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.
Things are moving a little ahead of the norm this year …. out of 18 cavities I have 11 built nests. 4 eggs total in 3 nests. And signs of nest building in 3 additional cavities. Lots of activity here.
I was able to snuff out a pair of HS in a bo9. They were nest building. Within 2 days a pair of PMs took over and have started building a nest there. Great success.
The 4 cavity house filled up quickly as did the ChirpyNests. The martins really love these cavities. The lower arms are all gourds and those are slowly filling up. Maybe next year I’ll put all gourds on top arms as an experiment? It could be the top arms go first regardless of what type cavity. Higher is safer? Who knows.
