On 3/15, I first saw birds "going to ground" to gather nesting materials (pine needles, dead oak leafs, etc.). Waited a week and did my first nest check on 3/22. Rack 1 - 5 gourds with nests, 8 had "start-ups", 11 were empty. Rack 2 - 1 nest, 7 start-ups and 16 empty. Rack 3 - Zero nests, 2 start-ups and 22 empty. Totals = 6 nests, 17 start-ups and 49 empty gourds. Since 3/22, my martins have been very busy gathering and carrying nest material to the gourds.
On 3/29 I completed my second check. Rack 1 - 20 nests (3 with eggs), no start-ups and 4 empty. Rack 2 - 17 nests, 1 start-up and 6 empty. Rack 3 - 9 nests, 9 start-ups and 6 empty. Totals = 46 nests, 10 start-ups and 16 empty gourds.
In just a week nest count jumped from 6 to 46, start-ups decreased from 17 to 10 and 49 empty gourds dropped to 16. Plus my colony should now have more than the 8 eggs counted on the 29th!!
Land-lording here in Palm City has begun. Happy Martining, Mike
Palm City, FL Nest Check
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mjfog
- Posts: 366
- 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.