Five dead

[Jewel]

Gary & I did our first check yesterday(15th), since the bitter cold hit around the 4th of April we didn't drop the houses to disturb them. I had put a 60 watt bulb in one compartment of the mini castle and had seen them huddled around that room most of the time. I fed them close to 30,000 meal worms and about 1500 crickets since that day. It took them a couple of days to catch on to me putting them in the raised tray feeder on our mail box post but once they did they would crowd on there sometimes a dozen at a time. They got so used to me when I would walk out the front door they would fly up and hover over me just a few feet while I walked to the tray. I would fling a few spoonfuls, then make a big animated display of dumping them in the tray. I have two 12 units houses and one 12 unit super gourd rack. We have found one male dead in a SG, one male and one female dead on the ground below, and one male and a female dead in one compartment of the mini castle, two doors away from the light bulb compartment. That particular compart I watched five fly out of one day when I went out to feed. My houses are NOT enlarged, so I was amazed to see 5, 8" birds come out of a basically 6x6 compartment. The dead ones were crammed into each outside corner one beak down the other almost in a standing up on her tail position. It was Heart Breaking!! Today is a new day, the 20+ we have left are all very active and busy chatting about the housing/gourds. They are acting like it never happened. I walk out now with the food container and they completely ignore me. "Thanks but we're fine"..kind of attitude. This week is suppose to be dry and warm, 60-70 all week.
We have had to supplement them with food in years past but never as long and never as cold as it was this year. It was down to 18 without wind chill for several days, winds were blowing anywhere from 10-30 mi per hr. during the worst. I guess it could have been worse, but I hate to loose any. We were feeding about a 1000 at a time every couple of hours when home and I guess it still wasn't enough, but you all know, we would do it all over again for our purple friends.

[Dennis D]

I am very sorry to hear about your losses. It sounds like you have tried very hard to keep your martins alive and that is about all we can do isn't it?

As you point out this particular 2 weeks of crappy weather has been bad. Here in S. Illinois even if we had a sunny but cool day the wind was blowing 25+ so that does not make for a good feeding day. I had a loss this weekend at my site, the second death in now my 4th year with martins. The weather has just been too much for some to take.

I was able to catch a ASY-M on the ground at my site. He was too weak to fly up to the house on his approach, landed on the picnic table instead. The weather was cold (40F), rainy and blowing hard. I had been supplemental feeding for a week. This bird was not going to make it back up to the house. I was able to catch him on the ground by throwing my jacket over him. I put him in a 5 gallon bucket for two days and warmed him up and fed him crickets. This particular bird perked up and became very alert after only a few hrs in the house. I released him late Sunday and he made several passes after drinking in the lake, then flew off. In the mean time I found another ASY-M on the ground under the house that was to weak to try and get away from me. I picked him up and could feel his breastbone. I put him in the bucket and tried to feed him crickets but he would not eat. He died a couple hrs later, and it was heartbreaking the last couple minutes of his life. I don't want to watch that again, ever. As I said, I had been feeding my martins but this one was either too weak and beyond the point of help or he was not from my colony because all of the birds that had been here (5) I had personally seen eating crickets and mealworms.

This taught me another lesson about martins. It could be possible that when you feed your birds you could still wind up with dead birds at your site. You can't always blame yourself because that bird could be from another colony or a new arrival.

As fate would have it, I woke this morning to beautiful weather, and two new arrivals. They will keep coming, and keep carrying on. It is just a shame these birds fly all the way back here and die because of the weather, and I'm trying not to think about it anymore.

[klcretired]

Jewel,
Sorry for your Loss, it's heart breaking

[Jewel]

Thank you for your sympathies, I know we are not the only ones with these same problems which is why I love this organization. I have learned more from this site & the forum over the years that has made us as successfull as we are. Thanks again.

[Bob Flam]

Sorry to hear it Jewel and Dennis. I have had a few die even during supplemental feeding. Not all will take it..or enough.

Didn't this time around, but I devote that largely to egg. It's really easy to get them going on egg once you get them on crickets. Get a bowl, cover the bottom with water, put in 2 eggs and beat it up. throw it in the microwave 1 1/2 minute. Then break it up in small pieces and mix it with the crickets or mealworms...or toss it too.

My crickets weren't here until the 3rd day and could of ran out easily. My 9 went through 1,000 crickets easy, I even stretched them out....and 3 dozen extra large eggs. We had a couple days where they could hunt, but that would of killed a weaker bird looking for what was out there. Thats probably how yours died, they tried and it took all they had left.

I'm sure we lost quit a few here in Illinois, Kansas, Iowa, Nebraska, Some of Missouri, and any in Minnesota and Wisc that didn't get fed. Since about 2000 certains areas up here have taken huge hits off and on. But more people are learning about supplemental food too Were also lucky most weren't back yet.

We could have another hit yet this year! Usually it's later anyway, but not so much cold...wet and windy when babies are young...not a good mix!

Birds are coming hard this week. Get prepared...you never know when we'll be needing it again!

bob

[Guest]

Jewel can you tell me more about the "raised tray on the mailbox post?" I have been thinking about bed and breakfast but don't want to spend that money. If they will use soemthing homemade, I might rather go that route. Thank you!

[Jewel]

Ren, yes it's nothing fancy. It is a frame with screen bottom. We live in a rural area so we have a mail box on a post. I have attached the tray at the top of the mail box post that is just maybe three feet from one of our houses. I also put egg shells in there for them during nesting time. It is only about 4.5' off the ground but they are curious and watch from above.
If your not into making one you can buy them from any Wild Birds Unlimited. (where I work) I have also used birdbaths (metal frames that poke into ground with plastic saucers) for offering mud and building materials but they always seem to prefer the corn field mud & sticks. What ever works... Have a great year.