Just a sweet end of the season story
As many of you know if you’ve read my posts that I have a late nesting this year of 3 chicks. The 3 chicks have fledged and mom has been as tough as nails keeping them in line and as sweet as honey feeding them and keeping up the house. Since they fledged they’ve been coming back in the evening to roost. Tonight I saw mom but only 2 of the chicks return. Well, I thought that I might have missed the other one and it was already in the house. Mom left as soon as the 2 chicks went into the house. Then one of the chicks came out, sat a while then flew away. It shortly returned with number three! I have no doubt that little one went out to get its little brother or sister. Sweet isn’t it? There’s more to it than we know.
Brent
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dsonyay
- Posts: 1677
- 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.
2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.
Aww man.. what a happy ending. And quite a relief. Good job. 
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MY FYN 79
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:58 pm
- Location: Chilton Wisconsin
- Martin Colony History: 2019 - Sighting
2020 - Pair investigating
2021 - Got 2 eggs. HOSPs poked holes in them. Commence HOSP reduction
2022 - Off to a good start, tree swallows took over and Martins left
2023 - Off to a good start, Martin population dwindled and they eventually left
2024 - New standalone pole and gourd rack. 1 nest, 4 eggs, none hatched
2025 - 9 nests, 37 eggs, 23 hatched, 19 fledged!
Very cool. Funny how connected we can get with them. 
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LCM
- Posts: 121
- Joined: Thu Mar 06, 2025 4:33 pm
- Location: Many Louisiana
- Martin Colony History: Have had martins 20 years, I have anywhere from 6 pair to 10 pair
yearly.
Good evening ALL my PM friends, Mr Brent and Mr Sonyay
First, apologies for falling off the face of this PM forum.
No reason, my excuses are tending to feathered friends, chickens and a yard full of flowers.
I am extremely happy to report that at the end of the season, I had 3 nests of PM’s.
One night, a coon scaled the trendsetter and took out a whole complete nest, my heart is saddened because I believe one of the parents were probably taken out too
No worries, I caught the scoundrel and he was relocated far far away.
Those other 2 nests had 5 apiece and I was extremely blessed to be able to watch them fledge.
They have been gone now a couple of weeks. They hung around forever.
They would not spend the night in the box though but rather in a massive sweet gum tree beside the trendsetter.
I am going back and catching up on all the posts that I have missed out on. Lord bless each one of you.
Linda from Many La (Toledo Bend Country)
First, apologies for falling off the face of this PM forum.
No reason, my excuses are tending to feathered friends, chickens and a yard full of flowers.
I am extremely happy to report that at the end of the season, I had 3 nests of PM’s.
One night, a coon scaled the trendsetter and took out a whole complete nest, my heart is saddened because I believe one of the parents were probably taken out too
No worries, I caught the scoundrel and he was relocated far far away.
Those other 2 nests had 5 apiece and I was extremely blessed to be able to watch them fledge.
They have been gone now a couple of weeks. They hung around forever.
They would not spend the night in the box though but rather in a massive sweet gum tree beside the trendsetter.
I am going back and catching up on all the posts that I have missed out on. Lord bless each one of you.
Linda from Many La (Toledo Bend Country)
Linda Moore, Many Louisiana
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dsonyay
- Posts: 1677
- 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.
2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.
Very good Linda! You did a great job! I was happy with my year as well. Had many fledge and I these will make it across the sea to their winter hangout. Maybe one of these will end up at your site. 
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Martintown33
- Posts: 1366
- 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
Very cool story Brent. Congrats to all on your successful Martin seasons!
Rob
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La