Older Martins
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Guest
If older martins are late returning to established colony.Is it posible that they could have died or predators got them.Would that make the returning time vary from year to year.
Hi mickey_allen, I wish I had the answer to that question, but I'm not
sure because as of today I have no martin's. I had a good season last year 5 adult males 4 adult female's 1 subadult female and 1 subadult male and they had many young and I live in south georgia where martin's are plentiful. All I know is I will be back out tommrow watching and waiting!
Best luck this season!!
sure because as of today I have no martin's. I had a good season last year 5 adult males 4 adult female's 1 subadult female and 1 subadult male and they had many young and I live in south georgia where martin's are plentiful. All I know is I will be back out tommrow watching and waiting!
Best luck this season!!
April McClelland
PMCA Member
PMCA Member
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roblrich
Yea, if predators got them, they will be delayed.mikey_allen wrote:If older martins are late returning to established colony.Is it posible that they could have died or predators got them.Would that make the returning time vary from year to year.
But in all seriousness, my first returning PM's have varied up to two weeks the past three years. Last year was the earliest mine have ever arrived, a full 22 days from the year before. I think some people post scout arrivals in my area just to be the first to report. I always seem to be two weeks behind everyone else in my area.
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Alvin 07 February 2006 Mike & Laverne Craig
ALVIN 12 February 2005 MIKE & LAVERNE CRAIG
Alvin 16 February 2004 Laverne M Riha
Alvin 11 February 2003 Laverne M. Riha
Alvin 08 February 2002 Laverne M. Riha
Alvin 05 February 2001 Laverne M. Riha
Above, I have pasted my entries from the Scout Report to the PMCA. As you can see, the Purple Martins at my colony have returned between February 5 and February 16 for the past six seasons. That is a span of 11 days. When your colony has been around long enough to have a bit of history you should also see the same kind of loyalty from these birds. They do, indeed, perish at the talons of predators and the harsh extremes of weather - but, if they survive, they will be back. So, keep watching for them, and take care of them when they finally show up...
So far, this season, I have only one returning bird (an ASY Male) - but, he has already brought in a female (twice) from some neighboring colony. This morning there were two ASY Males and one ASY Female. Both males were giving it their best shot to entice this female to chose their selected gourds. What I find strange is nobody came home to roost at my colony this evening. I'll be out watching them again tomorrow morning.
I love these birds!
ALVIN 12 February 2005 MIKE & LAVERNE CRAIG
Alvin 16 February 2004 Laverne M Riha
Alvin 11 February 2003 Laverne M. Riha
Alvin 08 February 2002 Laverne M. Riha
Alvin 05 February 2001 Laverne M. Riha
Above, I have pasted my entries from the Scout Report to the PMCA. As you can see, the Purple Martins at my colony have returned between February 5 and February 16 for the past six seasons. That is a span of 11 days. When your colony has been around long enough to have a bit of history you should also see the same kind of loyalty from these birds. They do, indeed, perish at the talons of predators and the harsh extremes of weather - but, if they survive, they will be back. So, keep watching for them, and take care of them when they finally show up...
So far, this season, I have only one returning bird (an ASY Male) - but, he has already brought in a female (twice) from some neighboring colony. This morning there were two ASY Males and one ASY Female. Both males were giving it their best shot to entice this female to chose their selected gourds. What I find strange is nobody came home to roost at my colony this evening. I'll be out watching them again tomorrow morning.
I love these birds!
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne