Kind of strange to not hear the chattering of tree swallows so far this year among the Martins. My Martin housing is just about full but the Tree Swallow gourd sits empty. There are usually a half a dozen buzzing around.
I saw one solitary one sitting on a wire out back weeks ago in the cold. But none since.
Thinking this weather has been especially tough on them this year.
Doug
Tree Swallows AWOL So Far.
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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.
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.
I haven't seen a barn swallow, a tree swallow, a chimney swift or a purple martin. Geesh! I keep asking myself if I'm just too impatient or if this is really late for them, for real. It's sleeting here with up to 7 inches of snow possible today and tonight. I just cancelled a 4:15 Dr. appt for my husband (again). I don't want to take him out in this weather and I'm not sure it would be safe to drive anyways at that time. Our local schools are closing today at 1pm to try to hopefully get the kids home before the roads get too bad. I think, after this storm, we'll be in the clear for a few days and the temps are going to head up into the 40s and 50s. We're all ready for it.
Billie from southern Wisconsin
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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.
We had 4 or 5 of them here on April 12th. There's also a huge flock of them about 8 miles west of me. So they are out there. Probably more on the way. I think this weekend, as the weather changes for the better, will push a huge amount of song birds north.
The sky cleared here around 2:00 PM & the temp is now at 48. My martins are out her flying around looking for food & enjoying the sun.
Toy in PA
The sky cleared here around 2:00 PM & the temp is now at 48. My martins are out her flying around looking for food & enjoying the sun.
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
we usually have about 20 tree swallows here but none this year . I hope they didn't die.
2015 69 pairs 418 eggs 396 fledged
2019 I have 148 openings now
2016 100 pairs 600 babies fledged added another t-14 and have 126 openings now
2015 Jun 24 360 babies and 58 eggs also found one that had died
2017 632 babies 11died and 20 were killed by hawks
2015 74 pairs and 9 eggs 5/14
2010 3pairss
]JOINED PMCA JUNE 6,2018
2018 651 babies 5 hawk kills 11 floater kills 25 died in houses and 610 fledged
2014 80 pairs 283 babies 282 fledged one died
2019 I have 148 openings now
2016 100 pairs 600 babies fledged added another t-14 and have 126 openings now
2015 Jun 24 360 babies and 58 eggs also found one that had died
2017 632 babies 11died and 20 were killed by hawks
2015 74 pairs and 9 eggs 5/14
2010 3pairss
]JOINED PMCA JUNE 6,2018
2018 651 babies 5 hawk kills 11 floater kills 25 died in houses and 610 fledged
2014 80 pairs 283 babies 282 fledged one died
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
they have got to be on the way, I dont think we have them here in S. texas but by the numbers of barn swallows heading north they gotta be. Its got to be that terrible weather...are they dedicated to a site like the Martins? I keep reading about them here, they look like beautiful birds.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Ryan
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
- Location: Eganville, Ontario
- Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.
I saw about 75 skimming the water way up here on Friday the 13th. They must have just shown up that afternoon and were in feed mode before the weather. Weather has be awful since then and I haven’t seen one since. They’re pretty tough and they seem to hunker down in the bad weather, but on that first warmer sunny morning they’re buzzing around everywhere like nothing happened.
This has been prolonged problem whether, at a full week coming up so I’m sure there’s some losses. I have about 50 boxes throughout the area and this year I didn’t clean them out thinking they can use the old nests as insulation. Each year I find one or two dead in the houses from the cold spring/migration.
This has been prolonged problem whether, at a full week coming up so I’m sure there’s some losses. I have about 50 boxes throughout the area and this year I didn’t clean them out thinking they can use the old nests as insulation. Each year I find one or two dead in the houses from the cold spring/migration.
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Ryan,
Good thinking on those boxes and their need of a warm place. Also, I truly hope this is going to be your year for Martins. You have a lot of patients.
Good thinking on those boxes and their need of a warm place. Also, I truly hope this is going to be your year for Martins. You have a lot of patients.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
This morning and yesterday we had a large flock of tree swallows across the road from me. I would say at least 100 flying over a large pond
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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TheSmiths
- Posts: 336
- Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 1:02 pm
- Location: Western KY
- Martin Colony History: •
•
Tried to attract PMs 2004; began more earnest attempt in 2014.
Current home site consisting of 2 modified Trio M12Ks, 4 ChirpyNests, and assorted artificial gourds, all enclosed in owl/hawk cages.
2018 — 3 pairs
2019 — 6 pairs
2020 — 12 pairs; barred owls late in season
2021 — 17 pairs; enclosed housing
2022 – 14 pairs
2023 – 18 pairs
2024 – 18 pairs
2025 – 24 pairs
2026 –
Manage FILs colony & public park colony. Attempting to start a colony at a wildlife refuge.
~20 years of providing housing for cavity nesting birds including Bluebirds, Carolina Wrens, House Wrens, Carolina Chickadees, Tufted Titmice, Great-Crested Flycatchers, Northern Flickers, & Prothonotary Warblers.
They are cool little birds. Someone nearby was hosting them (until last year). They liked to hang out on the utility lines a few houses down.I heart birds wrote:they have got to be on the way, I dont think we have them here in S. texas but by the numbers of barn swallows heading north they gotta be. Its got to be that terrible weather...are they dedicated to a site like the Martins? I keep reading about them here, they look like beautiful birds.
I enjoy reading Richard Van Vleck's pages about the various birds he hosts on his property (especially the Northern Flickers). He hosts Barn Swallows as well -- http://www.americanartifacts.com/smma/per/b4.htm
My tree swallows have been here for a few weeks. The cool weather does seem to have them a little turned around.
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
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Dan G
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:52 pm
- Location: PA/Bellefonte
- Martin Colony History: Several colonies with in 6 mile radius.
Have had visitor every year 2014-24.
Two large trees removed in fall 2024 and moved T-14 to a more open location.
2025- 1 SY pair. Fledged 2.
2026- no pairs. One daily SYM here daily. Named him Riggs!
We have lots tree swallows, and have been in Central PA for a few weeks. I cant remember the exact date. One pair looks as though they have claimed the BB box that has been occupied by BB's the last few years. I hope the BB's stay or pick another box. .
On an unrelated note, the barn swallows just returned Saturday, 4-21.
On an unrelated note, the barn swallows just returned Saturday, 4-21.
Bellefonte PA
2014, 1st year-a few lookers, no nests
2015-23. Visitors each year. But no pairs.
2024- most active year. 2-4 SY male’s hang out most days.
2025, 1 SY pair. 2 eggs, 2 fledged!! Other martins visited daily.
Still eliminating starlings and sparrows.
2014, 1st year-a few lookers, no nests
2015-23. Visitors each year. But no pairs.
2024- most active year. 2-4 SY male’s hang out most days.
2025, 1 SY pair. 2 eggs, 2 fledged!! Other martins visited daily.
Still eliminating starlings and sparrows.