Lots of martins in POC

[adrianhans]

I counted 64 martins on the electric line in addition to these in the pics. Martins were out most of the day yesterday and came back hungry. I flipped 2 dozen eggs last evening. Have already flipped a doz. this AM and sent husband for more. It is heart-wrenching to see them tumble from roof line to ground to get eggs that have fallen from the B & B. I thank everyone for all of the nice comments from previous post. I go back to work during week and am swamped, and blocked from this site, so I do not always get to answer.
It is raining now and I have a hard time begrudging the rain in this drought afflicted area knowing it will render plentiful insects later. BUT, the cold is trying my patience for these birds. When they see me through the window, they flutter about waiting to be fed. My husband is coming back on Tues. and Wed. to check on them and feed. Sun Dance is in order!

[James Rieman]

Adrian, we are lucky that upon reaching the US among the first things our Martin's find is your hospitality! Thank you!

Jim

[adrianhans]

Thanks, Jim.
I am getting ready to fill up the B & B tray and have to head home to your direction. I wish I could sit here all day and watch them. They are mesmerizing, even as sad as they are now. I sure hope all these fellows make it. Looks like another hard week ahead. In this pic, they still seem to be feisty enough to make it.

[birdy girl]

Adrian
Wow that is a lot of martins! Thank you for feeding them.

[KathyF]

Adrian, we are lucky that upon reaching the US among the first things our Martin's find is your hospitality! Thank you!

Jim

Good ole southern hospitality - perfect description, James.

Yes, thank you Adrian - they are lucky to have such folks as you, John Barrow, Louise Chambers, Astrid Olson and others welcoming them!

[Chris B]

The guy who got me into PMs has been very skeptical about the birds being around and thet people are feeding them. Then yesterday he calls me and says that as he was hanging his gourds for this year a male came up and hovered around his head.

I pointed out that the bird has been here in the states for at least a week and was probably kept alive by somebody further south during the cold. So that is kind of a scout report for the far northern part of Alabama.

[MamaBruff]

Nice pics, and wow so many hungry birds! Maybe "my" martins are in the bunch. Thank you for being a wonderful host!

[DebA]

My thoughts exactly, Mary. If you look again at the second pic, upper rack with the arm pointing at the camera...that female on the end is one of mine. I recognize her.

Thanks Adrian! She is trained to catch flipped eggs or crickets.

Deb

[Anthony Neira]

Hey! Adrian, I like the way the Horizontal Gourds in photo #2, the two on the lower right, & the one on the far left are hanging from "Back wards" Arms! Very Cool! That's what I'm talking 'bout !! Sorry Folks! Just MY Personal preference ! ...Please proceed to enjoy the rest of the forum!
WAIT! Adrian! That is SO COOL how you might of had a couple of extra Hanging arms without Gourds, so you Turned them upside Down to make small perches!! In Both Photos!! Very Smart!! Proves, you never know what new ideas pop up !! Good For You!!

[MamaBruff]

I agree, Anthony, that IS a good idea! I wound up taking 2 of my THGs off below my house due to wind resistance last year. So now the arms COULD go back up to work as perches. Out the door again!!

Deb, I'm so glad "MY" martins will arrive "pre-trained" to take flipped crickets and eggs! Glad to see you have some in the bunch too!

[adrianhans]

Thanks everyone for the comments; BirdyGirl and KathyF--I just hope I can do enough.
MommaBruff, I did hear a few martins shouting "Joplin". Now I know what they were talking about
DebA--it is nice to have trained martins. THey teach the others quickly.
Hey, ANthony, did you notice the decoys on the perches? Sometimes I hot glue starling feathers on them after I shoot and pluck them. Kind of like notching a gun, I guess.
Chris--I had the world's greatest mentor (from the Corpus area) who taught me about flipping eggs. So,it cannot be bad. I want to assure your friend that as soon as the weather clears up, those martins will turn up their beaks at the eggs. They don't even have the courtesy to take one measly piece out of gratitude for all of my hard work. So, no fear that they will get hooked. Only during droughts and cold rain are they interested.
Scrambling eggs tonight and sending Hubby to POC tomorrow. Better weather forecast for Wed. We picked up a couple of martins off the ground before we left there. Force fed eggs and put in dry box on porch out of wind and rain. Hope they make it and you will be seeing them soon.

[Anthony Neira]

Hey Mary, yes Adrian's little upside down "L"s are a good reminder for all of us to see how we are so use to thinking a perch is mostly a factory perch! Not True!
Adrian, (007 of Decoys!) Great job. My eye DID catch a little "Blue " on a couple of them but my mind was too lazy! ( I almost made a joke about watching "The Bachelor" but I think it's on in the background, Cats & Dogs are quiet ! ) so doing this better! Again, Great Job!

[John Barrow]

Beautiful photos, Adrian. Brings back some really good memories. No where else like POC at migration time.

And I could not be prouder of the work you do, and the comfort in knowing that the descendants of so much of my colony, and even some of the originals are under your caring guidance.

Best wishes to you and Tommy, and those martins for always!!!

[Matt F.]

Great work Adrian!
I concur with the others.
Not only are your Martins blessed to have you, but the many many Martins that are still in route to their homes further north, are extra-blessed to have such a wonderful stopping point where they can eat and rest, so they may complete their journey home.
The folks like you, Astrid, Louise, John, and others that are on the coast, and are providing the wonderful resting and feeding points for the Martins that have just made the grueling trans-Gulf crossing, are no doubt a huge factor in many Martins making it back home, to their eagerly waiting landlords.