SY's Heading North!

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Spiderman
Posts: 991
Joined: Thu Jan 31, 2008 9:19 am
Location: Gladewater, Texas

If you don't have very many Martins so far, take Heart. There are many SY's heading north right now.

I always wear an orange shirt and walk near the Gourd racks in the afternoon to keep the Cooper's Hawks away as the Martins come in for the night. Living on a lake, I can see 700 yards across the lake as the Martins build their funnel cloud to prepare to come in when the sun sets.

Yesterday there were 25 SY's that had skimmed the lake all day with our Martins, feeding up on insects. When the Martins came in as often times happens the SY's rose up very high and flew off into the night sky headed north.

Three days ago I saw over 50 SY's do the same thing. So there are a lot of SY's that are on their way to their new homes for the Spring. If you have a new site and are trying to attract Martins you may consider opening up your housing. This is your shot. Over the next 30 days the Martins that are attracted and stay at your site will be the ones that you will have for this year.
Colony started in 2002

Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds

2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS

*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2441
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

... Spiderman ... Thanks for the heads up on the SY's ,,, Have a great year..
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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tboydshirt
Posts: 77
Joined: Sun Feb 04, 2018 1:42 pm
Location: sugarcreek,ohio
Martin Colony History: new in 2017, but ready for lots of birds. 44 gourds and 40 t14 style holes
2019 more visitors than in the past and a long suffering SY male. each year enhancing the site and hoping for the future.

-ready, willing, and waiting
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BillieJR
Posts: 766
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:39 am
Location: Monroe, WI

Yup, me, too......can't wait. It's what I've been dreaming about for months. :) Good luck, everyone!
Billie from southern Wisconsin
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Brad Biddle
Posts: 523
Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 6:22 pm
Location: Marshall County AL

I had 20 or more here last night circling over my colony at near dark after the residents had settled in. I can't say for sure that they were all SY's. I did see one ASY male up there, but the rest had grey breasts.
Martin landlord since 2003. Currently offering 162 plastic gourds with tunnels, all with Conley II entrances with the Lewis modification. I have 24 Supergourds and the rest are Troyer Horizontals.
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pmlover
Posts: 805
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:30 pm
Location: OH/New Concord

James i GOT 75 TWO DAYS AGO THANKS FOR THE INFO
DICK
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
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