I am in central NC and we have terrible martin weather this week. My birds are not feeding at all. I also do not have a flexible work schedule so am not home during most of the day.
I may possibly be able to get my hands on some meal worms. Does anyone ever use mealworms as supplemental feeding?? If so, how do you do it?
I have 3 ASY male birds that are super hungry and I don't know what to do. I have very limited time at home during the week and the weather looks terrible until Saturday. I am so sad at the prospect of losing these birds as I have a small colony of about 21 pairs as of last year, and one of these birds is my founding ASY male martins:(
Please offer and advice you may have!
Greg
mealworms success?
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Greg
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
- Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Martin Colony History: As a child I managed a purple martin colony consisting of 3 houses on a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. I started my own colony at my house in Holly Springs, NC as an adult that grew to 27 pairs one year. In 2016 I moved and started a new colony in the spring of 2017 at my new home, which is about 7 miles south of my old colony. I successfully attracted my first ASY male in April of 2017. He quickly attracted a mate, followed by 7 more pairs. Grateful to have been able to start a new colony so quickly!
Greg H.
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
I suggest you try in-cavity feeding, which could save them if you can do it twice a day. Put dead crickets (can you get some locally from pet store or bait shop?) inside entrances, along with live and dead mealworms.
You could put 24 or 18 hour handwarmers in once a day too, or a lightbulb in one room that you block, so it can radiate heat to other rooms (for house not gourd system)
You could put 24 or 18 hour handwarmers in once a day too, or a lightbulb in one room that you block, so it can radiate heat to other rooms (for house not gourd system)
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dhjohnson
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Clayton
- Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy
Greg,
Last year my founding male returned really early! I flipped crickets and flipped crickets but he wouldn't go for them. Louise is right...I was able to save him by leaving thawed crickets, first on his porch near the entrance and finally just inside his entrance while I could catch him out flying. If you get home late them at least offer something on their porches right beside the entrance. Talk to them so they know it's you bumping around outside their haven. Buddy cleaned up everything I left for him after dark when I got home from work!
Don't despair spring will eventually arrive! I know I stressed a lot last year!
Good Luck!
Debbie
Last year my founding male returned really early! I flipped crickets and flipped crickets but he wouldn't go for them. Louise is right...I was able to save him by leaving thawed crickets, first on his porch near the entrance and finally just inside his entrance while I could catch him out flying. If you get home late them at least offer something on their porches right beside the entrance. Talk to them so they know it's you bumping around outside their haven. Buddy cleaned up everything I left for him after dark when I got home from work!
Don't despair spring will eventually arrive! I know I stressed a lot last year!
Good Luck!
Debbie
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
I treys mealworms the first time. In gourds and on porches. They did not take them. So I went to peatland and got like 200 crickets. Ran home put those on the porches. It's like the recognized them better. Then I did the mealworms and they took them after the crickets. Either way don't give up. And good luck.
2008 1 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair