Just Checking In

[sle62]

Not the Martins "checking in" yet, just needing a little reassurance that they will still be arriving. I put my house up in 2022 and had a pretty successful season, with the Scout arriving 2/23/22. The next year, scout arrived 1/18/23, then 1/12/24, then 1/5/25. I havent seen or heard any yet this year. Please tell me they are still coming? They have arrived in towns close to me - maybe 30 miles away but none have been reported in Jupiter, FL yet.

Thanks, for any reassurance, and hopefully, positive responses,
Susan

[brent]

Anxiously awaiting here, too. Good luck this season!!!!

[Phil01]

Hi sle62,
Still waiting up here in Fernandina Beach too. Mine have showed up Feb 5th past couple years…

As long as you had a successful season with no predator issues last year I’m sure you will be fine and your martins will be there very soon.

I may be wrong, but it seems, numbers wise Fl is a little slower this year on the scout report than the same time last year and previous years… Could be not as many landlords reporting or maybe the Martins are running a little behind?

I’m sure your martins will be singing in the backyard soon!

Phil

[Phil01]

Duplicate

[Phil01]

Got me curious so I checked… By this date last year 57 reports in FL. This year 23…

Good luck this season!
Phil

[Thomas Maddox]

Hmm. Wondering if something happened South in their wintering areas?

[C.C.Martins]

Come they will, last season was so early for many of us.

57 last year this time vs 23 is a big diffrence though, that is interesting!

Sle62,
Phil is spot on, as long as there was not a predator attack they will be back. Hard to tell sometimes, but nest checks tell all. If its one or two birds you hosted (doesn't sound like it), then its a bet on them surviving the migration round trip.
Weather fronts will stall them too.
In short, here we wait! To be honest, ill wait. Id rather have them come after the bad weather.

[SSMartin]

Yes they seem late this year it’s not just you. I’m really surprised I haven’t had any show up yet.

[nhnative]

I’m WAY farther north than you but I understand your anxiousness. Last year was my first year, one SY pair who fledged two babies. The mere thought of the odds that the parents made it to Brazil AND will make it back to my site seems astronomically impossible. I did have some visitors when their babies were still nestlings so that gives me hope that my odds increased a bit more. Still VERY nerve wracking to say the least!

[sle62]

Thank you all for the responses and encouragement. There were no predator attacks in either house last year, but one condo in one house had several babies that died and I never confirmed from what. They were very bloated but still all together as babies with beginning feathers. no signs of foul play.

I will keep sitting outside and keep my fingers crossed.


Good luck to all of you as well and let's keep helping and hosting Martins!

Susan

[Dave Reynolds]

.. Not to worry…. They will be coming soon.. Last year was an odd year because they were so early, by a few weeks.. I hope they will come again but a little latter in the year,, Sometimes when they come early, we need to feed them and keep their houses warm, in the cool Spring weather.. When they come in April I feel much better, but that just me,,,

[C.C.Martins]

Susan,
You had me chuckling about sitting outside, looking and listening!
I try to play it off (unsucessfully) by pulling weeds that don't need to be pulled. It is nerve wracking though, I was standing on a tractor bucket yesterday and froze, heard the call! No way its a martin!
Sure enough, a dang mockingbird has mastered the martin call. He got me dec 2nd too, made my stomach jump.

Here's to your arrivals and yet another successful year!!!

[sle62]

Very funny C.C. Martins. Those Mockingbrids are quite sneaky!

[SSMartin]

Two males showed up yesterday afternoon.
25 days late compared to last year

[Phil01]

Congrats! Hope you have a great season!!

Hope they hold off a little longer for me. Some cold nights for the next week.

Phil

[tor]

Hopefully the few that have arrived in FL so far stay warm the next couple of days. According to forecasts, even south Florida will feel the cold overnight into Sunday.