Lodi Update
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Guest
I am now up to 5 pairs of ASy.have yet to see any Sy birds that I can tell for sure.the fighting and bickering is not mostly over with everyone settling in to their cavities.hoping with this many mouths I can pick up a few sy birds later..does anyone see many sys south of me yet.how about it Steve when can I expect the sys.........
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Hey Mr. Lodi,
I am glad you are having a great martin season so far.
I am about 30 miles south of Shreveport, Louisiana. I saw my first SY male on April 1. Today, April 8, there are many more SY males and females pouring into our colonies, with Bob and I having several SY pairs in residence. Most of our SYs arrive during the second, third and fourth week of April and some more come throughout May.
Perhaps your first SYs will be arriving in the next few days and continuing through May.
Good luck.
Steve
I am glad you are having a great martin season so far.
I am about 30 miles south of Shreveport, Louisiana. I saw my first SY male on April 1. Today, April 8, there are many more SY males and females pouring into our colonies, with Bob and I having several SY pairs in residence. Most of our SYs arrive during the second, third and fourth week of April and some more come throughout May.
Perhaps your first SYs will be arriving in the next few days and continuing through May.
Good luck.
Steve
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Guest
Mr. Lodi, I have not seen any SYs yet. We are about forty miles west of Texarkana. Things usually happen a little sooner just a little east of us. The SYs are about due and the moon is nearly full, so we should see them soon. We are also having a fantastic ASY season so far.
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Guest
Steve hey I am up to 7 pairs this morning gained 2 pair since yesterday.I noticed this morning I have 3 pair nest building.when can I expect to here them dawnsinging.did not here it early dawn this morning??????
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Hey Mr. Lodi,
Congratulations on your colony success! Your colony is growing nicely.
Nocturnal vocalization behavior seems to vary from colony to colony. In my colony, some males do it and others seem to never vocalize anything. Others are inconsistent. Also the size of the colony can impact nocturnal vocalization behavior. Larger colonies are more vocal because more males are in residence and respond to others. When one vocalized, then another may do so. This probably relates to territory and mate protection.
What I usually first hear is a male chorus of the gurgling vocalization that ends in the "kreek". This is most likely a territorial/mate reinforcement vocalization. There is some regular martin chattering, including females chortling to their mates.
Dawn singing is a different vocalization and may commence while the males are still nest bound. It is a distinctive series of chirups and very loud. Most males first leave their nest and as they ascend they start dawn singing. Evenutally a large flock of dawn singing males will be over my colony and filling the Louisiana morning with their dawn song.
The males in my colony started dawn singing April 1 and this coincides with the arrival of the first SY martins in this area. At this time, none of the females had laid any eggs. My male martins will continue dawn singing through out April and into late May. During this time, females will be still building nests, laying eggs, incubating eggs, and young will be in the nests.
Since dawn sing behavior varies in intensity and occurence from one colony to the other, it is hard to tell when your males will dawn sing. Since the SYs are probably just beginning to arrive in your area, ASY males in your area are probably "getting ready" for dawn singing behavior. Dawn singing is probably more common in larger colonies. You may hear some early morning nocturnal vocalization behavior between 4:00 and 6:00 am. This is often the gurgling song. If you get a chance, check out your colony early in the morning and perhaps you will hear your males emitting nocturnal vocalizations. This may or may not transition into the dawn singing. If you have the dawn song CD or tape, that will tell you what dawn singing sounds like.
Continued great success with your colony.
Steve
Congratulations on your colony success! Your colony is growing nicely.
Nocturnal vocalization behavior seems to vary from colony to colony. In my colony, some males do it and others seem to never vocalize anything. Others are inconsistent. Also the size of the colony can impact nocturnal vocalization behavior. Larger colonies are more vocal because more males are in residence and respond to others. When one vocalized, then another may do so. This probably relates to territory and mate protection.
What I usually first hear is a male chorus of the gurgling vocalization that ends in the "kreek". This is most likely a territorial/mate reinforcement vocalization. There is some regular martin chattering, including females chortling to their mates.
Dawn singing is a different vocalization and may commence while the males are still nest bound. It is a distinctive series of chirups and very loud. Most males first leave their nest and as they ascend they start dawn singing. Evenutally a large flock of dawn singing males will be over my colony and filling the Louisiana morning with their dawn song.
The males in my colony started dawn singing April 1 and this coincides with the arrival of the first SY martins in this area. At this time, none of the females had laid any eggs. My male martins will continue dawn singing through out April and into late May. During this time, females will be still building nests, laying eggs, incubating eggs, and young will be in the nests.
Since dawn sing behavior varies in intensity and occurence from one colony to the other, it is hard to tell when your males will dawn sing. Since the SYs are probably just beginning to arrive in your area, ASY males in your area are probably "getting ready" for dawn singing behavior. Dawn singing is probably more common in larger colonies. You may hear some early morning nocturnal vocalization behavior between 4:00 and 6:00 am. This is often the gurgling song. If you get a chance, check out your colony early in the morning and perhaps you will hear your males emitting nocturnal vocalizations. This may or may not transition into the dawn singing. If you have the dawn song CD or tape, that will tell you what dawn singing sounds like.
Continued great success with your colony.
Steve