of the month so it is an exciting time. Good luck and hope that yours and ours return next year with more nests and more babies.
We live not too far away in Ontario and this year have our first pair with 4 babies. We have only lived in this rural location for three years and put up our martin house the first summer we were here. Our babies should fledge around the end of the month so it is an exciting time. Good luck and hope that yours and ours return next year with more nests and more babies.-
barry resvick
- Posts: 185
- Joined: Thu Jun 23, 2011 3:07 pm
- Location: Alberta/Didsbury
- Martin Colony History: 2010 we had just one sy male all summer
2011 we had the same male come back but eventually brought home a female and had five eggs but were infertile
2012 we had our first two chicks but lost them
2013 we fledged six and had two pair
2014 we fledged 13 from four pairs
2015 we fledged 24 from 6 pairs
Hey Ed!
Congrats on your founding pair.This has been the year for my first pair as well,but unfortunately mine abandoned their five eggs.I candled them and they were infertile but i feel your enthusiasm.I was guarding the nest day and night to give them the best chances.Im really looking foreword to next season as the asy male had three or four gals on his porch all the time.
Congrats on your founding pair.This has been the year for my first pair as well,but unfortunately mine abandoned their five eggs.I candled them and they were infertile but i feel your enthusiasm.I was guarding the nest day and night to give them the best chances.Im really looking foreword to next season as the asy male had three or four gals on his porch all the time.
2010______2 visitors
2011______1asy male 3 visitors
2012______1 pair,possibly2(5 infertile eggs)
2013______2 pair,5infertile eggs,4hatched,0 fledged
2014______3 pair,Fledged 13
2011______1asy male 3 visitors
2012______1 pair,possibly2(5 infertile eggs)
2013______2 pair,5infertile eggs,4hatched,0 fledged
2014______3 pair,Fledged 13
Thanks to all of you for your congratulations, I really appreciate them. I was beginning to think I would never be able to make this report. I came close a few times but something always happened.
Delma: I understand how you don't get any younger waiting, my day came I hope yours is soon.
Michelle: I don't know if I can still believe that I only have 7 or so days to fledge. The ASy male is really bringing in some huge dragon flys.
Bill: I have noticed that because of this one pair I am getting more bird traffic than any year before. Two different males are bringing the kids everyday to visit.
Beth: I don't know if its patience so much as we have lived here for around 36 years and I have always wanted martins. So I built a couple of houses and put them up. I don't want to bore you with a long story for all those years. Only the first year did I have martins and lost 3 pair to a freak cold spell in July. The houses have been here with no action but the last 8 to 10 years I have been trying very hard. Good luck with your first nest of youngsters also.
Barry: Sorry about the infertile eggs, hope they realize it was not your fault and come back double next year. I know what you mean about guarding them, for the last month I have been doing the same every available moment. My wife will be glad to have me back when the Martin's leave (probably to get things done for her, ha, ha).
Louise: Thanks, I also thought you might want to know that I have been trying for two years to get some martins started at the Vikings Club on Chautauqua Lake. I think you might know where that is at. There are 2,000 members strong. I got lucky there and got two nest with 4 babies each. The last 4 a scheduled to fledge in 4 days.
Thanks again for all your help and support!!!!!
Delma: I understand how you don't get any younger waiting, my day came I hope yours is soon.
Michelle: I don't know if I can still believe that I only have 7 or so days to fledge. The ASy male is really bringing in some huge dragon flys.
Bill: I have noticed that because of this one pair I am getting more bird traffic than any year before. Two different males are bringing the kids everyday to visit.
Beth: I don't know if its patience so much as we have lived here for around 36 years and I have always wanted martins. So I built a couple of houses and put them up. I don't want to bore you with a long story for all those years. Only the first year did I have martins and lost 3 pair to a freak cold spell in July. The houses have been here with no action but the last 8 to 10 years I have been trying very hard. Good luck with your first nest of youngsters also.
Barry: Sorry about the infertile eggs, hope they realize it was not your fault and come back double next year. I know what you mean about guarding them, for the last month I have been doing the same every available moment. My wife will be glad to have me back when the Martin's leave (probably to get things done for her, ha, ha).
