Happening Now!

[Jose Rodriguez]

Cloudy day today but our Martins are working hard! Everyone was doing their part! Have a good week everyone!

[stan davison]

Awesome pics!!!!!

[GeneP]

Thanks for sharing, great shots!

[Jose Rodriguez]

Thanks Stan & Gene! They were using the nesting material that I put on the ground for them. I was glad they were able to use it!

[steve r]

GREAT PICTURES. I'm in full swing in Plant City babies, eggs and nest building. The one problem with early nesting is they leave early, there usually done and gone by July.

[Jose Rodriguez]

I hear you Steve! I feel so down when they leave. I can only image how the Landlords with hundreds of Martins feel.

[GeneP]

I built a tray that sits on top of my shed to hold nesting material. There are several cats that use my raised bed garden as a litter box that it makes me nervous to have the martins on the ground. City ordinances don't matter much when it comes to all the neighbors cats.

[taxidermy lady]

That is some cool pics Jose! ,hope all your babies fledge! Good luck

[Dave Reynolds]

Jose --- Great photos,, Is picture number 2 from the top a SY female? Just wondering..

Dave

[Jose Rodriguez]

Dave, you are correct! The first photo is one of the ASY. Here is another photo taken today with the decoy. My guess is they had a bath somewhere. lol

[dhjohnson]

Jose,
Those are magazine quality photes of the martins! You Rock! Our first pair of chimney swifts have returned as of last Friday and I still love your swift tower! I also admire your bat houses as that is also something I am interested in! Hope you have a great season and thank you for the amazing photos!
We appreciate them lors!
Debbie

[Jose Rodriguez]

Wow! Thank you for the compliment Debbie! Not sure if I can fit through the door now. LOL We love the tower also. The bat houses were the first to go up in our yard. Then there were years of no Martins, then the tower was built in 2012. We currently have three Swifts living in there, but I believe their will be more soon. Thanks again! Have a good week!

[Bulldog1]

Outstanding pics

[Bird Nerd]

Jose,

You keep out doing yourself.

I'm up to about 25 eggs between 5 of my six gourds. Unfortunately my 24 unit house has no eggs and only a few nest in the works. But I'm not complaining.

Keep up the great work with those fabulous photo's.

Thank you,
Alex

[Jose Rodriguez]

Thanks Alex and Bulldog! Just having fun with two more things that I enjoy in life! Photography and Wildlife! Have a good one!

[Anthony Neira]

Jose, your pictures of your PMs go well with the Classic '67 The Hollies song "On A Carousel " which reminds me of ONE thing I would do if I won the lottery , and that would be to have a custom Carousal made for my Front Yard of Hugh Rideable Purple Martins in place of traditional Horses ! Thanks for posting your pic.s. !

[Jose Rodriguez]

Thanks a lot Anthony! Now I can't get that song out of my head! Good song!

[Dave Reynolds]

Jose ---- Thanks for the reply about Pic number 2... I'm trying to train myself into really looking at photos that people post. I used to just see a bird flying around, now I'm beginning to see the different between the ASY Male, ASY female and the SY females. Thanks so much for posting the photo's, you don't know how much you are helping the Wanabee's identify the different between the sexes of the birds. It is great to know what the sex of a Martin we have is, and to be able to make good reports to the PMCA.

Dave

[Jose Rodriguez]

Dave, I'm glad I can help in anyway. I have been trying to get Martins for years and it finally happen! Here is a better picture of an ASY female. Keep in mind the lighting is sometimes bad due to the weather, etc. I do believe this female is from last year. she picked the same gourd this year. Have a good weekend everyone!

[threelilkids]

Jose, in pic #1 what did you do? ask her to look this way and pose? Super nice photos.
Mary