North Texas Update...

[~Patrick~]

I've been away for a bit and I'm just wondering how all the north Texas landlords are doing. Anybody with eggs yets? I've got some very complete looking nests but no eggs yet. It's a wonder they can even fly in this wind!

Shouldn't be long now,

Patrick

[~Patrick~]

I forgot to ask about subbies. Anyone have any yet? I've got 2 females that I know of.

[Guest]

Hey Patrick,
As of Wens PM, I had 3 pr that were starting nest. I didn't checkem lastnite.
Had a fm SY Wens PM also, I don't think she stayed though. I'm up to 8pr and 2 ASY unattatched males.... 6 rooms to go!

Chuck

[RandallRash]

I've seen gusts above 45 on my wind guage. My nest cam just sounds like a tornado. No eggs in Rockwall yet.

[~Patrick~]

Yeah, this wind is outrageous! It's blowing new green leaves right off the trees. I lowered the pole with the house and gourds some and left it for the night. The wind advisory is until midnight and I don't want to take any chances. That's the house with the complete-looking nests. I'm glad they don't have any eggs yet. I'm afraid they'd be scrambled by morning.

Batten down the hatch,

Patrick

[Guest]

Holy cow! I heard a loud bang around 8:00 tonight. I thought my small gourd rack had fallen as I did nest checks today. Turns out the wind had blown the turban/vent off my neighbor's house. I'm happy it wasn't my PMs. My neighbors weren't so happy when I took it back to them.

I had my first real nest building today. I sat outside and watched 2 ASY males pick the leaves off a cottenwood tree. They were so cute struting their stuff for the girls. I've got 6 out 9 numbers read off my banded male ASY's band. The wind didn't help today as they didn't want to land on the house. I have about 10 PMs total w/4 mated pairs. Since this is only my second year and I already have more than I did all of last season, I'm just about as happy as I can be. I did have either a very dark female on Weds or a ASY male, but he never sang so I'm not counting him as a sighting.

Good luck! I can't wait for this wind to die down.

Shel

[~Patrick~]

Out of 16+ birds (it's hard to get a count with them coming and going at once), I have 6 active nests so far. In addition to those 6, one ASY male has apparently finally attracted an SY female into a gourd but there is no evidence of nest-building yet. I'm anxious for more subbies to show up. I have unattached males that are waiting. At least the wind has died down. Still no eggs, but lots of green leaves and some mud being placed today. Good luck, everybody.

Patrick

[Jim Rockford]

I have a pair of ASYs nesting in my MSS-12. They've been staying in the house for over a week now. No eggs yet. I think I had an SY land on my house accompanied by a female earlier this week but he (I think it was a male) hasn't been back. From time to time one or two other ASY males visit but don't stay long.

The nesting pair bring green leaves from a live oak tree an occassional small chunk of wood, perhaps mulch from a flower bed and short slender twigs. Very different from the trash the HOSP use.

I have swarms of HOSP competing with the martins, but I keep tearing the nests out and the martins soldier on. My pied piper trap has been totally useless, and I'm looking forward to getting my nest box trap. I have seen several starlings in the general vicinity but never on the house. I'm reluctant to use SREHs but may have to start soon. I swear I'm very close to buying a BB gun but I'm afraid if I buy one my wife will use it on me!

I'm hoping more SYs will be arriving soon and staying at my house!

Good luck all!

Ed

[Guest]

Ed, just make sure you keep it hissen from her!


I picked up another pair today. All the Super Gourds are full, with nest half way or started. The houses are a lil slower, just two pair- one with nest about 1/2 way built.
My moms colony( 1st year) has two pair of ASYs, one with a nest started.

The wind died down a tad this afternoon.... its only about 20mph!

Chuck

[~Patrick~]

I had a new ASY male arrive today. I could tell he was new because he didn't seem to know where to go, kept hovering around compartments and was even heisitant to land on the perches at times. He made some feeble attempts at dark to go into an occupied gourd but finally flew off and didn't return for the night. Are ASYs still coming in? Could this be a recent arrival? Perhaps he is a stray from a nearby colony? I don't know of any other colonies around but surely there must be.

Anxious for eggs in Fort Worth,

Patrick

[Guest]

No SYs seen over here yet. Losts of nest building going on. Thank goodness the awful wind has let up. With the moon filling the SYs ought to be showing up pretty soon.

[~Patrick~]

Ditto on the nest building. There are 2 undeveloped lots behind my house and the martins are really working them over, bringing in grass, twigs, leaves, and mud. Even the little SY female and her ASY mate are building in a gourd, my first gourd occupants. Surely eggs can't be far behind. The calmer winds are great!

Patrick

[Guest]

Our colony is not in North Texas but....this might give you some timing hints. We have approx 40+ martins and nest building has been fast and furious during the past 5 days. I found nesting material additions in 24 of my 24 cavities. I lowered the house and gourds on Saturday and did not see any eggs. It sounds like North Texas is about a week or so behind South Texas.

Sue
City by the Sea, TX

[Guest]

I've got two almost complete nest in SGs and one almost in my MSS8.

Most the others are between starting and 1/2 way complete.

Chuck