Fire
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alfie
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:54 pm
- Location: Cedar Creek, Texas
- Martin Colony History: None as of Oct 2020, hoping to become a landlord in 2021
2021 - 1 pair, 5 eggs, all disappeared I think a snake got them
2022 - 1 pair, 4 fledged, 4 HOSP, 1 Rat Snake, again many visitors
2023 - 2 pair, 10 fledged, 2 HOSP, starting to get visitors as they migrate
2024 - 0 - Did not show up this year
Good morning all - I need some advice. I have a big pile of trees I need to burn. The pile is a result of the 4 year drought that we had, the trees fell and I need to burn them. Also a result of some clearing I've been doing. The pile is about 300' from the Martin house. It's been raining almost every day for the past week so the ground is saturated and wet so I don't need to worry about it getting out of hand plus I've been burning things out here since 1978 and have never had one spread. Anyway my question is: will the Martin's think they need to abandon their site because of the fire? Like I said it's 300' from the houses. The smoke won't get to them but I'm sure they'll smell it. Let me know. Thanks
2021: 1 Pair 5 eggs No Fledglings
2022: 1 Pair 5 eggs, 4 Fledged, 4 HOSP, 1 Rat Snake
2022: 1 Pair 5 eggs, 4 Fledged, 4 HOSP, 1 Rat Snake
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Ed Svetich-WI
- Posts: 815
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:05 pm
- Location: Brooks, Wi (McGinnis Lake)
- Martin Colony History: 24 Super and Excluder Gourds on two gourd racks, all SREH. Full occupancy. My philosophy is to maximize fledge % with existing cavities rather than adding gourds to grow colony, thus providing opportunities for new colony expansion. Fledge over 100 nestlings yearly from 24 gourds. Band nestlings in cooperation with state university. 2019 Adendum: Reduced colony size to 12 gourds to focus on more intensive management regimen.
Alfie,
As long as the smoke is not blowing directly toward the colony, you will not have any issues. My fire pit is about 150 feet from an active colony. I burned brush last night for about an hour. The martins ignored it and carried on normally. If you are still concerned, burn smaller quantities rather than one huge pile of dead trees and vegetation.
Product as many fledglings as possible.
Ed
As long as the smoke is not blowing directly toward the colony, you will not have any issues. My fire pit is about 150 feet from an active colony. I burned brush last night for about an hour. The martins ignored it and carried on normally. If you are still concerned, burn smaller quantities rather than one huge pile of dead trees and vegetation.
Product as many fledglings as possible.
Ed
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alfie
- Posts: 103
- Joined: Sun Oct 18, 2020 2:54 pm
- Location: Cedar Creek, Texas
- Martin Colony History: None as of Oct 2020, hoping to become a landlord in 2021
2021 - 1 pair, 5 eggs, all disappeared I think a snake got them
2022 - 1 pair, 4 fledged, 4 HOSP, 1 Rat Snake, again many visitors
2023 - 2 pair, 10 fledged, 2 HOSP, starting to get visitors as they migrate
2024 - 0 - Did not show up this year
Thanks Ed and CAK. I've never had any smoke go that far (300'). I was more concerned with the smell of something burning. Of course it' raining outside right now, and predicted to rain for the next 4 days. Not that I can't start a fire in the rain I'm just not going to stand in it to control the fire. I guess I'll try when they don't predict any rain. I only have 1 pair of Martin's (I'm a first time landlord) and didn't want to chance losing them.
2021: 1 Pair 5 eggs No Fledglings
2022: 1 Pair 5 eggs, 4 Fledged, 4 HOSP, 1 Rat Snake
2022: 1 Pair 5 eggs, 4 Fledged, 4 HOSP, 1 Rat Snake
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Ed Svetich-WI
- Posts: 815
- Joined: Tue Jan 13, 2004 10:05 pm
- Location: Brooks, Wi (McGinnis Lake)
- Martin Colony History: 24 Super and Excluder Gourds on two gourd racks, all SREH. Full occupancy. My philosophy is to maximize fledge % with existing cavities rather than adding gourds to grow colony, thus providing opportunities for new colony expansion. Fledge over 100 nestlings yearly from 24 gourds. Band nestlings in cooperation with state university. 2019 Adendum: Reduced colony size to 12 gourds to focus on more intensive management regimen.
Congratulations on your pair of martins. Since you are inexperienced, I suggest contacting an experienced landlord near you for advice as to how to make sure that this pair is successful in fledging young. Nest checks and nest replacements are an important management tool to assure success.
Good luck.
Ed
Good luck.
Ed