Almost full in Western PA
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GaryU
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:49 pm
- Location: PA/Transfer
- Martin Colony History: 1st year....just visitors.
2nd ......praying!.......prayers answered 5/28/16 with 10 couples and lots of 1st year males. Making improvements and planning for 2017 and beyond.
3rd year.....all compartments on both poles (28 + 18) and planning on 18 more for 2018.
2018 added gourd rack (18 gourds)
4th/5th/6th year ......established colony.
2022 added 2 new poles with polywood T-14’s. Filled up 1st year in use.
2025 adding 3 new poles with polywood T-14’s +12 gourds.
Total: 8 poles, 84 T-14 compartments, 64 gourds. (148 nest cavities)
What a year! Cold, windy, rainy, unpredictable weather patterns. Slow migration added even more angst. Then I had a mature male come then disappear and then a few (quite a few) days appear with a first year female. Well after 3 days of high winds and temps I show up at the homestead mid afternoon and I have a near full colony. I was greeted by fly byes, songs, acrobatics and it looked like I had an almost full house. What a sight! What a good feeling! What a wonderful avocation. Wishing all PM enthusiasts a fantastic year. GaryU
Gary U
N.W. PA, Mercer County, Delaware Twp.
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Martinfarmer
- Posts: 153
- Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 6:33 pm
- Location: Guthrie KY 42234
- Martin Colony History: 2015 put up a S-k house, visitors but no takers
2016 homemade Martin condo (40 nesting boxes) several visitors no takers
2017 changed crescent openings to Troyer Conley 2 openings and installed 4 super gourds with Conley2 adapters and 12 vertical Troyers.
Several nests and eggs. Hopefully will exceed one hundred eggs this year.
6-21-17 nest inspection 68 chicks and 26 eggs
6-30-17 inspection 90 chicks and a new nest with 4 eggs.
8-30-17 successfully fledged over 85 martins.
Good deal Gary, good luck with those martins.
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Glad you are having success too!
The Martin population is extremely strong in our area this year. I have heard nothing but good news on numbers.
I have 50 compartments and I can't find an empty one. Neither can the swarms of SY birds that just keep rolling through. The site next door is filled up too.
Lets hope we have a good summer for fledging all these young that are coming.
Doug
The Martin population is extremely strong in our area this year. I have heard nothing but good news on numbers.
I have 50 compartments and I can't find an empty one. Neither can the swarms of SY birds that just keep rolling through. The site next door is filled up too.
Lets hope we have a good summer for fledging all these young that are coming.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
I picked up several SY Females, but have only seen one SY Male so far.
Toy in PA
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
Gary and Doug,
Same situation here is south central PA....did nest check today, and have my first eggs, and most cavities have nest building going on.....expect a ton of action over the coming week
Richard
Same situation here is south central PA....did nest check today, and have my first eggs, and most cavities have nest building going on.....expect a ton of action over the coming week
Richard
Trying since 2006, started hosting in 2012
T14 with 4 THG and 4 modified SG's
Gourd rack with 3 TVG's and 3 modified SG's
T14 with 4 THG and 4 modified SG's
Gourd rack with 3 TVG's and 3 modified SG's