Nor'easter

[ToyinPA]

I am so glad I have no Martins right now. 12.5 inches & still snowing. Winds are to pick up soon.

My houses are snow covered. The frizbee I use for egg shells is piled high.

Toy in PA

[Larry A Kronemeyer]

Toy,
WOW! What a storm! We missed most of the snow that passed through our region and received only a dusting. It headed out your way to meet up with another weather system ,that would be your nor'easter. We have cold now...freeze warning, will probably lose a good portion of the local peach crop.
No scout here yet. But there are reports close by in the state. We lost our oldest scout to injury last year, so I expected our return date to change. I hope the weather breaks before any birds show up but I have crickets, mealworms and 24hr hand warmers ready.
Is that a flight cage in the background?
Stay safe and warm inside. Keep your friends here posted on how you are doing.
Thanks for the pics.....quite amazing to see.
Judy

[Dan G]

Hey Toy.
Nor'easter for sure. That is a pretty picture, but i didn't see your parrot. You are north and east of me. We got about 8 inches so far, and expecting a few more. I believe the totals in your area are going to be over a foot. Good thing the martins are still south of us. hang in there.

[Carlton]

Glad your martins are not back yet.

Is that your starling trap on the window/wall?

[ToyinPA]

Hey Toy.
Nor'easter for sure. That is a pretty picture, but i didn't see your parrot. You are north and east of me. We got about 8 inches so far, and expecting a few more. I believe the totals in your area are going to be over a foot. Good thing the martins are still south of us. hang in there.

Hi Dan:

We have 14 inches & still snowing. It can stop anytime now!!

LOL It's a tad cold for my Macaw to be outside. She doesn't like rain, let along snow.

Toy in PA

[ToyinPA]

Glad your martins are not back yet.

Is that your starling trap on the window/wall?

HI Carlton:
I'm glad too. Had to deal with this weather last year after they arrived. Wasn't easy to keep them fed.

Yep that's our starling trap. One year we caught a male Cardinal. He was terrified when we took him out. A Tree Swallow & a Blue Jay. Also many Starlings.

And if anyone is looking....the bird box/house on top of the lower clothes line post is for the HS. I posted about this in a different post a few days ago.

Toy in PA

[Dave Reynolds]

ToyinPa ----- Wow that is some snow.. Looks like our place two years ago... We here in Southeastern Ohio, got lucky and the storm missed us.. So glad the Martins are not here also... About another week or two and they will be here.. Sure wish you good Luck in 2017...

Dave

[Hanover Bill]

Hi Toy;

Sorry to see you dealing with such brutal weather. I figured you were in for it over there. The mountains seem to have separated this part of the state from the bad stuff. We have only a dusting, but it is plenty cold. Hopefully the Martins will hunker down wherever they are and wait out this cold snap, we don't need any returning in the middle of this. Maybe this is winter's last gasp, let's hope so.

Hanover Bill.

[Ravens5281]

ToyinPa, what's the post called about the house sparrows trap!!!

Thanks Stu III

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

My father-in-law was born in 1914 and relates that more wintry weather occurred when he was a young man. He was 54 years old and my wife was almost 16 years old when the second most accumulation of snow occurred in Memphis, TN on March 21-23, 1968 - 17.3 inches.
That is only one week away so it makes me aware that late cold weather can occur in the South. There is no expectation that will happen this year.
My mother-in-law was told never to plant her tender warm weather flowers until after April 15 but the Mid-South has had freezing weather after Tax Day so she delayed her planting until after April 30.
Mark.

[John & Linda - KY]

I grew up in central North Carolina. I remember, I believe it was March of 1960, when we had big snows on three consecutive Wednesdays. The roads were just getting back in shape to have school each time when it dumped on us, we were out of school for almost four weeks. Then we had to go to school on Saturdays to make up some of the days. -- John

[ToyinPA]

We got 17-18 inches total. Then the winds picked up & we had snow blowing everywhere. At times we couldn't see our garage. Many roads, especially those in rural mountain areas are still very bad, due to the drifting. The front end loader removed some snow along our street this morning. They're trying to get the street drains opened up. If we get rain it'll make the roads a major ice rink. It hasn't gotten above freezing yet, so no melting. It should warm up over the weekend. We want a slow melt so we don't get a flood.

When I was a kid it'd snow a few feet over night, & we walked to school, wading thru it. We climbed over snow banks to cross the street. No days off. It was the norm back then. Today if they think it's going to snow they close schools.

The bizzard of 1993 dropped about 36 inches on us & 2 days later we got another 30 inches. We had over 100 inches of snow that winter. It was piled everywhere. The streets were single lane & finding a place to park was a nightmare. They had to bring in the National Guard with their huge trucks/plows & push it all back. Sidewalks, that everyone tirelessly shoveled, were buried under 3 feet of snow after they went thru. There wasn't any place left to put it all.

Planting doesn't take place here until all chances of frost are gone. Usually late May. Even then we can get a late frost & have to cover all plants.

"Stu III"....it's not a house sparrow trap. It's a house we put up for 1 pair of house sparrows. It helps to keep the rest of the sparrows away & they let the martins alone. The box trap (PMCA) attached to our garage wall is for catching starlings. We also use the smaller wire traps the PMCA sells to trap sparrows.

The snow as all bown off the Martin houses. Due to warm temps we had uncovered them & loaded the nest trays a few weeks ago. I don't expect them for a few weeks yet, so we're good. If we get bad weather after they arrive I'm prepared to supplement feed & keep them warm. My husband just came in & told me a hawk is back flying around the neighborhood. He's been hanging around this winter. GRRR! He'd better not stick around & go after my Martins.

Toy in PA

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

I admire your perseverance from childhood to present. Is that why the martins refer to you as their "fairy martin mother"?
Are your T-14 houses made from wood or composite material?
Mark.

[Ravens5281]

Ok thanks ToyinPa, gotcha & never heard of this bc I've always been told to get rid of them all lol !!!

Thanks again Stu III

[ToyinPA]

I admire your perseverance from childhood to present. Is that why the martins refer to you as their "fairy martin mother"?
Are your T-14 houses made from wood or composite material?
Mark.

LOL Yeah I guess I am. I do everything I can to keep them alive, healthy & happy.

The houses are from a company called "Northstar Plastics". They are made from a special plastic they use in dog kennels. I special ordered the red trim on the roofs (can't see it in these pics due to the snow). We also added lauan wood inside the trays to prevent splay leg. We like the houses. A quick wash with rag & soapy water & then rinse. I made covers so we can let them on the poles for winter.

Toy in PA

[ToyinPA]

Ok thanks ToyinPa, gotcha & never heard of this bc I've always been told to get rid of them all lol !!!

Thanks again Stu III

We tried the trap eimate method, but the attaks got worse. So we gave them 1 house & so far it has worked. Sadly it doesn't work for starlings.

Toy in PA