Returning adults

[cphanson]

The last fledgling left my gourds over two weeks ago. Although no "overnight" birds remain, a number of adults have returned to the gourds nearly every day since the last one left. This monring, for example, there were eleven of them. A group will suddenly appear, making noises as they fly around, then swoop down to the gourds or land on the utility wires near the housing. These are all mature adults. There appear to be no fledglings, nor even any second year adults, among them. Most of the birds will look into, and some even enter, the gourds. Their behavior is very similar to that exhibited earlier in the spring when a number of birds seemed to be assessing whether my gourds would be a good place for them to help produce the next generation. Then they all leave, just as suddenly as when they arrived. Does anyone have a theory as to why they return and act as described herein?

[Birdiegirl]

Hello! It is possible that they are your birds, another possibility is that they are birds moving through the area to join pre-migratory roosts. Maybe just nosy and checking out the real estate .Even before I had a colony, I would sometimes count 40+ birds on the utility lines overlooking my yet-to-be-used housing. Now that I do have a colony, birds often visit late summer and I always wonder if they are 'my' birds, or ones passing through. Either way- an enjoyable sight. I try to take time and enjoy it, as there will be months of silence until the martins return in the spring.

Congratulations on a successful season! I'm waiting for my (VERY late) last two nests to fledge. They should be gone by the end of the weekend.

Laura