Estactic Newbie!!!!!

[Okie]

I had calculated these hatchlings should fledge this weekend or Monday. Something told me to put my activities on hold this AM & sit and watch the PM house. WOW I got to witness the first one take off
He & another one were peeking out of the entrance hole. The other one retreated & eventually this one came out & laid on the porch for quite awhile. Papa would come perch on rail then take off again. Eventually this one perched on the railing for a very long time. Papa continued to come & go and finally as papa took off this one took off with him. What a thrill to witness!!!!
I expected this one to fly to a tree limb or the fence. But no he flew up up up into the sky, soared several times & was gone.
A couple of others peeked out for a long time & one tried to exit but never got that done. Every time mom or dad came they retreated. Finally mom & dad started feeding them.
I feel so blessed to witness this. Hope I get to see that again.

Question: I think the pair that was run off by the egg destruction is back. They keep going in & out of their box. Would they attempt to renest this late??? That would seem dangerous due to going into the hottest part of summer.

[Kyler]

That's great! I bet that was the coolest thing ever! I hope I will get to see that happen!

Kyler,

[Okie]

Kyler I read somewhere that they fledge in the mornings. That appears to be what happened here as they quit peeking out & things cooled down toward noon. So park yourself in a comfortable seat in the AM. And calculate fledging date but be ready before that date. I had written down they hatched May 24 which puts 26 days at June 19. So this one fledged at 23 days. Maybe hatching date was wrong but I had kept pretty frequent nest checks. [More often than recommended sorry couldn't help myself, so curious---I have to lower house every evening anyway to check sparrow traps]
Curious now what I will observe tomorrow AM.
Good luck I hope you do get to witness the most fascinating part of hosting Purple Martins. And exciting toooo

[taxidermy lady]

Glad you shared that with us. Just helps everyone waiting that it's all worth it when they do come.
I stopped up at the neighbors this morning that has the 3 houses (2 flat tops and one trio)!!! They are all 3 connected to his shed and extended over the tin roof. HOT!!! They were bringing in bugs and hissing at the sparrows. That doesn't seem fun!!!

If they come here they won't be bothered by sparrows!
Good luck with your others fledging!!!

[Kyler]

Okie,
Thanks! My mom just put a bench out in front of my martin houses! She sits out their more then me! I think she is really getting to like them! So I think I already have a seat lol!
I will keep watching! My first babies should be hatching today or tomorrow!!!!

Sharon,
Anything happening at your place? Any more sightings?

Kyler,

[Okie]

They are all 3 connected to his shed and extended over the tin roof. HOT!!! They were bringing in bugs and hissing at the sparrows. That doesn't seem fun!!!

If they come here they won't be bothered by sparrows!

Sharon it is just mind boggling that your local PM have such Stubborn site fidelity Especially considering your premier palace.
Just look at it this way When they come They will stick like glue and never look back. They will be more than happy And you will be more than estatic!!!!!!

[taxidermy lady]

Yeah Kyler my one bird band is bringing some in still!! The other day I had four visit, one, two, then one. So I'm playing my tune until Labor Day. Never have done that before but I figure I'm going to attract until I know they've passed through here. I think it was my 2nd year on Sept. 4 th it was a rainy and nasty night and an ASY male stayed all night in my house unti the fog lifted and mist stopped the next day so keep things up you just never know!!!

[Kyler]

Sharon,
Well I really hope you get a lot next year! I wish you luck!!!!

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks for your support Kyler. Good luck with you fledglings!

[Kyler]

It going to be a little awhile!! But I hope I get all of them to fledge! It is hatching day for my ASY pair!! I don't know if they hatched but we are doing a nest check on Saturday!!

Kyler,

[Okie]

What an experience this AM watching martin after martin flying around the house. More activity than I've had all year. I think 3 maybe 4 of them are my fledglings who snuck out when I was not looking. There are at least 2 left in the house peaking out but not coming out yet.
Will be very happy to have this much activity "next year" as I am confident that will happen. Just as I am confident it will happen to Sharon too.
Sharon I am anxiously awaiting your WHOPPEEEEE post

Kyler any hatchlings yet?????

[Kyler]

Okie,
I really hope you get more then one pair! I'm confident you will!!!! You should post some pictures of the fledglings?

We doing a nest check today! Hopefully we will find a good amount of eggs and babies! I know one nest should have babies and maybe another one and the other three should have eggs! That are probably on day 8 or 9 of incubation!

Kyler,

[taxidermy lady]

Okie, thanks for your support! It's amazing the visitors I keep getting. I was in the garden this morning and 2 stayed for a good while. A good while is exciting to me because they just come and then leave! Then another circled while I was in the front. I really enjoy them when they come! I'm going round and one by one I'm changing. I think it could be a big attention getter! We'll see! Good luck with your fledglings!

[Okie]

Sharon, I was in MY garden this AM & got dive bombed by the martins. They have been dive bombing the dog ever since the first fledge. They are not very good at it as the dog never notices
I guess they are more protective as the babies are ready to take flight. I am more protective of the hatchlings i.e.: from sparrows. But then we got burned when the eggs were destroyed.
This is just toooo much fun. dive bombing & all. And I might add time consuming too spending hours peering into the lives of the martins & their business.

[marcus]

No wander I can't go outside any more with out getting dive bombed. Thanks for the info.

[Okie]

Marcus with your size colony that could become dangerous!!!!
I guess that means an advantage of a small colony is fewer dive bombs to duck???

[marcus]

Prior to banding day my martins rarely dive bombed me and I could get relatively close to them before they flew off . Ever since, the martins go crazy as soon as they see me. It's mainly only one ASY male from the t-14 that actually dive bombs me. The rest just circle around. Not sure but with all the subbie males around, I wouldn't be surprised if they stake a claim to gourds that the nestlings have already fledged from. Is it possible that they might actually raise some young?

[Okie]

Well Fiddley Dee!!!!!
I thought today was fledging day & played hooky from church to watch.
AND I thought these babies were purple martins..... But NO THEY ARE CHICKENS
One finally came out on the porch & perched on the railing. After quite some time another squeezed out of the conley entrance. But he did not last toooo long before he chicken out & went back in. The other one followed suit some time later.
What is interesting is the parents seemed to know they would not fledge & did not try to get them to, even fed them. However visitors from other colonies flew above to encourage them.
These birds are simply fascinating

[taxidermy lady]

They have it so good they don't want to leave
ENJOY!!!

[Okie]

Yes but it's an aluminum house & heat index is 117* The adult birds are panting.
I took pics but I can not figure out how to downsize them in iPhoto. They never go through as an attachment. I have to use Photo Bucket & I detest that pop up This is not a joke which cannot be removed. Very disgusting