Louise: Thanks, I also thought you might want to know that I have been trying for two years to get some martins started at the Vikings Club on Chautauqua Lake. I think you might know where that is at. There are 2,000 members strong. I got lucky there and got two nest with 4 babies each. The last 4 a scheduled to fledge in 4 days.
Thanks again for all your help and support!!!!!
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Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged
Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged
Wonderful news.. Ed ..
The few years that I have been waiting is nothing compared to yours. It give me some hope for next year..
Dave
The few years that I have been waiting is nothing compared to yours. It give me some hope for next year..
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Little Hocking, Ohio
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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.
Congratulations ED !! I hope this year will be the beginning of a nice colony for you. I also waited and tried for many years and both last year and this year I only had one pair to successfully raise a nest of babies. So, I know exactly what you mean as I held my breath all the month of June and part of July ;-)
Best of Luck
Best of Luck
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
Thanks Dave: Your last few years and mine seem similar, so next year maybe your year. The one thing I have noticed lately since I have this pair with the youngsters due to fledge in 5 days, is I have many more visitors checking this pair out. Hoping this will help for next year.
Don: I don't know about you but I live in a high elevation compaired to the reat of the area. It is hard to pull the birds away from the bottom land. I hope that you and I can increase our numbers next year. I am seeing more bird traffice this year than in years past.
Keeping my fingers crossed and still holding my breath till my babies fledge.
Ed
Don: I don't know about you but I live in a high elevation compaired to the reat of the area. It is hard to pull the birds away from the bottom land. I hope that you and I can increase our numbers next year. I am seeing more bird traffice this year than in years past.
Keeping my fingers crossed and still holding my breath till my babies fledge.
Ed
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bwenger
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Way to go Ed,
Thanks for sticking with it all those years to get your wish to come true. I am sure it was difficult keeping the house sparrows and starlings away from the housing all that time. That's a job in itself.
Good luck with the fledging and hopefully you get several more pair next year.
I got my personal colony started this year as well after 7 years of trying, so I know how sweet it can be. They show up, and it doesn't take long for them to leave. Such a difference in those last couple of days before fledging and then how quiet it is once they leave. It's almost like they get their friends to come over and show off their flying skills to get the young ones to fledge the nest.
Take care and hope to hear more from you next year.
Bill in Western Pa
Thanks for sticking with it all those years to get your wish to come true. I am sure it was difficult keeping the house sparrows and starlings away from the housing all that time. That's a job in itself.
Good luck with the fledging and hopefully you get several more pair next year.
I got my personal colony started this year as well after 7 years of trying, so I know how sweet it can be. They show up, and it doesn't take long for them to leave. Such a difference in those last couple of days before fledging and then how quiet it is once they leave. It's almost like they get their friends to come over and show off their flying skills to get the young ones to fledge the nest.
Take care and hope to hear more from you next year.
Bill in Western Pa
Thanks Bill: Yes I did have some flustrating times like everybody has. I remember one time it must have been well over 20 years ago that Iam not proud of, I had been having starling problems in the nearest house to my garage, they were just to smart for me. I didn't know about all the in house trapping methods then. Well, I lost it and took the 12 gauge with the full choke to him. The house needed some remodeling anyway.
I am glad you got some birds at home this year even 7 years is a long time.
My first baby fledged late yesterday morning and I watched all day it went well (funny at times) he went back in the gourd for the night.
Good Luck next year.
Thanks Matt: It wasn't patience so much but I really wanted birds and became more determined the last 1/3 of my wait. This has been a blessing. If I don't get them next year it will be a let down but I know it can happen. Good Luck with getting your colony back up.
Daveh: Thanks Dave for the thought, I am having a ball and I hope things do well for you.
Ed
I am glad you got some birds at home this year even 7 years is a long time.
My first baby fledged late yesterday morning and I watched all day it went well (funny at times) he went back in the gourd for the night.
Good Luck next year.
Thanks Matt: It wasn't patience so much but I really wanted birds and became more determined the last 1/3 of my wait. This has been a blessing. If I don't get them next year it will be a let down but I know it can happen. Good Luck with getting your colony back up.
Daveh: Thanks Dave for the thought, I am having a ball and I hope things do well for you.
Ed