What was the highlight of your 2012 martin season?

Louise Chambers · Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:11 pm

For my husband & I, I'd have to say the high number of second broods (adult pair raising a second set of young after their first have fledged) at our second site, in Sandia Texas. Thirteen pairs out of 25, almost half, raised second broods, perhaps a testament to the excellent insect supply in that rural location, with a pond.

But for some landlords, 2012 might be special because they hosted their very first pair of martins - nothing beats that for excitement.

What about you, what makes you smile when you think back to last summer?

DornCounty · Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:23 pm

getting 6 pairs in my first season trying.

Dale D · Mon Dec 10, 2012 5:50 pm

Mine would be pretty much the same as yours Louise. I had 7 second nest this past season and my last didn't fledge until mid July giving me a extra long season.

Archer · Mon Dec 10, 2012 8:50 pm

Hosting my first pair was very exciting, It was hard to leave for work in the morning and I would often come home for lunch just to check if they were still there. An asy male started my colony.

AidanRois · Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:31 am

My highlight would have to be it being my first year having such great numbers. I had 4 pair laying 19 eggs, 19 hatching, 14 of which fledged, with a total of 12 surviving out into the world. I never expected to have such great success my very first year. Thanks to the wonderful friends on this forum though, hopefully that success will continue.

tonyg · Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:14 am

Well Weezie, I would have to say that replacing the old homemade racks with the new and experiencing record #'s returning ( 88 of 90 ) cavities full was my highlight..plus the fact they were here early helped fledgling rates for me. Insects were plentiful and no predators..hope to fill them 100% this coming year, but we are experiencing a drought at the present time. So hopeful for a wet winter/spring...good luck to all! (Good thread to start the year)

Oh, forgot to mention..my very first roost observance, it was incredibly awesome!!!

~Ray~Gingerich · Tue Dec 11, 2012 8:00 am

I would have to say mine was reaching super colony status with 105 successful pair.

Emil Pampell-Tx · Tue Dec 11, 2012 8:17 am

Excellent fledge rate, very few on the ground so the babies where strong and healthy, only about 3 dead in the nest when I removed the 250 gourds, only a few unhatched eggs. We had martins here for 7 months so don't know if we had second batches since I did not do regular nest checks..

We had less hawk and owl pressure than normal. Could it be that the hawks & owls had enough food this year and didn't need to bother the martins????

Don Strickland · Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:40 am

I didn't know Martins raised two broods. Is that just in the South?
Anyway, I put up two new houses (30 cavities) and was pleasantly surprised that the Martins took to both of them. I didn't expect them to be occupied since they were new. I didn't have a full house but I am looking forward to the coming season.
Don

Steve Kroenke · Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:43 am

We had the best purple martin season ever in 2012. I attracted more martins than ever before and so did my neighbor Bob. We probably had around 500 pairs of martins between us. I had 347 pairs of martins.

The abundant rainfall in the fall, winter and spring created ideal conditions for PLENTY of flying insects, so there were NO starvation issues for the martin nestlings and fledglings. The 2011 season was a disaster due to a terrible drought which resulted in hundreds of martin nestlings/fledglings starving to death. In 2012 I found few dead nestlings and very few young martins prematurely fledged. Only found a few un-hatched eggs. Hardly any babies on the ground!

The highlight of the season occurred when Tim Mangan from Arkansas came down to band several hundred of my martin nestlings! We had a great banding party! I am looking forward to watching for banded SY martins in April and May!

I just hope we have abundant rainfall like we did for the 2012 martin season. I hope I never have to experience another drought disaster like we had in 2011.

Steve

James Strickland FL · Tue Dec 11, 2012 10:57 am

Getting a pair and raising 6 to fledge.

daveh · Tue Dec 11, 2012 11:37 am

I agree with Steve. The highlight of our season was banding 255 martin nestlings by Dana and Ethan of Missouri River Bird Observatory. It was a treat and learning adventure. The wife bought me a nice Bushnell spotting scope so we are ready for next season to look for banded birds.

dave

barry resvick · Tue Dec 11, 2012 12:43 pm

Hi friends!
2012 officially became a landlord.
My season started off with one of my as males from the previous year coming back as an asy male.Im very sure it was him as the day he arrived he landed on the condo and went straight into the compartment he had chosen the year before.Within a few weeks he had a sweet little girlfriend but lost her somehow.He soon hunted down another and while we were away for a few weeks built their little love shack.They ended up having five eggs but as it turned out none were fertile.Throughout the summer they brought back alot of sy males and females that stayed most of the summer.We are keeping our fingers crossed that our little batchelor with come home this spring to try again.

Gary-La · Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:10 pm

What put a BIG smile on my face was retiring Feb 1, 2012!! For the first time I was able to watch/maintain the martins nearly 24/7!!

John Miller · Tue Dec 11, 2012 2:45 pm

Searching sprawling rural cornfields just beyond metro St.Louis in August with my martin friends in search of roosts! We confirmed martins do roost in cornfields at season end. John M

M.Stephens · Tue Dec 11, 2012 8:09 pm

The highliight of my season was meeting at Robert Jernigan's and Steve K's and helping in the banding process at both of their colonies.

Tim Mangan did the banding. It was such a great time! I look forward to help again if needed. : )

Dave Duit · Tue Dec 11, 2012 8:29 pm

My highlight was the fast quick response in adding homemade owl guards to pull through the season and stopping a great horned owl from even taking a single martin. Huge modification for me over the winter for the entire colony housing.

Carlton · Wed Dec 12, 2012 7:22 am

My highlights for the year were FINALLY getting not one but TWO successfully nesting pairs at my DE marina satellite site AND filling up my brand new satellite site along a bay near my DE home (10 successful pairs).

wyatt · Wed Dec 12, 2012 10:15 am

My highlight was having a full house for the first time with successful nests in every apartment. I also enjoyed watching the nest building day. I delayed setting out pinestraw for them until I thought the time was right, and when I did set it out there was a frenzy of nest building.

jr 2 · Wed Dec 12, 2012 11:27 am

my highlight was having 7 pair in my second year and i was amazed at seeing my first martin roost;; jr2