Okay What's Up!

[Davlyn]

Every day I'm scanning the sky trying to spot any martin's but so far
nothing!!! What I don't understand is that they are all around me, but I
have not seen the first one! Maybe I'm just getting impatient!! But I know
one thing I will be very Excited to see my first martin!!!
Sitting and Waiting in Pavo.

[John Atteberry]

Hello April,
I know what you mean! I'm still waiting for my three pairs from last year too! They are all around me too! I saw two glide over my lake high in the air as I was playing the Daytime Chatter Cd! I had one land and fly around my houses the other day but he was from another colony nearby or heading north! So we have to be alittle more patient I guess! John!

[Sue]

April and John, Last year our martins were 16 days later arriving than our neighbor's across the road. I believe the reason was because the neighbor has had a martin colony for around 7 years and our colony wasn't established until 2004. I've read that the first martin arrivals are usually to the older established colonies. I'll be curious to see what the difference will be this year in arrival dates. It sure is hard to be patient when you've waited all these months for the first arrivals.

[Davlyn]

Hi John, I guess we have to be patient, I had 5 pair last year and a
bachelor, I sure hope they all return and maybe bring some with them! I
wouldn't mind!!! I will be watching to see when you get your first maybe
it wont be long now for all of us! Good Luck!


Hi Sue, I sure hope so, my small colony is only 3 year's. I will also be
watching all the arrival date's to see how they all differ. To be honest
I have in the past not paid enough attention to the arrival date's, now
I know that it is a important piece of information! Good Luck!

[Laverne]

Hi Everybody.

I have read that it is the oldest individual "birds" that return the earliest. As a Purple Martin ages and gains more experience and knowledge, he/she learns that the early bird gets the choice nesting cavity. So, the older birds come back the earliest.

As your colonies mature your birds will come back sooner and sooner until the oldest ones finally don't come back because their lives are over. Then you will see the return date of your first bird fluctuate back and forth between a span of a couple of weeks.

This is my history from the Scout Report:

Alvin 12 February 2005 Mike & Laverne Craig
Alvin 16 February 2004 Laverne M Riha
Alvin 11 February 2003 Laverne M. Riha
Alvin 08 February 2002 Laverne M. Riha
Alvin 05 February 2001 Laverne M. Riha

For four years straight my birds actually returned later and later - but, my colony was started with ASY's who had been barely surviving in a Starling/House Sparrow infested colony across the road.

Take care of your birds - their little lives are precious, but short...

[Davlyn]

Hi Laverne, looking back on my calendar's here are the date's for the past 3 year's.

Feb. 13th 03
Feb. 7th 04
Feb. 15th 05

I guess I'm just being impatient, seeing everyone post that they are back
early this year I was just wondering why mine were not here yet? The old
saying goes the early bird get's the worm! Are you snooze you lose! May-
be my martin's are not aware of that!! No really I hope they will be here
any day now. Thank's

[klcretired]

April,John & Laverne,
I'm with you guy's too, man this waiting is killin' me, like you ,they are all around me but i haven't seen or heard anything here in my location as of yet.I guess all i can say is we had better be ready so when they do finally come we can protect them.