Wind, Cold Temps, and Scrambled Eggs in TN

[Linda Reynolds]

Today was the first time in weeks that we felt a need to offer supplemental feeding. I scrambled a dozen eggs about 1:00 this afternoon.

As soon as I placed the trays containing the eggs on the B&B, martins flocked to the source of the food...........

They are not yet deprived or diminished, but I do not want to see them diminished, nor do I want to revive them. Many martins started to show signs of drooped wings, and for the first time ever, a dozen or more were just sitting on the pea gravel in our driveway. I think they were using that as a heat source.

Pay attention to your birds, they will show signs of stress and that is the first sign that supplemental feeding is needed.

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

Putting eggs in a tray and walking back into a warm house sure beats standing outside in a cold wind tossing expensive crickets at the martins dosent it?
Some day we will have the martins trained the same way at the neighbors colonies, I am glad they are not back here yet, we had an inch or so of snow over nite and it has been cold and blustery all day long. At least it got warm enough to melt the snow, I dont need to lok at it anymore this spring.

[Linda Reynolds]

Donnie, conditioning *our* martins to accept food from the B&B was one of the best tools we ever employed. It saves them using the energy that is best preserved during bad weather, and saves me the time and enegy needed to go outside and filp.............It is a win/win solution. It IS the best thing we have accomplished at our site.

[crnman3]

Linda, how high have you got your tray off the ground? and how long did it take for your martins to start using it?

i took an old directv dish, turned it upside down and mounted it to a pole about 4' off the ground to put egg shells in. its about 20' from my gourd rack. i drilled 5 little holes right in the bottom so rain water would not stand in it. i just put it up today, was wondering how long it might take before they realize its there.