Finally! Relief! Happy Valentines day

[C.C.Martins]

Finally, both Phil and i have been second guessing our martin souls for about a month!!
Tne male ASY was on the house this morning, very quiet sitting on a porch. Not a peep. Im pretty sure my heart stopped.
Played hide and seek for a bit, finally took flight. Then started calling. About an hour later 2 others joined him flying over the houses, landing and taking off.
Neat thing: one came low over me when I was on the driveway, ran got superworms, flipped them up, sure enough they took them! They remembered! Weren't serious about it, so didn't press them. They look strong.

Do know they are late (27 Jan last year), but that date was so very early, never been that early here. Sooooooo next year ill shoot for 14 Feb, valentines day!

Wish all a wonderful martin filled season!
Tom

[Mstan]

That’s great Tom! I know this made your day. A Valentine to remember. Thank you for all the knowledge and experience you share with this community. I hope the Lord bless you with a productive and joyful season. God bless.

[brent]

Great news Tom! Mine, too, remembered to take flipped food. I was so excited to see them take the crickets and they even went to the roof of my house which is where I flipped crickets to them last year!! I counted 14 again tonight but this time last year I had more from what I can remember. Good to hear of your arrivals and I agree with Mstan and join him to thank you for all you share with us. Good luck this season!!

[C.C.Martins]

Appriciate the well wishes, kind words and blessings gentlemen! Really do. Thank you.
To top it off, just as they came in it started to pour, a real (and rare unfortunately) gift.
Never gets old, and I pray it stays that way.

God bless!
Tom

[G Saner]

Tom,

Great news. Let your season begin. If he took flipped food, you know he is yours.

[Phil01]

Congratulations my brother!! Great news!! Best Valentines gift EVER! No doubt they are in the best possible hands! Definitely yours, eating those massive super worms!!

10 days late here so far. One report in Jacksonville yesterday. Big south wind today, they’re coming, I can smell em! lol

Wishing you an awesome 2026 season my friend!
Phil

[Thomas Maddox]

Awesome! So, often will you feed them? Only during prolonged cold and or rain? I wonder if you don't do it every so often, will they forget?

[C.C.Martins]

Thanks again gents! Haha, Phil i heard through the grape vine your wait is OVER!!!! Yes!!! Best of hands!

Thomas,
Honestly ill feed them almost every day. I focus on first arrival, drought times and when they have chicks near the very end mid summer. Or hell, if I walk out and they start begging, ill go get some worms. Ill kill a HOSP or starling in a sec, but I'm a big softy so ill feed the heck out of them.

Some cautions when flipping though, its prime time for a hawk attack and collisions between martins. They do bicker alot, they will chase each other and fuss.

I'd put up a feeder but the sea gulls are relentless

[Dave Reynolds]

…. C.C.Martins…. Congratulations to you and your new arrivals,,, Sounds like they have been there before.. Have a great season..

Dave

[LCM]

Mr Tom, I’m dragging up the rear, but wanted to congratulate and tell you how very excited to learn that your babies are back and I would venture to say that the fella that took the worm was there in years past.
Thank you so much for letting us know.
Lord Bless you in 2026 for a most successful year of giving back to the PM community!!

[Martintown33]

Awesome Tom! So great they remembered and took crickets right away.. amazing! Mine were late arriving too. I’m wondering if they’re learning to come a little later, after the hard freezes they’ve gone through the last 3 years..
Best for a great season!
Rob

[C.C.Martins]

Linda, Rob, Dave,
Thanks guys, yeah I don't know why so late...Phil and I both are not going to say "as your colony ages, they will arrive earlier and earlier" here on the forum. Late everywhere it seems.

Hope you all have a blessed season!!!

Tom

[LCM]

Mr Tom, good news for me, especially when you said as the colony ages, they will arrive earlier and earlier.
I wondered that.
I totally agree regarding the cleaning of nests, mites are disastrous.
Had I not done nest checks and placed fresh bedding with 1/4 tsp sevin, I would have lost the babies for sure.
Those darlings, I noticed, would get as far into the corner away from me as possible, so I would hurry and get my business done.
They would look so scared at first, but the more I did nest checks, it was like, oh it’s you
Even the parents didn’t pay much attention after awhile. So definitely in my opinion, this step is crucial.
May each one have a blessed day!!

[C.C.Martins]

Linda,
100% spot on! It is crucial your right. The more we interact with them, the quicker they accept us into their environment. Haha, yes there isn't a real fear factor in young chick until about 15- 20 days I think, then they just huddle in the back; Phil got screamed at by an older chick last year haha!
We live to watch our birds that is a fact, and in doing so we learn their manners, their rituals, are in tune with them and normal day to day goings on. As time passes, you will be able to glance at your birds and tell if something is amiss.

Each chick is so very important, they normally only get one shot at this, have traveled thousands of miles to do it, and folks like yourself seeing them through matters so very much!
Tom

[LisaJ]

Hey, everyone! It’s so good to see familiar names and all the great help provided over 8 years. I knew nothing of PMs, or what it meant to be a Landlord. Ya’ll coached, encouraged, and inspired me!
This afternoon, I watch and wait, 100% ready to see my first pm of the season. A gorgeous weekend ahead in TX!!
I agree with CC: a good HOSP is a dead one. Them, and starlings. There are a couple of phrases I say countless times: Damn sparrows, damn starlings, and damn hawk
LisaJ