dig out

[chickadee]

check your martin entrances. mine was snow covered with some ice and slush. I had birds blocked in on every rack. had to lower it and dig them out.

[jr 2]

just some flurries here;;still above freezing;;;;looks like it is melting when it hitting the ground but with martin houses being high like bridges it would probably freeze;;think I have 6 or 7 pair now and some odd males;; 4 of 6 of my bo11 are already taken;;;;jr2

[Jim 1990]

We had rain and then turned to snow about 1 inch on the ground and 26 degrees this morning.I had to get a step ladder as the rack was froze to the pole and would not lower so I took a garden hoe and broke them free. When I got the the rack lowered all the gourds facing north west were blocked with ice and snow and the martins were trapped inside I then gave them eggs and crickets. This weather is from one extreme to the other. 37 for the high and warmer the rest of the week.At least the sun is shinning off and on .
I hope that this snow is just a bump in the road and we do not get anymore ice and snow. We had 75 Sunday, the wild life has sure put up with a lot this winter.

As I am looking out the window now I see 10 tree swallows eating some crickets and eggs on the food tray I have up this time of year. The martins ate some but are staying mostly in there gourds out of the cold breeze.

[belpre gary]

Well it is 38° here in southern Ohio and light snow, My martins are all inside trying to stay warm !

[Lawrence Berger~MI]

2" of snow this morning, unbelieveable. I went out this morning to check on my martins to see how they were doing with this late winter snow storm and they were on top of the gourd racks preening themselves. I have about 30 birds back already and they were flying around in the sky like it was 70 degrees. The one thing I thought was strange though, was about 4 or 5 martins swooped down from the gourd racks and skimmed the snow and scooped up snow in their beaks. It was amazing to see and I so wished I had my camera with me. Tomorrows high in the forties and after that a warm up.

[John Balga]

We received quite a bit of freezing rain last night followed by snow which caused several of the martin house entrances to be blocked. One of our members reported that her pole was glazed over and that she required a hoe to break the ice in order to lower the rack. When she opened the doors, 15 or more martins flew out.
Be sure to check your martin entrances since they have huddled together and may be blocked in by the encrusted entrances.

Finally, start feeding them if you can.

[chickadee]

jim, that is amazing if you seen tree swallows eating eggs and crickets. I have always wondered if people have got TS to eat anything in such bad weather? I wish mine would do that. and my racks where also frozen. I had to play with them to get them to come down. I have a coats house and it would not lower. I know their is martins trapped inside of it. they will have to wait another 2 hours till hubby gets home. 50 and sunny tomorrow. hope they get to eat then .

[Jim 1990]

chickadee , I have a ts nest box close to the martin housing .When I would go out and feed the martins he joined in and now the TS goes to the feeding tray to get crickets and eggs the other tree swallows learned how from watching him .

I remember back in 95 before I had a computer and did not know anything about feeding swallows when it got cold I would see a few die from starvation .Thanks to the forum I know what to do to help save them

[chickadee]

that is so cool! I think if you can get a tree swallow to eat their is not much more to accomplish. my TS boxes are right in front of my martin racks. but when the weather is cold or not nice they disappear.

[belpre gary]

My TRES last week, Not to be found today !