Last pms have left the nest or died.

[CraigMo.]

I have not done a martin check yet but I had 4 babies left in 1 nest which only the male adult was taking care as of yesterday. The estimated fledging date was 8/3/05 but the nest seems quiet today and the pms flying were loud so I hope they fledged. Only the male was taking care of the babies so I was scared they would not live. I do know the singing of the babies yesterday and before sounded healthy and they were always at the entrance. I might check the house today if it still stays quiet. I would guess I will turn in my first martinwatch sheet ever sometime this week and this one is pretty darn accurate. Last year was my first year of records and they pretty much stunk. I leaned alot this year on recording and more of the basics on purplemartining. I will be digging up my houses this fall cause we are gonna move, so I will be starting all over again next year. This is my 3rd active year and I started with 1 pair and this year I had 22 pairs. I am happy with my martining here. I will miss them next year but should find new homes in our area without my houses. Hopefully I will have some next year at my new place.

[John Miller]

Hey Craig



Are you selling your current residence? Maybe you could add "established martin colony" in the amenities listing!

I've got a data sheet to turn into the PMCA as well -- kind of messy notes but I guess they really just want the end results -- the other sections help us track our progress and get more fledged. Hope you can add in that final nest.

Good luck to you next season.

John Miller,
St Louis, Mo

[CraigMo.]

I would love to leave the pm houses here, but I am sure nobody would give me the money for them , most of the people around here are military and only stay for a couple of years. My neighbor across the street sold his house and left the his martin house and it is now a slum. It had martins but I think each year it will be less desirable. The martins there only stayed there this year because they had already laid eggs. I have a baby martin on my truck right now, so I think my last nest of pms might make it. Still quiet in pm house but baby on my truck is a good sign. I am moving around 60miles north from here so I might leave a map for the martins next year to find my new place!!!!!! I am gonna leave my s&k barnhouse here and hope the new owners might get interested. My barn house is getting old so I will leave it . I think it is 4 years old and left outside year round so I got my moneys worth out of it. If I remember correctly this is your first active year on the data sheet, but you have grown up with martins most of you life. I numbered my compartments this year and it helped me alot. Well maybe I will go work on finishing my data sheet. Thanks and good luck to you next year also

[CraigMo.]

Darn, I went to check on baby pm and it was in the middle of the street so I tried to scare it in my yard and then I caught it and put it in a little tree. The adult male was mad at me but atleast he knows where it is. He was trying to get it to fly back to the house but the baby wouldn't. I wouldn't think this baby will be able to fly for a day or two. When I scared it it got off the ground but probably only flew 15 feet or so which was up hill . Hopefully he will make it.

[CraigMo.]

Well I have been keeping an eye out on the baby and he is really doing well. He is flying pretty good now. I saw him fly about 100 feet and about 15 feet high. If he makes it tonight I think he will make out of here. Found him in my bed of the truck a few hours ago. I think he is trying to get back to his house.