My Martin season

[chickadee]

I have had a good Martin season that towards the end was under attach by a great horned owl. I came to the conclusion he was eating fledglings that was sleeping out. I would get up at 4 am and see this owl sitting on the swing set looking at my Martin racks. Very scary sight. So many times I wanted to let my husband stay up and shoot it. Even knowing it is illegal. This owl had me mad! But we never attempted who can stay up all night and I thought the odds of getting him would be slim! Well at midnight my husband takes out on a leash are boxer that is on restriction with a broken leg. Along with his buddy are soft coated wheaten terrier. My husbands hears a scuffle and the wheaten lets out a yelp and comes running up. The boxer would not approach the part of the yard the wheaten came from. So my husband puts him up and goes back out.....to find are wheaten terrier caught the great horned owl. He brings him to the garage and we check him out and take pictures. And let me tell you never shoot one. They are amazing birds. Just as great as martins. Doing their job to survive. He was still alive looked to have a broken wing. He could not fly. We got are state park to come pick him up the next morning. We was told they put him down because of the broken wing. Such a waste. But my fledglings continued to sleep out and was alive early in the morning still. Know more hunter know more dead martins robins bluebirds in my yard. I think he got my female bluebird. Their was feathers in her box and on the ground. But the babies still their. With my help of food the male continued to feed them and fledged them. They fledged last week. What a job he has right now with 5 mouths to feed. I have not seen his other brood of kids helping him. But I am glad to say I fledged 250 martins. Well took part in it.lol and today their is one pair left out here with 5 babies still being feed in a gourd. They should be coming out anytime now. Then they will be gone. What a season. I love all of my birds! Hope everyone else has had a good season also.[/list]

[chickadee]

unless it got hit by a car and the dog found him in the yard? idk but I posted a picture. you can see the blood spot under its wing. had small tooth hole from the dog we think.

[chickadee]

the artin fledglings I had left just fledged today! wow what a late start I have never had martins here this late. let alone with babies still to fledge. what amazing birds!

[chickadee]

the martin fledglings I had left just fledged today! wow what a late start I have never had martins here this late. let alone with babies still to fledge. what amazing birds!