Our Purple Martins Survived The Nasty Weather

[Steve Kroenke]

For the last several days, the weather had not been favorable for the 500+ martins in our two colonies. However, there were periods of sunshine and the martins were able to fly out over the open cow pastures and capture insects low to the ground barn swallow style. If fact, the martins would touch the ground at times to snag a small flying insect. Other martins would sit on barbed wire fences and drop to the grass and pick off small insects near the ground. Martins are adaptable and can hunt for insects either on the ground or close to it in completely open locations. Some martins would fly around the beef cattle in the cow pastures and capture the small insects often associated with these bovids. The generous amounts of cow manure no doubt helped with attracting insects, too!

When the weather was really cold and windy, the established resident martins tended to stay inside their nests while the "visitors" or new arrivals perched on gourd crossbars or house porches.

A migratory male Cooper's hawk made an unsuccessful attack during one of these nasty weather times and my faithful sentinels, a pair of bluebirds with nestlings, gave multiple alarm calls that alerted me to his approach from the south. The hawk was closing in on several sluggish martins when I intercepted him and broke up his attack. He continued on north.

Today started off cold and miserable but has finally warmed up though it is still cloudy. However, the martins are gone and feeding and that is a good sign! This gave me an opportunity to finish placing pre-built nests of pine needles and dry oak leaves in my new 12 room Trendsetter that we erected yesterday.

Our purple martins have made it through this weather ordeal and things should get back to normal!

Steve

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Steve:

Glad to hear all of your birds made it through the cold snap. I am afraid each and every one on them will be needed this nesting season to help replace birds that undoubtedly were lost throughout the country where these cold temps settled in.

I just completed a house check since I have not seen any my birds today. Did not find any dead birds so I am sure they are out searching for food with the temps in the upper 50's. I did start supplemental feeding Saturday and they did take the offering. Hopefully they are being successful in finding food to their likiing. Let's hope this is the last of winter and the migration can continue with lots of SY's going to landlords who are ready and waiting.

Tim

[jasmemphis]

Haven't seen but one pair of the 12 pair we had before the return of winter. Checked the houses and gourds - no dead martins. It's 6:30 pm so maybe they'll come in but it sure is worrisome. Been a hawk patrolling the sky in the neighborhood since the cold spell. That is also worrisome. Not martin one in the sky the way they had been to chase it. Just nothing but quiet. I'm hoping and praying that the martins will come home. Jolene / Memphis, TN

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Tim,

Our martins returned this evening to roost and they were in pretty good shape. Fussing, fighting, vocalizing, and doing what martins do! So, I believe they are OK.

I suspect that significant martin losses may occur in the weather disaster areas where prolonged cold temperatures persist for days. We really had only about one and half bad days and the martins still managed to catch insects during some periods of intermittent sunshine.

Your martins are probably OK, too and should be able to feed with temperatures in the 50s as long there are no heavy rains. Plus you didn't find any dead ones in the houses.

Steve

Hey Jolene,

I believe your martins are probably out feeding and may come home just before dark to roost. Many of our martins did just that this evening. I am glad you found no dead ones in your houses. Hopefully the hawk is not an Accipiter which preys on birds. However, if your martins can feed and keep up their flying strength, then that will help them to evade the hawk.
Please keep us posted on how your colony does during this weather ordeal.

Steve

[jasmemphis]

For Steve Kroenke: Thank you for giving me a positive outlook to hang on to about the martins having been out feeding and coming in at dusky-dark. You were right. The martins look fine, sound fine and are out and about. They are coming in for the night now and are as fiesty and vocal and social as ever. The weather has improved and hopefully will continue to do so. It can't be winter forever! Hearing and seeing the martins after that freeze increases my awe in their ability to do what they do. It encourages me to never give up. Thank you again for your remarks. I appreciate you taking the time to offer encouragement. - Jolene / Memphis, TN