I'm ready for Fred bird!

Berndog · Thu Apr 14, 2016 6:15 pm

Sharon,
I understand your frustration and the anxiety that goes with it.This will be your year....Hang in there !! BernDog

taxidermy lady · Thu Apr 14, 2016 7:33 pm

Oh yes Berndog! For all of us who have waited for yrs. it does just get to be like, "oh there's a Martin, oh there it goes" LOL

I have to say i feel good about this year. It just has to get right. Our weather is really going to be nice now I think. I'm ready to plant some tomatoes.

good luck with your colony this year!

Chuck4 · Mon Apr 18, 2016 3:39 pm

Sharon,

I want you to know I am pulling for you to get your first nesting martins this season! Best of luck to you. I have a ton of photos from this season that I need to sit down and go through.

taxidermy lady · Mon Apr 18, 2016 3:49 pm

Thanks Chuck, I have been getting visitors but no takers yet! The weather is perfect for martins now. My fake colony looks good. And what visitors I have been getting has no problem swooping and diving. I'm really open now! Thanks a million for your support! Good luck with your colony!!!

rrmartins · Mon Apr 18, 2016 6:08 pm

It's going to happen!! Hopefully you'll have a pair in a few days or so. First pair is always so exciting/nail biting.
Good Luck

1BirdmanEye · Mon Apr 18, 2016 7:07 pm

Having martins here since 1995 and returning on a timely basis,I'm beginning to start to feel homeless,haven't seen or heard anything yet ,so I guess I'm looking for my Fred bird too.

taxidermy lady · Mon Apr 18, 2016 7:59 pm

Thanks rr, it makes it a nice day when I see them!

1birdmaneye, how many pair have you been hosting each year? Maybe their just slower getting to you. I'm sure they'll get back home! Good luck! Please keep us updated.

1BirdmanEye · Mon Apr 18, 2016 8:57 pm

Last year I noticed a decline in there return,really weird season 6 total asy returned at there normal arrival date,but a long rainy cold spell lasted nearly a week,they disappeared,I thought I would find them all parished in there gourds,thankfully they left,April 17th 1male 1female returned slowly more males arrived until May arrived I started getting sub adults returning,nothing like I had in the past,I only had six nesting pair,all hatched,all fledged,but I did have a frequent visit of a cooper hawk ,maybe that is a factor?

taxidermy lady · Tue Apr 19, 2016 5:51 am

Maybe the weather did get them. Try supplemental feeding them if the weather turns for the worst. Watch you tube videos and read about how to feed them! It works and the bond is there for life. Good luck!!!

phldave · Tue Apr 19, 2016 4:53 pm

I'm not picky. Doesn't matter if it's a Fred or an Ethyl, so long as they are PM's

taxidermy lady · Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:07 pm

Yeah I'm thinking if they don't cooperate this year we'll be calling them more than that!!!!!

1BirdmanEye · Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:17 pm

Just got home from work,temps in the 50s,still no sign in the sky's,reminds me of the book silent spring

avesrun · Tue Apr 19, 2016 6:50 pm

Same here BirdmanEye, from what I'm observing on signs of nature and migration thinking things are somewhat behind due to wacko weather. Bluebirds and tree swallows are just now getting serious about nesting. Should be lots more Martins to come even before sy here in Iowa.
Sharon at least sounds like you've seen a martin;I've yet to see one.
TimG

1BirdmanEye · Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:24 pm

As you can see by my number of post I'm new to this forum,I'm pretty much old school here,but I was wondering what does satalite mean?

taxidermy lady · Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:36 pm

It means when you have another purple Martin site other than your property. Like at a city park, or private golf course. A lot of people can't attract Martins at their home site so they put one up else where.

1BirdmanEye · Tue Apr 19, 2016 8:50 pm

Makes sense,thank you for that info