Purple Martin Update...March 12, 2006

[Steve Kroenke]

Purple Martin Update?March 12, 2006

Large numbers of ASY purple martins continue to arrive at Bob?s colony and mine. We both have probably over 100 martins a piece and the sky is full of them during the early mornings when they leave for their ?poop? flights. We expect the influx of ASYs to continue through March and the SYs should start appearing around the last of March or first of April with most SYs coming throughout April and into late May.

The early morning vocalizations of the male martins is intense in both our colonies with most activity between 5:00 and 6:00 am. I can hear Bob?s males gurgling and chirruping and then mine start! Some of the chattering is almost as loud as during the daylight hours and I patrol around our colony sites so that any hunting barred or great horned owl can see me. It is often during this time in the mornings that owls find martin colonies because of the nocturnal vocalizations.

Martins tend to spend most of the day around our colonies. Bob and I usually have at least some martins socializing throughout the day though there are periods of inactivity. The morning hours are the most active with nearly all the permanent residents at their territory and new martins trying to gain a foothold. Our open colony sites provide a sense of security I believe to the martins though danger is often nearby.

Accipiter hawks and merlins continue to ?visit? daily and on March 11, 2006 I saw a female merlin, male merlin, two female sharp-shinned hawks and a female Cooper?s. All would have probably attacked if they could have selected a vulnerable martin. Because our colonies are so open, the martins saw the danger in time to climb above the threat and mob the raptors. The alarm screams of the martins when an Accipiter or merlin is approaching sounds electronically amplified! Plus I greeted each raptor with my presence. When attacking martin colonies that are located in open areas, the Accipiters often don?t try to hide and approach at great heights. Then they will dive down at terrific speeds to capture any fleeing martin or land on gourd crossbars and house roofs and wait for a martin to bolt. Other times these hawks will twist and turn through a colony in an attempt to flush out a martin. Any martin that flies out while an Accipiter is diving down or flying through the colony is highly vulnerable. When I ?face the hawks down?, they usually don?t try these tactics. I stand directly in the open between both our colonies and the hawks can easily see me. But if they don?t see me, then the Accipiters will try these strategies at times. The merlins just tear through the area with the speed of a jet fighter. Accipiter hawks and merlins are the major threats to our martin colonies.

I haven?t seen a starling in over two weeks when I shot one at Bob?s colony. Starlings and sparrows are little threat to our colonies at this time and I believe we can easily control any that arrive through shooting.

Hoping everyone has a great martin season.

Steve

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

Steve, I was a bit worried about yours and Bobs colonies when I saw some stormes move through your area the other day on the Weather Channel. I hope all is ok.

[Steve Kroenke]

I had flashbacks of March 31, 2005 when a violent storm maybe a small tornado hit our colonies hard. The other day the storms looked ominous and I saw a black cloud coming from the southwest. I said, oh no, not again! But all we got was a short downpouring and some gusty winds. Our colonies survived. Thanks for your concern.

Steve

[John Atteberry]

Hello Steve,
Thanks for your suggestions on my post the other day but I saw your new post and thought I would let you know what is going on!
I came back today from camping since Saturday morning when I left after being out there at 5:45 A.M. watching the site for hawks but didn't see any! The martins did all leave about 6:30 A.M. while some stayed in their holes! They did look scared too! Then about 9:30 A.M. they started coming in to socialize for alittle while! I was out there fishing off my dock, catching bass and channel catfish with a beetle spinner and watching my site which was about 10-15 feet away when the martins started to come in!
Today March 13th I came home about 3:00 P.M. and didn't see any hawks but saw all my 18 ASY martins!! So that is good news that the hawk(s) didn't get any of my birds! They did look scared again tonight when they all darted in their holes!! Then I got another surprised when I saw two new ASY martins with one of them being a male! Couldn't tell what the other one was because it was dark! The new male was flying from hole to hole trying to find one with no martins in it! So he finally did! Didn't see any hawks!! I will go out there again about 5:45 A.M. to be with them again and maybe do some fishing too! I'm off till Wednesday!!! I will let you know what happen's tomorrow! 20 ASY birds as of tonight!!! Thanks again Steve!!! John!

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey John,

I am happy that the hawk problem may have "gone away". You never know, so you need to still "put your martins to bed each night" and be around the colony during that vulnerable time. Also, if you can, watch the martins in the mornings. The Accipiter hawk that was "bothering" your colony may have already migrated north.

It appears your martin colony is still thriving! I am real happy for you.

Today at around 7:30 am, a large female Cooper's hawk tried to attack Bob's colony by coming over some tall trees located about 200 yards away. She managed to get over the colony but all the martins had bolted and were high above her. Then before she could dive down and try to flush out any martins I chased her away.

However, the martins in both our colonies were terrorized for nearly an hour and would not assemble. For the remainder of the morning our martins were jittery and would not socialize in harmony around our colonies. By noon, things calmed down some.

Our colonies are open, but that has not stopped Accipiters from "visiting" and attacking.

Good luck and keep us posted on your growing martin colony!

Steve