My 9th nest check is due tomorrow. Have a 4 and a 5 clutch gourds that are currently fledging young. These two gourds could still have unfledged young. Have 2 other gourds with 5 young each due to fledge on 5/26 and 5/30. I'm very concerned about my scheduled 9th nest check causing the remaining young to leave prematurely. Is the "plug and string" technique always reliable? Or should I pop the cover, do a quick count and replace the lid and move on? I fear pulling the string only to witness "jumpers".
Advice from landlords, please.
Mike
Plug and string technique
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mjfog
- Posts: 449
- Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:40 pm
- Location: Palm City, FL
- Martin Colony History: 2018 will be my first try. 6 S&K B09s. 29 eggs - 8 fledged
2019 - 12 Troyer Horizontals with tunnels, 6 S&K B09s and 12 B011s all with tunnels. 43 eggs - 36 fledged
2020 - Rack 1 - 6 B011s, Rack 2 - 24 B011s, and Rack 3 - 24 Troyer Horizontals. All gourds have tunnels, porches and crescent/Conley 11 entrances; racks have predator guards. 161 eggs - 88 fledged.
2021 - 54 gourds-214 eggs, 184 hatched, 168 fledged.
2022 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 363 eggs, 294 hatched, 278 fledged.
2023 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 321 eggs, 276 hatched, 246 fledged.
2024 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 330 eggs, 283 hatched, 250 fledged.
2025 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 347 eggs, 281 hatched, 266 fledged.
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G Saner
- Posts: 257
- Joined: Wed Nov 13, 2013 3:37 pm
- Location: TX/Kerrville
- Martin Colony History: Fort Worth, TX (1967-1976), The Colony, TX (1981-1985), Carrollton, TX (1986-2013), Kerrville, TX (2015-present).
Two SuperGourd poles (12 gourds on each) at River Point Assisted Living Center.
Mike,
This method works for me. I have never had a jumper. After you lower the gourds, plug the ones with young about to fledge. The key is to wait about one minute after raising the gourds before pulling the string. This gives the fledglings a chance to calm down.
This method works for me. I have never had a jumper. After you lower the gourds, plug the ones with young about to fledge. The key is to wait about one minute after raising the gourds before pulling the string. This gives the fledglings a chance to calm down.
G Saner
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-=DKC=-
- Posts: 356
- Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2017 2:26 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
- Martin Colony History: ................
2019: 11 pairs
2018: 11 pairs - 43 fledged
2017: 4 pairs - 17 fledged
G Saner is right, wait a few minutes after raising the housing before removing the plug. I've done nest checks up to fledging date with this method and haven't had a jumper caused by a nest check.
I insert my plugs before lowering the housing though. I use a collapsible paint roller extension pole to insert the plug about 15' or so above my head. Works great.
In this thread I have pictures and description of what I use...
https://www.purplemartin.org/forum/view ... nt#p280005
I insert my plugs before lowering the housing though. I use a collapsible paint roller extension pole to insert the plug about 15' or so above my head. Works great.
In this thread I have pictures and description of what I use...
https://www.purplemartin.org/forum/view ... nt#p280005
"If at first you don't succeed, keep on suckin' till you do succeed." - Curly Howard
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Mike,
We do nest checks for the duration of the nesting season using the plug and string method, Louise Chambers and I operating as a team. We plug entrances with pieces of foam pipe insulation with a light cord attached with a washer at the tailing end to keep the cord from blowing out of reach. The cord is wound around the outer end of the plug prior to and during the nest check.
We highlight the gourds that need to be plugged and locate those before lowering the system, specifically identifying gourds with the oldest nestlings that need to be plugged first. One person will begin plugging gourds as the system is slowly and smoothly brought down by the other person. Once down the person lowering the system will finish plugging any gourds in his/her vicinity. Noise (talking) is kept to a minimum during the nest check.
We first check the plugged gourds with oldest nestlings by removing the cap and looking in to the cavity. We do not handle the older nestlings or reach in to the compartment--just look in and count and replace the cap, at the same time prepared to close the entrance if any occupants try to come out of the access hole. With practice you will learn and identify the behavior of broods more likely to jump. They will be restless and shuttling around the gourd during the check, while other broods will huddle together at the back of the gourd, as though hiding--and are not likely to jump when unplugging. We then move on and check remaining, unplugged gourds.
