End of my first year as PM landlord: Noob questions persist

[GVille_PM_Dad]

I put up a house (ill conceived - even though sold as a PM house) that I received as a gift. I hung two gourds from it. I had plenty of Martins around but ended up with one nesting pair.

This pair had four eggs, two hatched, one disappeared, and one was dormant (is there an appropriate term for an egg that don't hatch?)

I did a nest change, but no mites were present. Then the Martins cleared out my effort. I had to take a trip right before my birds fledged but they were very active and the fledges attracted a bunch of other Martins from the area.

When I came back from my trip the birds were gone. I'd like to think they made it ok. In the interim some other birds (possibly house sparrows) filled (stuff completely) my one active gourd with grass. I've since cleaned it out but only saw one Martin overhead since that time.

This morning I checked the gourd, no new grass, but there was one egg that I confirmed as a house sparrow egg before I removed it.

My two biggest questions: What most likely happened to all Martins? and Will they return before its time to head to Brazil?

Concerned PM dad

[C.C.Martins]

Well,
Congrats! I say that because it sounds like your martins fledged. The group you saw was a fledge party, where other martins show up to help.

You said the martins cleared out your effort after a nest change...what happened there? What did they do?

I'd suspect they fledged and sparrows quickly took over the cavity, if the martins did want to return for the night (typical) they would have found it packed and perhaps the male sparrow kept them out.

You have not noticed the martins bringing their fledges home at night at all? Sometimes they do not, this close to migration they may not at all. Often times they come in in the mornings and evenings to socialise but with one pair they probably won't, they are busy teaching the young how to eat and may be roosting somehere.
I'd advise keep your housing up for a while. If weather is going to be an issue, by all means take it down. There's no rush, some folks wait until martins have completely migrated from the country.

One word though: do something about the sparrows, they will completely take over the houses, packing them with nests. They will peck eggs and kill chicks and martins. You should expect your pair to return next year, with that in mind control those sparrows, they cannot coexist. Trap and shoot, its the only way.
Tom

[Martintown33]

Double what Tom said. He covered it all..
Good luck next season,
Rob

[flyin-lowe]

When my first colony was young, the martins did not stick around long at all after they fledged. Probably because they were some SY's and they started later in the season. The young started flying on a Thursday and the last time I saw them was on Sunday evening. Now, my older ASY's seem to stick around a couple weeks before heading off to migration. So if your martins were due to fledge and your trip was more then a few days it is likely they headed south. Congrats on your first season.

[sawhisker]

Some great advice has been given on this thread. This is my third year as a landlord. After a rat snake attack in early June, my surviving Martins successfully fledged 17 babies. After all had fledged, I would see them congregating early in the mornings around the house and sometimes in the evening. Well, since they weren't around a lot during the day, I had a couple of male sparrows try to take over. They were building nests in the chambers and trying to attract mates. I had to eliminate the sparrows. Since doing so, the Martins have come back to socialize more.

I just watched a group of about 20-25 Martins this morning. They are so sweet as they sing, socialize and bicker with each other. Last year, my Martins left to go south on August 10th, so I figure my time with them is coming to an end for the season.

I am so thankful to this group of veterans as well as newcomers who have offered me great advice and compassionate encouragement throughout my journey to be a successful landlord!