Labor Day Weekend Fledge!

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randyM
Posts: 233
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
Location: Long Lake SD
Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 nesting pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 nesting pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%), added housing: 11 houses w/gourds, 4 gourd poles = 376 cavities
* 2018 - 10 nesting pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 nesting pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 nesting pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 nesting pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 nesting pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 nesting pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 226 nesting pairs, 100 young banded

I had a very late nest at my colony this year in South Dakota. An ASY female paired with a SY male.... likely a renesting attempt for the ASY female. She laid 3 eggs beginning on July 13 and 2/3 hatched on July 30. By Aug 18 all other late nests at my site had fledged their young and her SY male companion disappeared with the other adult birds from the colony. About a dozen young of the year would return each night to keep mom and her youngsters company until mid-morning. However, by Aug. 27 only 3 young martins returned in the evening and none on the 28th. This ASY female was determined to fledge these two young on her own - even though 3 other late nests in my colony had young abandoned by SY parents that left for a pre-migratory roost a few weeks earlier and their young perished. On the afternoon of the 28th and 29th she led and occasional-hatch year or second-year bird to the colony for a half hour visit, maybe to encourage her young to leave the nest? On Aug. 29, one of her young fledged, but decided to take up residence in another martin house about 50 feet away. Mom was busy feeding two young at two different houses. On Aug. 30 the second youngster fledged but also decided to live in a different martin house for the remainder of the afternoon. That evening both young were out and about flying with their mom and all returned to their original compartment for the night. On the 31st I saw the three of them flying above my colony site for a few hours in the morning, and noon was the last I saw of them. Hopefully they all make it to S. America for the winter and mama makes it back to my site again next year but has a successful early nesting attempt so she doesn't have hang around so late in the season.
C.C.Martins
Posts: 2976
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
HOSP: 66. Starlings: 30
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 40 PMCA excluder gourds, 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
PMCA member

Sorry those chicks were abandoned!!!! But a determined female kept at it despite going it alone and she did it. Sounds like you were watching close.

Sounds like a dizzying ending to a season, good lord! Late nests are rough for a lot of reasons. All you listed are reasons I dread them.

Glad that last group made it. Hope she does come back, she's a keeper!
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2327
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: 2017 Visitors
Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 58 Eggs, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 128 Eggs, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 156 Eggs, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 162 Eggs, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 146 Eggs, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 157 Eggs, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 212 Eggs, 198 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Eggs, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Eggs, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 39 Eggs, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair 64 Eggs, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 89 Eggs, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 111 Eggs, 104 Fledged

.. Late nesters are something else... Seems to extend the season.... Thanks for the story and the good information... Hope your next season will be just as successful.. :grin: :grin:

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Martintown33
Posts: 1064
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

Great story! She’s definitely a survivor.. her fledglings will have good genes that’s for sure! Hope you see her back next year!
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
carolb
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2024 11:50 am
Location: Indian Head Saskatchewan canada

Hello from a purple Martin watcher in Southern Saskatchewan--we are fairly new to this. We live in a town along the the Number one highway, midway in the province. I'm happy to see there are late flyers. We thought that was an anomaly. Our final nesters are still with us--September 8. They have been going away for the day and coming back to the house for the night. We think there are two adults and two babies. The larger flock left long ago. We are worried that this group will be too late to arrive to their winter home. Thoughts?
C.C.Martins
Posts: 2976
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
HOSP: 66. Starlings: 30
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 40 PMCA excluder gourds, 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
PMCA member

Hi Carol!
If they have fledged out and are accompanied with their adults id suggest they will be fine, I don't know the days your birds actually leave...if most left and these remaining are being taken home at night id say they will be ok. I wouldn't worry too much.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
carolb
Posts: 3
Joined: Sun Aug 11, 2024 11:50 am
Location: Indian Head Saskatchewan canada

Thank you. This is reassuring. Last night, September 9, no birds returned. Maybe they have finally decided to leave.
randyM
Posts: 233
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
Location: Long Lake SD
Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 nesting pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 nesting pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%), added housing: 11 houses w/gourds, 4 gourd poles = 376 cavities
* 2018 - 10 nesting pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 nesting pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 nesting pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 nesting pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 nesting pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 nesting pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 226 nesting pairs, 100 young banded

Each year until mid-Sept I have migrating martin stragglers stop by my colony as I keep my housing up until around the third week of Sept. in case any migrating martins are looking for a place to nest the following year. Many times a lone martin or two will stop by for a brief visit along with a group of migrating barn swallows. Barn swallows are typically the latest fall migrants of the N. American swallow family, and I currently have one active barn swallow nest in one of my outbuildings. I generally have barn swallows at my property until early Oct. each year. Barn swallows migrate and overwinter in Central and South America and I believe any late migrating martins will either find their way to their wintering grounds on their own by instinct, or by migrating with barn swallows southward until they find a group of martins to spend the winter with. I think your late migrating martins will be just fine....maybe they'll even stop by my site for a quick tour on their way passing through SD!!

Cheers!
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