It's has been around 100 degrees for a couple of days and no relief is in sight for several days. I was taking down my gourds to check em twice a week. Babies are 1 week old today.
Will it stress them in this weather to continue the nest checks or I should wait?
Nest checks in hot weather
PMCA member
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I don't think that it matters much if you check them or not. That heat is hard on the babies, it stresses them, so it may not hurt or help to do more nest checks. Lets just hope for better weather.
You may know, but mortality rates are very high for birds, and it seldom is the perfect year for them. If you provide good housing, and try to keep away all predators to the best of your abilities, thats about all that you can do beside supplemental feeding. You can try supplemental feeding if you wish.
You may know, but mortality rates are very high for birds, and it seldom is the perfect year for them. If you provide good housing, and try to keep away all predators to the best of your abilities, thats about all that you can do beside supplemental feeding. You can try supplemental feeding if you wish.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
-
Paul Stein
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Fri Feb 06, 2004 7:28 am
- Location: Georgia/LaGrange
Really bad here in middle Ga. I found 3 just today that had jumped and unfortunantly by the time I got home from work they were gone. It has been hitting the 100 mark the last few days and the forecast is for more of the same for the next several days. I have been spraying the gourds with water to try to cool them however am gone all day working and just feel helpless. You want to say it is just nature taking its course however it is disheartening when you can try protect them from other predators and the heat is seemingly unstoppable. Paul Stein
-
Barbara - DT
- Posts: 161
- Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:36 pm
- Location: Natalia TX
Paul, I'm no expert, (1st year landlord), but from everything I have read, you should never hose off the house or gourds in hot weather! From what I studied, it would make a sauna out of the gourd/house.
Southern by the Grace of God!