I did a nest check yesterday, and every nest is empty. No babies (not even a dead one), no eggs, and no mites. A few birds circled overhead yelling at me, but it seems the season is all but over. Seems a little earlier than last year. I will have to check my records. Anyone locally still have nestlings that haven't fledged yet?
I checked, and I took the houses down July 1st last year, so declining activity now seems about right. I waited a week or two after they left last year to make sure no stragglers needed a place for the night before taking them down.
Final ?? Nest check
-
Jones4381
- Posts: 723
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
- Location: Rocky Mount VA
- Martin Colony History: 60 gourds
2020- visitors
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 39 pair-TBD
Congrats on a good season Conrad. Sounds about right as we have about 45 days to go up here and you guys get going a good month and 1/2 down that way. Fledge June20th-Aug1 or so in these parts.
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu
-
Martintown33
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Congrats on a great season Conrad. In Laplace here, similar situation. All have fledged but still coming back to sleep at night. They usually depart for the roost , here, in early July. I usually keep my houses up til Aug 1 just to help out any migrators.. good luck..
Rob
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
-
Conrad Baker
- Posts: 658
- Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm
- Location: Paulina, Louisiana
Thanks Martintown. Not looking forward to taking them down and cleaning them out. Dirty, messy, and a pain trying to get them up in the attic. January will be here soon enough, and it will be time to get them ready for next year-Wow this year has been flying by. Halfway through 2024 already.
-
dsonyay
- Posts: 1586
- Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Broussard
- Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.
2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)
2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.
2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged
2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(
2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go. :)
My season in Broussard ended quickly as well. Mid June. I get quite a few visitors in the mornings around 9 till about noon or so and again late afternoon. It’s good to see them.. today there was about 10 or so perched on the gourds and rack, also on power lines behind the house. I normally get visitors like this until early to mid July and then - poof- they’re gone.
-
Conrad Baker
- Posts: 658
- Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm
- Location: Paulina, Louisiana
Took the houses down Sunday June 23rd. Haven't seen a Martin in several days. January will be here pretty quick so we will start all over again.
-
Jones4381
- Posts: 723
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
- Location: Rocky Mount VA
- Martin Colony History: 60 gourds
2020- visitors
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 39 pair-TBD
Seems a little earlier than last year up here in VA Conrad. 4-5 empty gourds that all fledged with about 20 gourds to go that are all 18-29 days old and alot happening obviously. I do have some that are sitting (or 2-5 day olds haven't checked in 7 days). so I'll have 7-8 out by end of July....but the majority seems to be about 2 weeks earlier than last year.
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu