One pair last year Zero this year!

[Mitch Booth]

Well,

Looks as if I I'll be starting all over again trying to host Purple Martins!! I had one successful pair of SY's last year that successfully fledged 2 martins. I had 4 eggs, 3 nestlings (one died but not due to predation)

Most of the ASY birds are back in my area of Northeast Ohio and now most of the colonies are getting their SY arrivals. I can only assume my SY birds from last year did not survive migration.

Does the PMCA offer any articles on survival rates of second year birds?

Thanks for any help or advice.

Mitch

[bluetick]

I am sorry my friend that you do not have birds yet but there is still time. Your Friend, Dave

[Louise Chambers]

Mitch, a one-pair colony is iffy, but many do get started with one pair. I had one pair one year in PA, zero next year. Keep trying - you have a month or more to get nesting pairs this year.

Here's an article on survival/ages: http://www.purplemartin.org/update/15.3-HowLong.pdf

[jr 2]

mitch;;you still have time too get plenty of sy;;they are running a week or 2 behind this year and your pair from last year could still make a showing;;only 1 of the 2 would have 2 survive;good luck ;jr2

[Mitch Booth]

Thanks Louise and Dave!

Well it would be a huge under statement to say that this year has been a bit disheartening!!

I guess I need to be thankful I have mallards, woodducks, tree swallows, chickadees and blue birds nesting at the house. They just do not compare to Martins though. I guess the bright side to the equation is that I do have the proper site location in comparison to our previous home where I could have tried for 30 years and would have never attracted a pair.

These martins are the hardest birds I have ever seen in trying to establish a colony. I laugh to myself when I walk through stores and see how companies market their housing... like it is just so easy to put up a house and have a colony started!!! Only if the general public new the truth. Well I suppose it is just that easy for some.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

Mitch

[Berndog]

Hang in there Mitch....Berndog

[Connie]

Thanks Louise and Dave!

Well it would be a huge under statement to say that this year has been a bit disheartening!!

These martins are the hardest birds I have ever seen in trying to establish a colony. I laugh to myself when I walk through stores and see how companies market their housing... like it is just so easy to put up a house and have a colony started!!! Only if the general public new the truth. Well I suppose it is just that easy for some.

I'll keep my fingers crossed!!

Mitch

Mitch,
It made me so sad to see your post. I'm sorry if you lost your pair from last year. It is so true, I think mainly in the south, the birds do just show up after they slap up a house on a pole. But, a good landlord (that's you!) will get PM's and keep them sooner or later. With just one pair it could be very possible something happened to them but if you got that pair and they had babies that fledged you will definitely get more. You have something right going on at your site for sure! I'm sending up a prayer for you to get a new pair this season and many more after that. I know everyone on the forum will be hoping for you too!

[april57]

Are you playing the Dawn song 24/7. It finally worked for me after 3 years and believe me I was a freak about it. Our neighbor would open his bedroom windows and at 0300am he would hear birds chirping and we live on acreages.

[terrapincove]

My colony started with a pair that arrived late June so you have a lot of time still.

Good luck.

[Jose Rodriguez]

Hang in there Mitch! I just witnessed a SY-M today! He had other plans because he did not stay here!

[Mitch Booth]

Thanks everyone!

Yes I play the Dawnsong 24/7. I did have an ASY male land on the gourd rack about a week ago but do not believe he is my SY male from my founding pair last year. He didn't spend the night and haven't seen him since.

It's funny that I have all the confidence in the world with the woodducks, mallards, tree swallows, chickadees and bluebirds!! I don't even sweat it as I know they will be back to breed. This next month will be a killer with anticipation!!! And to think I would have an ASY arrival in early April this year. I didn't realize last years nesting SY birds were the last to arrive this year. Well.... next year my expectations should be more realistic.

I'll keep the community informed of any progress!

Mitch

[Laverne]

Hello Mitch. I just wanted to add my 2 cents worth of encouragement. I'm one of the landlords from the South lucky enough to have slapped a house on top of a pole and before my husband could get down from the ladder there were Purple Martins flying overhead. We had same day move in and fledglings that season by several pair including a pair of Starlings. We have learned a lot since that first season in 1997.

