Purple Martins Continue To Pour In?March 7, 2006
My martin colony and Bob?s continue to grow as a large influx of ASY martins recently poured into northwest Louisiana. I believe I have between 70 and 80 martins and Bob probably has a slightly larger number. As of March 7, 2006 we probably have around 150 martins in both our colonies. This is significantly higher than what we had in 2005 at this same time.
The major threats to our colonies are Cooper?s and sharp-shinned hawks and merlins. Our colonies have already been attacked unsuccessfully several times and these raptors visit every day. My presence significantly thwarts their efforts and I do my best to intercept them before they can attack. Because our colonies are so open, the hawks and falcons have a most difficult time approaching undetected unless they try in the early mornings or evenings with their dim light conditions. Even though large martin colonies may attract more predators, there are MANY martin eyes watching for danger. Today our colonies were visited four times by a female sharp-shinned hawk (twice), a male Cooper?s hawk with several missing wing feathers, and a female merlin. There is also a large female Cooper?s hawk that ?visits? too and I stopped her from catching a male martin at my colony on a recent early morning with lots of fog. In all cases today, the martins saw the predators approaching and managed to gain altitude and safety and launch a counter attack. The merlin?s visit was spectacular as she was already coming in at a terrific rate of speed and about 150 feet off the ground. It seemed every martin in our colony was emitting blood curdling screams of terror and the martins were streaking through the sky like rockets. The martins managed to keep above her and were able to match her level flight speed during their mobbing attacks. However, when she finally dived down behind a forested area, the martins were unable to follow her blistering descent.
I finally shot a starling about a week ago that was flying around Bob?s colony! So far starlings have almost been non-existent and only occasionally fly over. No house sparrows at all. I consider these pests birds to be of little threat and we should be able to control them via shooting if necessary. I don?t worry about starlings and house sparrows.
However, at our satellite colonies located in more urban or suburban areas, starlings are a significant problem. This is particularly true at our colony at Lowes in Shreveport. We have two multi-purpose poles with four modified Trios and eight Super Gourds. We do use crescents to stop starlings.
I expect many more ASY martins to arrive throughout March. Martins appear to be super abundant in this area of northwest Louisiana.
Steve
Purple Martins Continue To Pour In?March 7, 2006
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eyeamtheman
- Posts: 633
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 3:21 pm
- Location: Quitman, La
- Martin Colony History: Super colony
Sounds like you're off to a blazing start Steve.....good luck, and congratulations on your success....
Birds did not arrive here until March 11th last year, and there are already more roosting than nested last year. More action seen here than ever before, making me really wonder if the tree removal did indeed help.
Good luck with the hawk problem. I'm sure if I were one, I'd turn and high tail it if I saw you out in the yard too ! (snicker)
Birds did not arrive here until March 11th last year, and there are already more roosting than nested last year. More action seen here than ever before, making me really wonder if the tree removal did indeed help.
Good luck with the hawk problem. I'm sure if I were one, I'd turn and high tail it if I saw you out in the yard too ! (snicker)
Johnny
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Hey Johnny,
Bob and I are doing very well so far with our martins! Today more ASYs returned and several males managed to secure cavities in my colony. I got a male in one of my Troyer Horizontals and two males in the modified M-12s. Two more males moved into my natural gourds. It seems that everyday four or five new males move in. The sky above our colonies in the early mornings is full of martins.
I happy that your colony is doing well and yes, the tree removal no doubt helped considerably. I bet you will have a nice size martin colony this year.
The hawks are wary of me! The last almost successful attack took place at 6:35 am on a foggy morning about 100 feet southeast of my colony. A female Cooper's hawk materialized like a ghost from the fog and tried to snag a male martin right out in the open but he out turned her. I can still see that hawk banking with her wings outstretched and long tail opened like a fan! She missed and I hollered at her. She knows where she is not welcomed and she made a hasty retreat! I station myself every morning in front of my colony so I can be ready for any Accipiter hawk attack.
Today we had strong southern winds all day so that means that MORE martins will be arriving this evening and tomorrow.
Good luck.
Steve
Bob and I are doing very well so far with our martins! Today more ASYs returned and several males managed to secure cavities in my colony. I got a male in one of my Troyer Horizontals and two males in the modified M-12s. Two more males moved into my natural gourds. It seems that everyday four or five new males move in. The sky above our colonies in the early mornings is full of martins.
I happy that your colony is doing well and yes, the tree removal no doubt helped considerably. I bet you will have a nice size martin colony this year.
The hawks are wary of me! The last almost successful attack took place at 6:35 am on a foggy morning about 100 feet southeast of my colony. A female Cooper's hawk materialized like a ghost from the fog and tried to snag a male martin right out in the open but he out turned her. I can still see that hawk banking with her wings outstretched and long tail opened like a fan! She missed and I hollered at her. She knows where she is not welcomed and she made a hasty retreat! I station myself every morning in front of my colony so I can be ready for any Accipiter hawk attack.
Today we had strong southern winds all day so that means that MORE martins will be arriving this evening and tomorrow.
Good luck.
Steve
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John Atteberry
Hello Steve,
Great to hear your off to a great start too!!! I still have the same amount of ASY martins! But that probably will change in the next two days with the southern winds kicking in at 20-25 miles per hour! I'm hoping more females will come in for the lonely males! I have 7 that are already paired up! And 5-6 males that are without females! My wife will hurt me if I get another pole right now! So this will have to wait till next year! I think the SY will still find some room! I have 20 gourds and 14 house compartments, so that should help the SY martins to find one! I will be adding a pole and adding to an existing pole next year for all the other martins!!! Good luck Steve and to your friend Bob! John!
Great to hear your off to a great start too!!! I still have the same amount of ASY martins! But that probably will change in the next two days with the southern winds kicking in at 20-25 miles per hour! I'm hoping more females will come in for the lonely males! I have 7 that are already paired up! And 5-6 males that are without females! My wife will hurt me if I get another pole right now! So this will have to wait till next year! I think the SY will still find some room! I have 20 gourds and 14 house compartments, so that should help the SY martins to find one! I will be adding a pole and adding to an existing pole next year for all the other martins!!! Good luck Steve and to your friend Bob! John!