When finished checking all cavities, we quickly unwind the cord on the plugs (near and watching/guarding the entrance), reinsert plugs, distribute strings in such a way that they will not get wound around other gourds are each other; then slowly raise the system, reinstall the predator guard and other components with the plugs in place. Plugs are left in for several minutes after we are finished; often as long as 5 or 10 minutes on gourds where the occupants were restless during the check.
As the season progresses and more gourds need plugging we will schedule our nest checks to minimize the plugging targets. All of our systems hold 16 cavities, or less, and we will schedule around checks that would necessitate plugging more than 6 or 8 cavities at a time. For example in Mike's case and check set for 5/25, there are two gourds that are post earliest fledge date (EFD) with some or all potentially fledged; one gourd contains birds due to reach EFD the next day 5/26; with the final older broods EFD being 5/30. If possible, an alternative would be perform the check on Monday 5/27, where 3 older broods are beyond EFD, with the remaining target's EFD several days away and less problematic. Delaying a check 1 to 3 days can drastically change the requirements and risk of plugging on any system, as egg laying seems to kick off at the same time for adults occupying a particular system.
One final thought. It is important to calculate and know the EFD. At 26 days of age the birds that fledge are likely able to survive for the short term if they have reached an appropriate size and weight. Checking cavities after EFD will often result in all birds having fledged and you can remove the plug from the empty compartment and move on. In some cases, nestlings that have fledged will return to a gourd and fly out at the beginning of a check, or shortly after plugs are pulled. This can be disconcerting; however, those birds are generally strong and can fly fine. By the same token their survival is dependent upon the ability of their parents to continue feeding and teaching them the skills needed to hunt and feed themselves.
We do nest checks for the duration of the nesting season using the plug and string method, Louise Chambers and I operating as a team. We plug entrances with pieces of foam pipe insulation with a light cord attached with a washer at the tailing end to keep the cord from blowing out of reach. The cord is wound around the outer end of the plug prior to and during the nest check.
We highlight the gourds that need to be plugged and locate those before lowering the system, specifically identifying gourds with the oldest nestlings that need to be plugged first. One person will begin plugging gourds as the system is slowly and smoothly brought down by the other person. Once down the person lowering the system will finish plugging any gourds in his/her vicinity. Noise (talking) is kept to a minimum during the nest check.
We first check the plugged gourds with oldest nestlings by removing the cap and looking in to the cavity. We do not handle the older nestlings or reach in to the compartment--just look in and count and replace the cap, at the same time prepared to close the entrance if any occupants try to come out of the access hole. With practice you will learn and identify the behavior of broods more likely to jump. They will be restless and shuttling around the gourd during the check, while other broods will huddle together at the back of the gourd, as though hiding--and are not likely to jump when unplugging. We then move on and check remaining, unplugged gourds.
When finished checking all cavities, we quickly unwind the cord on the plugs (near and watching/guarding the entrance), reinsert plugs, distribute strings in such a way that they will not get wound around other gourds are each other; then slowly raise the system, reinstall the predator guard and other components with the plugs in place. Plugs are left in for several minutes after we are finished; often as long as 5 or 10 minutes on gourds where the occupants were restless during the check.
As the season progresses and more gourds need plugging we will schedule our nest checks to minimize the plugging targets. All of our systems hold 16 cavities, or less, and we will schedule around checks that would necessitate plugging more than 6 or 8 cavities at a time. For example in Mike's case and check set for 5/25, there are two gourds that are post earliest fledge date (EFD) with some or all potentially fledged; one gourd contains birds due to reach EFD the next day 5/26; with the final older broods EFD being 5/30. If possible, an alternative would be perform the check on Monday 5/27, where 3 older broods are beyond EFD, with the remaining target's EFD several days away and less problematic. Delaying a check 1 to 3 days can drastically change the requirements and risk of plugging on any system, as egg laying seems to kick off at the same time for adults occupying a particular system.
One final thought. It is important to calculate and know the EFD. At 26 days of age the birds that fledge are likely able to survive for the short term if they have reached an appropriate size and weight. Checking cavities after EFD will often result in all birds having fledged and you can remove the plug from the empty compartment and move on. In some cases, nestlings that have fledged will return to a gourd and fly out at the beginning of a check, or shortly after plugs are pulled. This can be disconcerting; however, those birds are generally strong and can fly fine. By the same token their survival is dependent upon the ability of their parents to continue feeding and teaching them the skills needed to hunt and feed themselves.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)