martins are back!

[stan davison]

Haven't had martins here for a couple weeks and just yesterday morning and today have had 5 to 6 males here. (adults and subs) chattering up a storm. Snapped me out of my Post Martum depression. These birds arrive around 8am to 9 and hang for about 1/2 hour then leave. These birds are missing feathers and look tired. Just happy to hear them one last time before it gets very quiet.

[cchild03]

I'm jealous, Stan! I haven't had any actual visitors since Monday night. I've heard a few way off in the distance and had a few high-altitude flyovers, but that's about it. I'm definitely experiencing withdrawal symptoms!

[stan davison]

Just arrived home from running errands and looked out to find an sy female doing a flyby but not landing. Hear martins off in the distance.

[markjohn]

After my birds have been gone for about a month, this past Sunday they began returning for several hours every day! Since I have a small colony, I recognize my two dominant males, Ivan and Little John, by their signature songs. All week, they have been squabbling over boundary lines, or rather, maintaining them for next season. It is the exact same behavior that took place before actual nest-building took place. I don't believe the chicks and females are part of this amazing ritual. I think the sole participants are my patriarchs and sub-adult males. Where ever they are "roosting" for the night, they are obviously close enough to return mid-morning and resume the battles. They leave around 2:30 in the afternoon, not to be seen again until the next day! Very curious indeed! Just north of San Antonio, we got several hours of heavy rain. Ivan and Little John are the only two who remained during that time...they took advantage of the deluge by preening and soaking up the rain, obviously enjoying every drop!

Like you, I'm delighted for the chatter to return! I know that any day now, the deafening silence will return.

robin