What do you think?

[Ken&Sheryle - TX]

I was wondering what ya'll thought of how the Martins will do for tomorrow. The weather for the last 3 days have been very bad however tomorrow the weather should be around 58 degrees. Do you think they will be able to feed tomorrow with the temp close to 60 but not quite there. They definitely were able to eat for a few days before the weather got bad so I just want to know what ya'll think. I don't think feeding them will be a success since everytime we walk outside they fly off and I don't want them to burn anymore energy than they have to.

Thanks and have a great evening.



Sheryle

[Louise Chambers]

Sheryle, they should be able to feed just fine with highs in upper 50s, unless it is very windy or rains steadily.

A non-flinging method that can be used for feeding attempts is placing thawed crickets on porches or into occupied cavities - though, as Emil noted in another thread, you may not know which cavities are being used this early in the season.

For landlords in areas where temps will not be in mid to upper 40s and weather has been cold or wet for 3 days or more, it may be time to make more attempts. When the martins are really hungry, they should take some flung crickets or mealworms. If they will take food from porches they'll use less of their reserves in the process than by flying - but many landlords have had the best luck getting started by flinging.

Warmer weather would be nice!

Louise

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

The cold weather is hanging on longer than predicted.....it was first predicted to be 58 tomorrow, now its down to 49, and first it was supposed to be 38 tonight, now its down to 34, so they are lowering the predicted temps