Martins feeding in 30 degree weather??

[Frank Hargis-IL]

I’ve came to the conclusion that our martins are finding something to eat in the 30+ degree weather we are having.

Our first martin, a male, this year came 5 days later than last year, on the 9th of March. A female showed up a couple of days later. The male took the first mealworm I tossed to him and just about runs over me if I’m not fast enough with the worms. The female took a couple of days to learn, now she acts like the male. About a week later our second male showed up and another female the next day. The second male was a little slow in learning what the worm tossing was all about but is getting a few now. The second female has yet to even try. We have had about a week of cool weather and it looks like it’s going to continue for awhile. The second female has now been here several days and while she isn’t as active as the others she is still flying with the others.

When I was feeding them this morning she left, flying north and the second male took one more worm and took off after her. The other two stayed around for a little while then also left.

Now here’s the thing. They all leave about mid morning and usually don’t come back until late evening. About 20 miles north of us, in a straight line, there is a coal fed power plant on a large lake. Part of this lake has warm water all year from the cooling water from the plant. I’m thinking the martins go here in the cool weather and find some bugs over the warm water.

What do you think??

[Doug Martin - PA]

I think you are right!

I have witnessed Martins and other swallows in 30 degree weather feeding a foot or less or directly off the water surface. There are small water fleas and bugs as long as there seems to be some sunshine too.

Cold and rainy not so good.

The fact your feeding them is helping. Otherwise they can not find enough to eat while out and they spend more energy foraging than they get from the small insects at the water surface.

Eventually they can go down without the ability to get back up.

Good job!

Doug

[White River Valley Martin]

Frank

I live in sandborn indiana, my first martin always gets here in early march, but every year usally just one martin comes in for a day and leaves for for 2 or 3 days. He always comes back I think to see if other martins are here yet. Then leaves again. I do believe they go to merom power plant to feed, its about a 30 minute drive from my house and right on the wabash river. My question is. why dont my martins filter in, like everywhere else? Why dont they stay here every night so I can feed them? I have probably the largest colony around here, consisting of 109 pair last year. Most of my birds are older now, I should have alot of 4 and 5 year olds this year. My martin never stays around long enough for me to feed him and I never know what night he is going to bless me with his singing.

Chris

[Frank Hargis-IL]

Doug, I believe you are right, without the supplemental feeding they probably won’t get enough to stay alive. However the second female still hasn’t taken a single worm and she is still going. That said both her and the second male are not near as active as the first pair. Hope she will catch on soon.

Chris, man that is strange. Don’t know what to tell you. Ours always come in for the evening once they arrive. They seem to always come for the night a little before sundown. In fact it’s just after 7:00 and I just came in from feeding them. They were going to their gourds when I came in.

Good luck to both of you;

Frank

[White River Valley Martin]

I dont know about this year, because of the cold weather. But usally I get this one male and a week later a female shows up, that should be tomorrow. Like clock work, he will be here in the moring to see if she came, and then they will spend the night, every night. But thats with warm feeding weather. Then if things are like they have been over the last 4 years, next friday I will have 20 here and a week later there will be 60, and by the middle of april there will be 150 here and then the subs start showing up.

Now, with all that said, it may not even be the same ASY, and I might be seeing a different one everytime, and the ones I have seen since last friday could be dead.

Does anybody else have this going on?

[Brad-AL]

I think that whether their are insects to feed on greatly depends on the weather prior to the cold weather. This year we've had a couple of different stretches of 4 days of cold, cloudy weather, but prior to that we had good insect hatching weather. I doubt many insects hatch during the cold weather but those that have may be somewhat active during cold weather. When I have had to feed in the past it's been early in the season when we've had no warm sunny weather.

[Doug Martin - PA]

Chris,

I think that once they fully accept supplemental feeding they stop straying off to survive. They come to realize they can stay put, conserve energy and feed right at home.

However I have been suprised how many times initially I thought they were out somewhere else. I fed the few that were there and before you know it they are all coming out of the housing to eat. I thought they were gone!

Early in the season during cold weather I found some go in to their beds even 2 hrs before sunset.

A successful supplemental feeding program keep them at home all day. No need to venture anywhere and waste energy.

I have had them zipping around in snow showers having fun. My thought? Crazy birds...... Always a few reluctant ones with droopy wings eventually they give in and feed too.

Doug

[White River Valley Martin]

My biggest problem I have is, I have to leave for work at 530am, so I cant be here to see if they come out in the morning. Its highly possible that he could be flying In at dark and me not see him. I only have between 4pm and dark to watch for him and Its hard to notice I martin if they dont want to be noticed

[Dale D]

Real good post Frank.