Martins Are Back

wyatt · Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:41 am

I hope you get some this weekend James! I'm still hoping mine are a few weeks away.

Wyatt

James Strickland FL · Fri Jan 18, 2008 11:25 am

Thanks Wyatt, I sure hope so. I am ready as can be. My neck is hurting from looking up into the sky.

spulling · Fri Jan 18, 2008 10:22 pm

I just read a post on the BirdBrains listserve (local Florida group) and the person reported that:

"My brother-in-law called me today,1/18/08. His first Purple Martins have returned to his yard in northeast Sarasota. He has about 25 breeding pairs annually. This is the same date they returned last year."

James Strickland FL · Sat Jan 19, 2008 8:26 am

Spulling thats great to know. It is funny that the Martins that come to Fl seem that every year the west coast and the middle of the state get the martins first and we down here in south fl get them later in the year.

James Strickland FL · Mon Jan 21, 2008 5:34 pm

Finally some Martins are coming into our area. The weather here is has been bad this weekend and hope that next week the weather will be nice and the winds come from the south to help them here.

James Strickland FL · Wed Jan 23, 2008 6:11 pm

Seem that all the fl martins are going north and not come thru the south. I don't understand what is going on down here. None of the colonies are showing Martins. My friend in Miami has not seen a single martin at his site as of yet. Very worried down here.

Davlyn · Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:57 am

Hey James,
I am sure yours martins will be here any day now!!! Mine are due back some where between Feb. 3rd and the 20th. I just looked at the scout report and Fl. is almost PURPLE!
April

James Strickland FL · Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:23 am

April I don't understand why my martins or anyone around me have not seen any martins. I see that the state is going purple but the bottom half is not seeing them. I think that they are in Cuba having a party.

Davlyn · Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:06 am

James, I think your right! Maybe they will start heading your way for a little R&R!! I believe we will be seeing your scout report any day now!!!!
April

James Strickland FL · Thu Jan 24, 2008 10:51 am

I saw a report just posted that a scout has arrived in Miami today. Maybe there on the way. It is going to be nice down here this weekend. Great for flying across from Cuba or the Gulf.

Julio · Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:48 am

James i have 1 male ASY and female circling my sky right now, apparently birds from the closest colony to mine

. Just be patient in 5 days they will be by your site.I'm just wondering why our birds are so late this year.

James Strickland FL · Thu Jan 24, 2008 11:56 am

GREAT to here that NEWS JP. I can not wait to get home now from work. I will be outside the rest of the day. Dinner will be late to tonight.

MM · Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:33 pm

I see they have now come into my state. YIPPEE!!!

wyatt · Thu Jan 24, 2008 5:38 pm

OK. Now I'm panicking. They are in South Georgia and I'm in North Florida. I promise I'll have the housing up this weekend. I hope if they come this way they wait for me.

Wyatt

James Strickland FL · Thu Jan 24, 2008 7:33 pm

Funny how Ga can get them and me here in south fl can't get them. I wonder what I am doing wrong.

Davlyn · Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:07 pm

Hey I am in south georgia I guess I had better go take a look at the Scout Report!!!!!!!!!

CraigMo. · Thu Jan 24, 2008 9:17 pm

You guys don't panick, you build it and they will come. James you had 1 pair last year. You will have more than that this year. I know how you all feel, but they will be back. Last year there were martins in Iowa before they were here in my area of Kansas City Mo. Now hopefully in a couple of months I don't do the same and start panicking!!!!!!
Good Luck for all landlords waiting.

James Strickland FL · Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:14 am

Craig you are right and this time of the year when birds are all around me I just wish to see my old friends again. To me is like me going home and seeing my family up in NC. I just love seeing them fly around and singing. I know that the world is great when they around for the short period that they are here.

KathyF · Fri Jan 25, 2008 9:59 am

I'm kinda glad that they're taking their time in getting here this year.

It has been as low at 5 deg. here this week, with wind chill at -5 deg. Brrrrrrr!!!!!

I read all the horror stories from 2006 in the forum and, as a second year landlord, I'm hoping I don't have to deal with that!

Good luck to everyone - and thanks a LOT for feeding my excitement!!!

Here's to hoping that lots & lots of our last year fledglings will make it back!

James Strickland FL · Fri Jan 25, 2008 6:00 pm

Kathy the weather is just great down here and their is food for the martins. I don't understand how martins will fly to cold areas and past warm areas. They have a very funny flight path back to the U.S. It seem like this happen every year down here and it drives us crazy.