Weather Affecting Nesting & Behavior in Tulsa

[Dick Sherry]

I have been gone for a few days, and feel very badly for the landlords and martins north and east of us who are having such a bad time from the cool and wet weather. The weather here got very wet at the end of April and it continued until about a week ago. When it quit raining, I thought the birds would do much better, but their behavior was strange. They were spending very little time around the colony, and were not coming in until it was almost too dark to see them. There was no socializing on the housing.

Before we left, I did a nest check last Thursday, and in some of the first nests with eggs this season I found some or all of the eggs had been moved from the nest cup, or had been moved to the outer room of double-room compartments. Since most of these eggs were laid before the end of April, they should have been hatching now.

There has been little additional rain in the last six days, but the weather pattern has included north winds and below normal temperatures. When I got back yesterday, and started watching for the martins, it was like our colony had turned into a ghost town. I watched until it was almost totally dark, and the birds came in one or two at a time with very little calling. Most showed up right before dark. I will do another nest check today or tomorrow to see what has been happening the past few days with the eggs.

This morning, the sun is shining brightly and many of the birds were sunning. It seemed like more normal behavior. Starting tomorrow the weather pattern is to change to a warmer and drier mode, which should help them considerably. We have obviously fared much better than folks farther north and east, but landlords in this area can expect late hatchings and most likely pairs relaying clutches of eggs.

With all these birds go through just dealing with weather each year, it is amazing that there are as many of them around as there are. Good luck to all who are trying so hard to save your birds from starving. It is depressing but keep on fighting.

[stan davison]

I have noticed this with my pair as well. They are here most of the early morning then gone all afternoon until 7 or 8 pm.

[starling shooter]

I noticed the same thing. Came in very late, one at a time. I know the females at my site have not been incubating as they've been gone all day.

Hopefully, the eggs are still viable. Things are getting better weather wise.

[Guest]

Dick, when the cool wet weather hit, my birds were in the middle of egg laying. Apparently, they stopped. From the 1st of May to the 15th, they laid very few eggs. Some of the nests are full, but most have two, three or four eggs that are now hatching. Several of the nests have no eggs at all, although I know that the nest is being used. I am beginning to wonder if they will start laying eggs again now that it is warming up or if they are finished for this year. This is the first year that I have seen nest with two or three eggs.

[Dick Sherry]

Chuck, I believe it is still early enough in the season that they will resume laying, if they got interrupted in the process, or start laying. It will probably take some time for the adults to physically be strong enough. In the past, I have seen some strange things happen when the egg laying gets disrupted by the weather. Eggs that have not started to be incubated can stay viable for a while, and whole clutches can still hatch, even if the incubation has been disrupted, it just takes longer than normal. This has turned into a very strange year, but hopefully things will get better with the arrival of the warmer temperatures.

[T Seber]

Dick:
As you often do, you speak with wisdom and from experience. Folks would do well to listen to you.
Watch those martins closely during the wet, cool spells in the Spring. They can hurt for food before we realize it. It is good to have them trained to accept supplemental feeding for such spells as we have had.
Also, be slow to throw the eggs out that you think are bad. When they are still bright white, surrounded by green leaves, organized in a nest bowl, and are clean, leave them alone. When they get dirty, dull, scattered and disorganized, they probably will no longer hatch.

[Mary Dawnsong]

Hi Chuck and others,

Incubation can be delayed for over a week and still maintain viable eggs.
For more info, read: http://purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archive/eggs.htm

In 2001, my colony experienced three weeks of very cold, wet weather starting in mid-May after egg-laying had begun.
- 8 clutches survived the cold spell, but hatched after longer than normal incubation - an extra 3-9 days!
- 6 pairs that had eggs before the cold spell relaid, most without removing the old clutch. One nest had 12 eggs - 3 eventually hatched!

Good luck to you and your birds,
Mary

[Robert McCallum]

I have also noticed the late homecoming, etc. Today I did a nest check and found one compartment with four young a day or two old. The nest was up a little high and in checking for eggs I touched one of the babies. It stuck to my finger a little and I think I may have left it upside down. Wonder if that will be a problem? Should I fix that? I shall surely get a ladder for future checks.

There were new eggs in some compartments since a week ago so I was encouraged. The weather is to change soon and I think there is hope for a more or less normal time looking forward.

I'm new enough at this that I appreciated hearing that other Tulsans have also been concerned. Good luck to all.

[stan davison]

I noticed several more martins this evening and my asy male was beside himself. I am concerned now because i was outside sitting on my back porch and its 10 pm ish and he is still singing. Hopefully the owls are not awake yet. My owl gaurds will go on as soon as i know the martins are here for the long haul.

[elyas]

The last couple of weeks have been filled with either chilly weather, rain, or high winds. Just seems like can't get a good break this year. My martins started laying earlier than normal this year. Of course, hatchlings appeared earlier. Just in time for the aforementioned weather. Did the normal 5 day nest check yesterday and had lost over 20 babies due to starvation or cold. I was so sick and still am. We have never been able to get our birds to supplemental feed thru air tossing the crickets. We fed the remaining babies some crickets and left some on the porches for the adults. Supposed to clear up today and get warmer yet the wind will still be up. More supplemental feeding today. Maybe what is left alive can be saved. Just not a good year.

I have learned another difficult lesson this year.

[Dick Sherry]

Thanks to all who have provided comments. It amazes me how big a geographical area has been affected by the cool, wet and windy weather pattern of the past two weeks plus. I don't know that I can recall a similar time when so many martins were adversely impacted in so many different states. We need to have good weather across their range the rest of the breeding season, and hopefully this won't put a huge dent in the martin population.