Off to a good, but late, start...

[Insectivore Villa]

Pulled the houses down for the fourth time this year and here is where we stand as of Saturday, June 2.
57 active nests, quite a few of them will definitely be doubles as some of the ASY pairs that have been here since April 8 probably had two or three on the go before they settled on the one they are in now.
115 eggs, quite a few clutches of 5, some with 6, and obviously some with just starting out, so that looks very promising.
Lost two ASY males due to a terrible run of extended cool weather, and it is still not very nice out, but lots of bugs so no more feeding eggs. Good thing too, we went through about 25 dozen eggs and a thousand crickets. Now we are running out of egg shells, but that is an easy fix.
I believe we are around 40-45 pair, my wife is leaning to 45-50 pair, but she is an optimist, glass half full sort of person. We do have a couple of SY males that could really use a friend before they become a hassle to the rest of the colony, that would sure be nice...
This may have been my worst year for starlings and sparrows, we have easily surpassed 200 dispatched rats with wings. They seem to be tapering off finally, that is good too, as the ASY males have to keep out the SY males, and the starlings, and protect their female companion whenever she leaves the nest, so they are looking a tad tired as of late.
My pair of eastern Kingbirds have come back, not sure if they stay, but it sure is nice having the "rottweiler" of the bird family close by again. They sometimes take food from the martins as they start feeding the young, but that is a small price to pay for a hawk free environment. Those two Kingbirds and all the red wing black birds are a fantastic early warning system for my backyard.
Good luck to all us Canadian landlords, it is nearing the end to pick up any more adults, but we are about 2-3 weeks behind as far as the weather goes, that is for sure, so there is still hope for few more, need a strong south wind for two or three days and we may get lucky.

[Archer]

Hi Henry, also off to a good start, a little behind last year. I had my first two eggs on Saturday's nest check, about 35 well formed nests, and lots of subbies and a few adults who have yet to start building. I put up a sub house a week ago Saturday, and it been fun to watch the subbies claiming holes and pairing up. Thinking may be end up around 50 pair, give or take. We have had a few rough stretches of weather, lost a sy female last week, but all looks good now, temps in the high 20C. Summer is here.

[Insectivore Villa]

June 10, and the good news is 44 pair sitting on 199 eggs, 9 young, and still some nice looking but empty nests. Weather is finally nice and warm and the forecast looks like summer is here. Dawn songs at 400 am until about 630, so that is nice. It kind of combats the 50-60 green frogs screaming at each other. The summertime racket has begun, and with high south winds today and tomorrow, we might get a few more visitors yet.
Good luck with nursery duties everyone.

[Ryan]

What are your numbers and timing like compared to the last year or two?

[Insectivore Villa]

Numbers are way better, we are up at least six pair, probably closer to ten pair once we figure out how many more nest produce, over last year. They were definitely late, and the spring was slow and cold. Many nests are fives and sixes, which is average for us, but no sevens yet. We usually get one or two with seven. Not sure where we end up, it will be three or four weeks before the final numbers, but my estimates are we end up with fifty two pairs and about 270 eggs, so 13 more than last year and up 75 or so eggs if the pattern holds. We would have had a banner year if it was a warm or at least warmer spring we think.

[Ryan]

Ontario could use a couple good years in a row.