I wanted to try and help you feel better. If you think about it, you'll realize your founding pair are on their way. Don't give up on them. They will only be a week or two ahead of last year and the cold weather this spring could slow them down.

I checked back through your posts from last year and found your official announcement as a "landlord" on June 12 and first egg on June 17. That pair of birds will be back, so don't give up on them until mid-June. You've got a lot of sleepless nights ahead of you if you keep worrying about them. Go ahead and rest easy until June 12th. I think they will show up a week or so before then... wait and see.

Good luck, Mitch. I'm wishing you a successful season with more Purple Martins than you can count. It is exciting!

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I agree with Laverne, you still have plenty of time, so hang in there. A new colony always gets its first martin later than older colonies.

Now a question???? is your site wide open or do you have trees nearby. I have lots of neighbors that have tried to attract martins, but were unable to get martins because they put the houses up too close to trees. Martins do not like to nest in places that have trees nearby. They like best the wide open places that have no trees.

At our place, we have some nearby trees, but these trees were small when we first attracted martins. They successfully nest here so they keep coming back, but my poor neighbors are not that lucky, the trees were there before the martin houses were there, so their houses remain empty

[Mitch Booth]

Laverne and Berndog I sent you guys private messages.

Hi Emil,

Yes my site is wide open for the most part. I have 12 acres with a 1-1/2 acre pond in the front yard. When we bought the house there was an existing T-14 on the property across the pond. They have a wide open fly to and from the house but there is a tree line about 60 feet away. My successful pair nested in a gourd rack that I put on the house side of the pond about 40 feet from the house so I could view them better. I even put a camera in the gourd and watched them daily!! The T-14 was just too far away for adequate viewing but last year I had several martins one particular SY male that stayed the whole summer and he seemed to prefer the T-14 but never attracted a mate.

The T-14 and gourd rack were literally covered in martins during the month of August being I'm about 1/2 mile (as the crow flies) from the Nimisila Premigratory Roost.

If search google maps you can get a good view of the property. The address is 6149 Renninger Rd Akron Oh 44319. My driveway is about a 1/4 mile long with a pond in front of the house. My gourd rack is located to the left of the beach (viewing from Google Maps) and on the other side of the driveway.

Mitch

[bluetick]

Mitch has a Beautiful home and a great place for Martins. I have been there. It's just a matter of time till he gets Martins. I only had one pair in 2012 ( May 27th they came )and 2013 I had 14 pair. This year I only have about 12 pair out there right now but I am looking for more to come. I still believe you will get Martins this year Mitch. Dave

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Mitch, you have a beautiful place, I can only say that I wish that it was my place. Having the lake and beach there should be a great attraction tool

[bluetick]

Mitch I think you need a new Gourd Rack with 6 Troyer Horizontal gourds and 6 Troyer Vertical gourds on it. My birds love the gourds with tunnels. I don't have any in the trendsetter and if I don't get some SY birds in it this year I may take it down and put a gourd rack in it's place for 2015. JMO. Dave

[Mitch Booth]

Thank you for the compliments on the property. We do love it here!!

I can remember asking the realtor if the T-14 was active and how many pairs they had last year. There response was "Oh yes!!" I lowered the house and it was filled with 14 Starling nests. I replaced every opening with SREH and that solved that problem in a hurry!!

The next two weeks I should start seeing some SY's. I'll be anxiously waiting!!

Mitch

[Mitch Booth]

Dave,

My wife would KILL me if I put up another gourd rack!! I would in a minute! She absolutely hates the look of it. After we do our outdoor kitchen, fireplace and pool cabana out back I have her talked into letting me put up a 28 unit Trendsetter but I have the cart before the Martin here!!

I'll keep you posted pal.

Mitch

[bluetick]

I already knew how your lovely wife felt about the gourd racks.LOL! Mitch you have a Beautiful place there and you will get birds. I loved your home inside and out. One of the nicest homes I have been in. The trendsetter is the best house I have seen but I don't know why my birds like the gourds best. Good Luck. Your Friend, Dave