Hey you...you guys clear up north

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rickluc
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu Mar 03, 2005 7:20 pm
Location: Indiana/Monticello

Just had my last nest of 2 fledgings leave the nest yesterday.
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Sounds like things are really wrapping up!
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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Bernie Nikolai
Posts: 402
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:44 pm
Location: Edmonton, Alberta

The very last of the martins at my colony left Aug 20. The very latest I have ever seen them at my main site a half hour west of Edmonton was Aug 21. As a rule they start to leave the last week in July, with about half gone by Aug 7.

I had 70 pairs this year, down from 92 pairs last year. Our conditions were good. I suspect fewer martins this year due to the snow and bad weather as they migrated northwards this year through Texas to North Dakota. Some must have either decided to "stay further south" or possibly may not have survived the very poor spring migration conditions in parts of the country this spring. However these things happen, and I'm expecting a "boomer crop of martins" next year.
He who harbors the nesting bird shall have health and happiness all the year
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ToyinPA
Posts: 2227
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: PA/Avis
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.

My houses remain up into mid September in case any need a resting place on their way south. Then we'll clean the houses out & get them ready for winter.

Toy in PA
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mboike
Posts: 11
Joined: Mon Nov 12, 2007 9:05 am
Location: Minnesota/Lindstrom

The martins in Minnesota have been hanging around at several roost sites for the past couple of weeks. One of them was winding down a week ago. The one nearest me, just north of St. Paul, in a reed bed in Bald Eagle Lake, was still very active this past weekend, but we are expecting those birds to head south very soon, unless they already have. We had some "favorable" winds out of the north yesterday.

P.S. Hi, Trishy in Shell Lake, WI
Peggy, MN Chisago County
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StillwaterMartins
Posts: 8
Joined: Wed Jul 01, 2009 8:38 am
Location: Stillwater/MN

Up until a couple of days ago, we had a couple dozen martins visiting our houses. I assume some of them were our HY martins as they seemed to act like they owned the place. Since we had more visiting than we did during nesting, I can only assume the rest are just passing through.

I hope this bodes well for next year and we get more than 2 nesting pairs.

Carol
Two SY Pair, two SY unpaired
10 Eggs, 10 Hatched, 10 Fledged
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