Just a check-in with fellow landlords

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mjfog
Posts: 443
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:40 pm
Location: Palm City, FL
Martin Colony History: 2018 will be my first try. 6 S&K B09s. 29 eggs - 8 fledged
2019 - 12 Troyer Horizontals with tunnels, 6 S&K B09s and 12 B011s all with tunnels. 43 eggs - 36 fledged
2020 - Rack 1 - 6 B011s, Rack 2 - 24 B011s, and Rack 3 - 24 Troyer Horizontals. All gourds have tunnels, porches and crescent/Conley 11 entrances; racks have predator guards. 161 eggs - 88 fledged.
2021 - 54 gourds-214 eggs, 184 hatched, 168 fledged.
2022 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 363 eggs, 294 hatched, 278 fledged.
2023 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 321 eggs, 276 hatched, 246 fledged.
2024 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 330 eggs, 283 hatched, 250 fledged.
2025 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 347 eggs, 281 hatched, 266 fledged.

Hello to all, Mike here in Palm City, Fl. Have a gaggle of martins hanging around my 3 racks until noon and then they seem to go hunting. This is my 9th year landlording and last year I noticed (according to my notes) that birds were busy carrying nest material to the gourds beginning 20 March. None of this activity yet this year. To be sure I didn't miss anything, I lowered 2 0f my 3 racks and checked 5 or 6 gourds each. All are as bare as they were when I cleaned them out back in September. How about my other southern landlords? Any nest building activity?
Wishing all a successful season. Mike
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Phil01
Posts: 346
Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:42 pm
Location: Fernandina Beach FL
Martin Colony History: 52 Cavities offered.
24 unit gourd rack with Troyer Horizontal and Vertical Gourds. K-18 gourd rack all Troyer Horizontal Gourds. Sunset Inn aluminum house with 4 Troyer Horizontal Gourds.

2020- 1 pair, 4 eggs, fledged 3
2021- 3 pair, 15 eggs, fledged 8
2022- 5 pair, 26 eggs, fledged 21
2023- 10 pair, 53 eggs, fledged 27
2024- 26 pair, 125 eggs, fledged 83
2025- 32 pair, 182 eggs, fledged 134
2026- Added a Troyer K-18 all Troyer Horizontal.
PMCA Member

Hi Mike,
I had a few going to the ground nest building 14 March. Put some pine straw out and they continued for a few days. Then we had that cold snap for a couple days and all stopped… Been in the 80’s the past two days and they haven’t resumed yet.. Normally they start around April 1st here..

Good luck this season,
Phil
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
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mjfog
Posts: 443
Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:40 pm
Location: Palm City, FL
Martin Colony History: 2018 will be my first try. 6 S&K B09s. 29 eggs - 8 fledged
2019 - 12 Troyer Horizontals with tunnels, 6 S&K B09s and 12 B011s all with tunnels. 43 eggs - 36 fledged
2020 - Rack 1 - 6 B011s, Rack 2 - 24 B011s, and Rack 3 - 24 Troyer Horizontals. All gourds have tunnels, porches and crescent/Conley 11 entrances; racks have predator guards. 161 eggs - 88 fledged.
2021 - 54 gourds-214 eggs, 184 hatched, 168 fledged.
2022 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 363 eggs, 294 hatched, 278 fledged.
2023 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 321 eggs, 276 hatched, 246 fledged.
2024 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 330 eggs, 283 hatched, 250 fledged.
2025 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 347 eggs, 281 hatched, 266 fledged.

Thanks Phil for your observation. Martin watching this morning and around 10-11 AM
still a lot of vocalization and "gourd-swapping" but no nest-material gathering. I try to begin my weekly nest check routine so I can catch the dates of 1st eggs deposited - usually 7 to 10 days after nest building begins. Hopefully my birds will begin toting pine needles soon. Mike
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