What up with an egg in a super sparce nest?

[Birdiegirl]

I posted last week about two nests built with unusual materials. Today I want to ask about REALLY underwhelming nests. I have two nests with barely a sprig or two of material. One has just couple strands of hay and two eggs, the other a couple green leaves and one egg. Egg count has remained the same for the past two nest checks (7 days apart). I had this happen in a nest last year too- no surprise the egg last year never hatched. I don't expect these will either. So what is going on? Inexperienced/SY birds? A pair utilizing two nests? When I first noticed them should I have provided nesting materials?

[Martintown33]

Hi Laura… sometimes, inexperienced SY’s will build very skimpy nests.. when I see that, I help them out by sliding pine needles underneath, what they have built.. I even beef up decent built nests, in the same way.. I figure it’s easier to beef up a nest early on, than to deal with eggs not hatching, or other issues..
Good luck
Rob

[C.C.Martins]

Sounds like a real subbie nest!!!!
Do you put pine needles in the cavities before they get there? It helps in these cases, just a matter of tucking the material under the eggs in cases of thin nests.
If not, can add a layer of nesting material under the eggs? I don't think they will abandon because eggs are present. Its a touchy one.
They are just inexperienced.

[Birdiegirl]

Thanks guys- I figured SYs could be the culprits. We'll do another nest check this weekend, so I'll add some hay for them. The martins around here don't use pine needles and instead use hay bales, grass clippings, and white oak leaves. Hopefully they will appreciate the help

[C.C.Martins]

Hey Laura,
Try prenesting before the birds arrive, the older birds add to it for sure but the young ones typically don't or add just a little. We have 5 or 6 subbie pairs at the preserve, difficult to tell early on if they are actually nesting because their nest isn't all that. I just wait for eggs in their case.
A good bed of pine needles is important for a number of reasons. I don't want them on the ground over long gathering nesting material, I think they waste energy, finally, gives them somewhere warm and dry when they arrive. I used hay one year and it got moldy. There is one, just one, stand of pine trees here in corpus, took me years before I found it. Iv bags and bags of pine needles. In fact, ill go get some more here soon going to be an active hurricane season...if we get hit there may be little left

[Birdiegirl]

Ah- I still have much to learn from the veteran landlords! I will try pre-nesting with pine needles next year. I had not considered the mold factor!!! Not many pines around here, but I'll be on the lookout...

Texas sure has had its share of storms lately- you all deserve a break!

[Martintown33]

Agree, pine needles are a drier material to pre nest with…I’m lucky to have access to pines here, but if you can’t find pine needles in your area, they are sold by the box , online…
Good luck,
Rob

[Conrad Baker]

I get my pine needles from PMCA. Just look at the top of the page for "Shop Purple Martin". Search for '"Pine Straw". It comes in about three days in a nice dry box. One small box covers my three S&K houses and have some left over.

[C.C.Martins]

Texas sure has had its share of storms lately- you all deserve a break!

What we need is rain! All those storms were well north of us. Between you, me, and the forum....im hoping for a hurricane. I need a new roof anyway.....