The start of a new colony in south central PA, maybe?

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HighRise071117
Posts: 11
Joined: Wed Jul 12, 2017 6:15 am
Location: Perry County, PA USA
Martin Colony History: 2019
Pole #1, T-14 with Troyer Tunnels and 1 brown natural gourd, 1 white natural gourd, 1 Troyer Horizontal gourd, 1 Troyer Vertical gourd hanging underneath, 96' from residence.

Pole #2, K-Series 18 gourd rack with 1 PMCA's Excluder, 3 Troyer Vertical, 3 Troyer Horizontal gourds, 64' from residence.

Pole #3 T-14 with round entrances. Two decoys sitting on porches 32' from residence.

2019
ASY male with SY female arrived 05/25/2019. I can not prove but I think he is the SY male that was here last year. He went to same Troyer Vertical gourd he favored last year. They have been here every day since arriving including today (05/30/2019).

2018
One SY Male stayed 30+ days but was unable to get one of many females to stay and nest. A couple other SY males tried for a week or so and also failed.

Hi Everyone,

On May 22nd there were two purple martins here. One landed on the roof of the Troyer house. The second landed on a perch rod above the Troyer house. They sat there preening for about seven minutes and then flew away.

I have had at least one PM here every day since.

Since June 1st I have three PM's flying in every morning (not together). All three were here by 6:30AM this morning. Two subadult males on one female. Not sure if adult or subadult female. They are here all day except to forage. They have been in all my gourds. I only saw one enter the Troyer house. The males do a lot of singing and try to entice the female into one of the many gourds.

They all leave in the evening as late as just after sunset. One subadult male leaves last.

What is the nesting habits of subadult purple martins?
How late can they nest here in south central PA?
How will I know when I have a pair that want to nest here?
Do I need to see them stay here over night?

Thanks,
Mark
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flyin-lowe
Posts: 3792
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

There are a couple landlords on here from PA that can better help you with the time line. I can tell you it is not uncommon for some SY martins to stay at a site but not mate up or nest. My first colony started that way, I had a lone SY male that spent all summer in a cavity at my place and could never get a female to stay. The next year he returned darting right into the same cavity as an ASY and attracted a mate and 4 additional pair. So even if they don't mate up and actually nest it is still a good thing to have them spending this much time at your place. A lot of martin don't survive migration each year so it is tough to get returnees when you only have a couple of birds, but it can happen. Good luck.
2026 HOSP 29
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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