sub adult reports for Missouri, middle states

[John Miller]

The last few days I've spotted one to two male sub adults each at our three housing sites in Forest Park, St. Louis. As this is our second year, I don't know if this is about right -- probably. I hope they are still coming in.

Do other folks think sub adult numbers in Missouri and nearby states are about normal? I think the ASY birds we have are well ahead of last year's birds in nest building because April this year was pretty mild. Probably have some eggs and I need to lower housing soon to monitor.

John Miller,
St. Louis

[Frank Hargis-IL]

John,

We live in Flora, IL which is about 100 miles straight East of St. Louis. We are beginning to get SY birds the last few days. Like you said though, the ASYs seem to be nesting early. Our first eggs, in two nest, were laid April 20th. This is about three weeks earlier than last year. We did a nest check yesterday and already have 22 nests with eggs and others still building.

Luck,

Frank

[Bob Rogers]

John,

I have not seen a major influx of SY's yet, nor do I expect to. I have found that SY's actually have a shorter arrival window than the arrival of the earlier ASY's. This could be because I have a somewhat mature colony and because ASY already occupy about 70% of the housing capacity. I might get more SY's if I would add more housing, but, to not offend my neighbors --- I'm holding with my current set-up PM's are quit protective of their turf, and unless you have an exceptional site, 40-60% occupancy seems about tops. Even Victor Stoll (Martinfest host) does not achieve 100%. I think you will find ASY dominate most older sights. You may well get SY's thru the entire month of May, but, in ever dwindling numbers. Good luck!

[Bob Flam]

I live in S.E. Iowa, about 40 miles from the Missouri border. I saw my 1st sy's april 1st. And have seen more since, not a lot, but it's always hard to tell with the sy girls. The girls are hard to tell apart, so you never know if your seeing the same or different girls. But the sy males all have distinguishing markings to help ID different birds. And I have seen a few different sy males, 3 that I'm sure of.

So I would say the sy arrival is about normal.

Some of my ASY's in town are also on eggs already. Some did seem to nest early, but the weather has been really nice/mild/warmer this year also. Bug numbers are high this year... I haven't needed to feed the martins crickets at all. Which is not the case from the last few years.

bob

[Guest]

John, You know my location and I would have to concur with everyones thoughts here. I already have 3 nests with eggs and have had them since 23 April. This is way early for my colony (the first Martins showed up here nearly a month earlier than last year) and they are all ASY's. I believe the ASY-males may have picked up a couple (2) SY females just the last couple days but I have not totally confirmed that yet. I have not seen a SY male yet this year. My 18 compartments are near full anyway, but I would like to see at least one. Dennis

[John Miller]

I'm just thinking the subs are not as numerous this year, but I'm not sure -- and a lot of May left.

Last year at two first year sites in Forest Park, we attracted six sub pairs and two ASY pairs. This year so far, we have (spread over three sites in park) about 17 ASY pairs (whoopie!) and at least one sub pair and two more sub males trying. There are compartment vacancies. Well see what happens in next few weeks.

Watching for these milestones makes this hobby all the more interesting.

John Miller

[starling shooter]

At one site I manage, I had 7ASY Males last year and 10SY males. This year, I only see on SY and there are numberous gourds and T14 compartements open.

Also, at my small site at my residence, I don't have any SY males. I do have 6 ASY males and they are nesting.

So...I'd have to say they may be still arriving or not as numerous as last year. We'll see.

[kimball911]

I added extra housing this year and have 4 ASY that arrived early last week. They are selecting their cribs and pairing up. I expect building to begin within the next week. My SY's have already built 3 nests, but no eggs yet. Lots of activity around the sites.

[CraigMo.]

I have gotten about 10 atleast sy's in the last 6 days and maybe more. I have 3 new pairs now and a lot of homeless ones. I only know they are homeless cause there is a fight every night when they try to find a place to bed down and the other pms won't let them in.

[Craig Haddox]

John, Here in Washington, Mo. my colony has picked up at least 4 pairs of SY's in the past couple of day's. They are filling up the few empty cavities left.

[CraigMo.]

John I might be a little low on my estimation of sy's. Like Craig Haddox I have constant fighting going on for a spot in my houses. I have 2 s-k barnhouses with 4 bo gourds under each house( a total of 40 rooms) all of which are apartment style and my gourds I think are considered apartment style also cause the way I have them set up the doors kind of face each other. I am sure I have 50% occupancy and pushing higher. I am assuming most of the new pms are sy's. I know the males are and you know how the females are hard to tell apart. I am not even recording my info this year or trying to hard to distinguished the ages because my house is up for sale. These pm houses are only up hopefully to keep this 4 year colony going with a new home owner of my house for the future. Plus less that I know about them the easier it will be for me to move. Good luck and I bet you get more sy's as I post this reply. Also want to say that S-K manufacturing has done a good job on their houses for the price you have to pay for them, You can't buy a better house for the money you spend, which will help other people be able to be a pm landlord. Way to go S-K mfg. Edited 10:51 5-10 Okay John now you got me watching my martins and not working on my house. I have probably 2 new pairs claiming compartments without other pm bugging them. So they probably have a home now, and other pms getting to porches they have not been able to in the past. My % of pms is on the incline. I must get back to painting, no more martins til my next break, 5-10 minute break not a 1/2 hr.

[Leverett Doehring/Mo]

Hi John
I am turning subbies away here, seems like every eveing there is a scramble here to find a compartment, I'm here with 235 eggs in 48 nests, but only 3 open compartments out of 102 total so there is plenty eggs to come. Sounds like your doing great at the park.

[Guest]

HI, John have not seen any sy this year yet???? By this time last year did have several lookers. Keith