Scout definition as it pertains to purple martins:
For those that are new to the world of Purple Martins. The term scout, as it applies to purple martins, does not mean what the term scout means as listed in the dictionary. A purple martin scout is really just the first returning adult birds to their nesting colony each year. They DO NOT show up, check things out and then turn around and go south to report and bring back additional birds. You may see martins show up at your colony for the night or a few days and then they leave. They are not turning back south. They are moving on further north or heading to their nesting colony. I think it is time this name is changed so that it no longer causes so much confusion to folks that are new to the purple martin world. I plan on bringing this up at the PMCA convention in July in Norman Oklahoma to see if we can get this changed.
thanks
Anita Harp
Keystone Lake Oklahoma
Time to change the name SCOUT
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zatn02
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 7:35 pm
- Location: Sand Springs, Oklahoma
- Martin Colony History: I live on Keystone Lake which is 25 miles west of Tulsa Oklahoma. For 2020 I will be offering: 1 Gemini rack with 12 Troyer Horizontal and 12 Troyer Vertical gourds, 1 Multi-Purpose pole with 2 Trio M12K houses with expanded compartments and 4 S&K Bo 11 Plus gourds with clinger tunnels, 1 Multi-Purpose pole with 2 Trio Mini-Castles with expanded compartments and 4 Troyer Vertical Gourds underneath, 1 MPP pole with 2 Trio MSS12 houses with expanded compartments, 3 Super gourds and 1 Excluder gourd underneath, 1 Fountain Gourd rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds, 1 AAA16 rack with 8 Troyer Horizontal and 8 Troyer Vertical gourds, 1 rack with 3 S&K Double Gourds, 1 Trendsetter 16 house with 4 Troyer Vertical Gourds underneath and 1 S&K Barn style house with expanded compartments and 2 gourds underneath. This will be a total of 127 nesting cavities offered for 2020. Hopefully this will help to increase my numbers over 2019 which were 60 active pair that fledged 274 babies.
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Whippy
- Posts: 1023
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:15 pm
- Location: Plano, Texas
- Martin Colony History: See Signature
What would be a good replacement name?
Perhaps first migrant? First arrival?
I'm all about accurate descriptions and names so just curious what the change would be.
Coolwhips.
Perhaps first migrant? First arrival?
I'm all about accurate descriptions and names so just curious what the change would be.
Coolwhips.
2016 - many visitors
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
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James Strickland FL
- Posts: 2249
- Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
- Location: Reidsville NC
- Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair
I think that Scout is appropriate for what they are doing. I think it the definition is incorrect. When they are returning back home, they are scouting out the home they had last year to ensure it is good for nesting. Also it also to ensure they get the best nesting spot when the females shows up. Remember it is about breeding and raising the next generation.
Last edited by James Strickland FL on Tue Feb 25, 2020 5:01 pm, edited 2 times in total.
PMCA MEMBER
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zatn02
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Wed Aug 03, 2016 7:35 pm
- Location: Sand Springs, Oklahoma
- Martin Colony History: I live on Keystone Lake which is 25 miles west of Tulsa Oklahoma. For 2020 I will be offering: 1 Gemini rack with 12 Troyer Horizontal and 12 Troyer Vertical gourds, 1 Multi-Purpose pole with 2 Trio M12K houses with expanded compartments and 4 S&K Bo 11 Plus gourds with clinger tunnels, 1 Multi-Purpose pole with 2 Trio Mini-Castles with expanded compartments and 4 Troyer Vertical Gourds underneath, 1 MPP pole with 2 Trio MSS12 houses with expanded compartments, 3 Super gourds and 1 Excluder gourd underneath, 1 Fountain Gourd rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds, 1 AAA16 rack with 8 Troyer Horizontal and 8 Troyer Vertical gourds, 1 rack with 3 S&K Double Gourds, 1 Trendsetter 16 house with 4 Troyer Vertical Gourds underneath and 1 S&K Barn style house with expanded compartments and 2 gourds underneath. This will be a total of 127 nesting cavities offered for 2020. Hopefully this will help to increase my numbers over 2019 which were 60 active pair that fledged 274 babies.
Many people think that they show up, check things out and turn around and head back south to report back to the rest of the flock. Heck the definition of Scout in the dictionary pretty much states that very thing. "a soldier or other person sent out ahead of a main force so as to gather information about the enemy's position, strength, or movements." I have lost count of how many posts on facebook pages that I have had to correct to inform them that the birds do not turn around and go back south to report in and bring back additional birds. The term scout has nothing to do with the first returning adult birds every year and really needs to be changed to stop the confusion.
thank Anita Harp
thank Anita Harp
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
It's been a long time since I've picked up a dictionary to define a word to establish its meaning. I did google the word today and while the noun defines some military activity; the verb usage defines as a word meaning to look for some person or thing. That pretty sums up what James Strickland is saying in his comment.
Moving to modern times, I googled the definition of "purple martin scout" and the primary return leads to PMCA's definition as located in its Scout Arrival page. IMO, perfectly stated, perfectly valid, and one that disputes the old belief that scouts located a nesting site and returned to bring the others back. I've never noticed a lot of folks extolling that belief in my times on purple martin forums. I support keeping things as they are.
Moving to modern times, I googled the definition of "purple martin scout" and the primary return leads to PMCA's definition as located in its Scout Arrival page. IMO, perfectly stated, perfectly valid, and one that disputes the old belief that scouts located a nesting site and returned to bring the others back. I've never noticed a lot of folks extolling that belief in my times on purple martin forums. I support keeping things as they are.
~~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)