North AL nestcheck
This is shaping up to be a banner year in my area. Here are the results from this weekends nestcheck. I am offering 107 porched tunnelled WDC entrance gourds. Both natural and Naturelines. 105 of them are occupied by pairs. 91 of them currently contain eggs and/or nestlings. As of today there are 429 eggs, and 68 nestlings. The oldest nestlings are 4 days old. Several nests were in the process of hatching during the nestcheck. 14 gourds have well built nests with green leaves, but no eggs yet. The other 2 gourds are claimed by unpaired SY males. The total of eggs and nestlings in the 91 gourds currently stands at 497. That's an average of 5.46 per nest. There are 8 gourds with partial clutches so that is lowering the average per nest slightly. The average will likely drop some once the final egg numbers are in due to mostly SY females occupying the later nests. I have 2 gourds with 8 eggs (which I have never seen before) and 4 gourds with 7 eggs. The hatch rate is excellent on the gourds that have finished hatching. The weather has been quite cooperative this season. Barring a late cold snap this should be a banner year here. The ASY return was strong and the SY migration this year is phenomenal in my area. I have never seen SY's in large enough numbers to fly in what I would call a flock before this year. Tonight I watched 11 SY's sitting on my gourd racks, hopping from gourd to gourd in an attempt to find an empty one to spend the night in while 12 more flew in on flock between my gourd racks here at my house, the gourd racks at our barn, and my neighbors gourd racks.
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bwenger
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Brad,
This is great news. Thanks for all of the hard work to maintain a colony of that size.
Good luck in 08, and let's hope that the weather stays good throughout the nesting period.
Bill
This is great news. Thanks for all of the hard work to maintain a colony of that size.
Good luck in 08, and let's hope that the weather stays good throughout the nesting period.
Bill
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Joe Levins
- Posts: 226
- Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:56 pm
- Location: Alabama/Wetumpka
Very good report Brad. Your numbers are excellent and it is because of all the hard work you have put into your setup. It will really be something to see when all the fledging starts later on.
I will be doing a check on mine sometime this next week. Had the pleasure Wednesday afternoon watching the eggs hatch in the nestcam gourd with 6 eggs. they all hatched in 5 hrs. They were fed about 30 minutes after each hatched.
Keep up the good work.
I will be doing a check on mine sometime this next week. Had the pleasure Wednesday afternoon watching the eggs hatch in the nestcam gourd with 6 eggs. they all hatched in 5 hrs. They were fed about 30 minutes after each hatched.
Keep up the good work.
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Guest
Brad, those are some great numbers you've posted. Bill and I are both possible beneficiaries of your well-managed colony, so I thank you especially for being such a caring landlord. 
Brad Congradulations, I made nest checks last PM and had these resulta
Of 56 ngs. 47are occupied
attal of 264 eggs
8 babys
Looks as tho N.Al is having a banner year.
John In Athens
Of 56 ngs. 47are occupied
attal of 264 eggs
8 babys
Looks as tho N.Al is having a banner year.
John In Athens
Thanks for the nice comments Joe, Karen, Matt and John.
Joe and John, we've had a good year in our state weather wise for the birds, it should be a good year all over the state. Joe, I look forward to seeing your results. John, looks like things are going well for you.
Joe and John, we've had a good year in our state weather wise for the birds, it should be a good year all over the state. Joe, I look forward to seeing your results. John, looks like things are going well for you.