I found an egg yesterday in one of my compartments. When I checked today, there was still only the one egg and the female that has been paired and using that compartment didn't come in to roost tonight. The male was in the compartment alone this afternoon and then again tonight. Maybe she fell prey to a hawk or some other predator. She was a very large, robust female. Still no other eggs in what appears to be very complete nests, green leaves, mud dams, the works. I can't exactly put my finger on it, but this feels like an odd season.
Hoping for more eggs soon,
Patrick
First egg already an orphan???
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Guest
Patrick,
That happened to me last year. Asy male and female had four eggs in a SG. One day she never came back from feeding. The male came back. He stayed around the gourd for a while, then paired up with an sy and fledged 4. Without the mother the eggs won't make it.
Good luck!
craig
That happened to me last year. Asy male and female had four eggs in a SG. One day she never came back from feeding. The male came back. He stayed around the gourd for a while, then paired up with an sy and fledged 4. Without the mother the eggs won't make it.
Good luck!
craig
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klcretired
- Posts: 2174
- Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 3:06 am
- Location: Grand Prairie,Tx
Patrick,
Last year i had what i call some "dummy eggs" laid by my females in 3 of my compartments....they laid one egg then moved on to another compartment and laid 4 to 6 eggs and stayed w/ them all they way till they fledged.
Last year i had what i call some "dummy eggs" laid by my females in 3 of my compartments....they laid one egg then moved on to another compartment and laid 4 to 6 eggs and stayed w/ them all they way till they fledged.
Pictures Taken with Canon Rebel XT Digital using a Sigma 50-500 Long Lens.
Wishing everyone a Great Martin Year
Happy Martining for 2022 to everyone,
K.C.
[email protected]
Wishing everyone a Great Martin Year
Happy Martining for 2022 to everyone,
K.C.
[email protected]
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Guest
Don't know. I hope she's okay. I did have a few mystery eggs show up in my Coates last year, but that was by SY females nearing the end of the season.
Shel
Shel
Well, I found the egg on the ground this afternoon with 2 holes pecked in it. I'm battling sparrows like you wouldn't believe so I guess a sparrow destroyed it. I don't know what else to do. To date, I've trapped and permanently removed 20 house sparrows, all males but 3. They're even moving in on already occupied compartments while the martins are away for their afternoon foraging. Literally, as soon as one is trapped, another one takes it's place. It's going to be a long difficult season. If some subbies don't show soon to take over some of these compartments, I'm going to close them up. These sparrows are wearing me down...
Patrick
Patrick
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Guest
Hey Patrick,
Have gun, will travel.... and I'm cheap to boot!
Wear em out. I'm lucky enough to have caught only two this year, one male hanging across the street and starlings show no interest.
Chuck
Have gun, will travel.... and I'm cheap to boot!
Wear em out. I'm lucky enough to have caught only two this year, one male hanging across the street and starlings show no interest.
Chuck
Thanks, Chuck,
Just the encouragement helps. I got to end the day on a good note. I trapped and disposed of 2 more male sparrows, one of them so wary I swore I'd throw a party when I finally caught him. If he noticed the slightest change in the cavity he was building in, he'd just go to a new cavity. I tried glue traps, live traps, my huber nestbox traps...he even eluded the spare-o-door for quite a while. But I came home from work this afternoon to find the #@*! trapped. I took care of him and within the hour caught another one in the same compartment. I've got to get a repeating ground trap soon and see if I can put a dent in this sparrow population around here. It's incredible!
Happy Trapping,
Patrick
Just the encouragement helps. I got to end the day on a good note. I trapped and disposed of 2 more male sparrows, one of them so wary I swore I'd throw a party when I finally caught him. If he noticed the slightest change in the cavity he was building in, he'd just go to a new cavity. I tried glue traps, live traps, my huber nestbox traps...he even eluded the spare-o-door for quite a while. But I came home from work this afternoon to find the #@*! trapped. I took care of him and within the hour caught another one in the same compartment. I've got to get a repeating ground trap soon and see if I can put a dent in this sparrow population around here. It's incredible!
Happy Trapping,
Patrick