108 yesterday, 103-107 today w/ 4 babies left in a gourd.

[Matt@atx]

Louise,

28 gourds occupied, 26 pairs, 24 producing pairs.
This is my last clutch, late nesters who arrived the 1st week of May. Everybody else is done. The 2nd to last nest may I left earlier then they should or jumped.( they were capable of flight but needed a little more time and nutrition)
I set up a shade cover, painted it white, secured with zip ties over the occupied gourd yesterday. I bought very small water bottles to freeze for ice packs "if" mom has time to put one up in the afternoon. It was 105 at the time I arrived. Im surprised they had not jumped and they had their mouths open panting.
They were extremely dehydrated and look starving. the breast bone protruding with a white line running down the length of it from the skin. The belly ball appeared very shrunken and the skin wrinkled and dry much like the skin you may see on the hand of a very old person.

This is the worst condition I have seen Martin chicks in this season. I fed them beef heart and as much as I could get them to eat( they ate a lot), placed them in another gourd out of the sun with an ice pack while I put up the sun shade.
When I was done, I went to place them back in their gourd and found them crawled up and laying on the ice pack anyway they could. 3 with their heads necks on the ice pack and 1 laying on top of it with both wings spread and face down on it loving it.

I fed them some more and I noticed they livened up alittle after 1 hour with food in them and some heat relief.

I beleive the sun cover will shade them from direct sun light from the hot part of the day ~ 10- 1030ish am to 5-5:30pm. The sun will creep under the cover around 6 as sunset comes.

Thing is, both parents are present. they buzzed me once and squaked over head a few times. they are there but they are not feeding this babies. This Im absolutely sure of.
mom will watch for jumpers today but hoping the sun shade makes a difference.

After about 20 minutes, I felt like I was gonna pass out or barf from the heat so I can't see allowing these guys to suffer like that if I have trouble being in it.

I will check on them tomorrow evening after work. If they appear in the same condition, Im thinking I will pull them to save their lives. This heat is murderous. Mom would deliver them to a wildlife rehab place in Austin a day or two later after feeding them to get them rehydrated.
I rather not do that since mom and dad are there but they are not being fed due to heat. supplimental feeding is not possible with the schd. mom and I are on.
Im thinking I may lose the pair next year by taking their babies now but I guess I would rather have that then know 4 babies are frying in a gourd to death and do nothing.

What do you think? comments from anyone else is also welcome

[Louise Chambers]

Matt,

this is a tough one, but I think your plan sounds good - if not doing better tomorrow evening, take to rehab. Would like to hear what others think too. I know the parents here are not feeding much during hot part of day, and young are due to fledge later this week.

[Suzette McGowen]

I have run into the same problem here in North Dallas (Plano), four late nests after great early nests and successful fledging.

Noticed one nest (two feathered out babies) not being attended to as often as the other three, started supplemental feeding that nest with crickets. But since the adult male was still coming to the nest I hated to pull them. Later in the afternoon yesterday one crawled out on the porch, of course it was way too hot to be on the porch, so I pulled the Trio down (roof is insulated with stryofoam) and we had been misting with the hose. One baby already dead so I pulled out the remaining baby and fed it successfully about 12 crickets last night. Was sleeping and seemed better when we went to bed. Was going to take it to Rogers Wildlife rehab this morning. But he did not make the night.

Checked the other nests (these were in a Lonstar and none were on the top level) and two had died overnight in those nests as well, female still feeding but the babies wouldn't even come to the opening so she had to take food into to them. Then when the mother exited with bug still in her mouth, I was really worried.

Packed up all remaining 6 babies and took them to Rogers Wildlife south of Dallas. Penney has lots of success with these heat stressed babies. They all made the trip well.

I have hand feed and fledged orphans before, but felt time was of the essence and we have to leave town and don't want to start something I can't see through. I felt bad for the parents and know it was a risky move and they may not return next year, but didn't want to sacrifice the life of the chicks. Luckily we had many pairs fledge very well already this year.

Thank goodness for these dedicated rehabbers, I was more then glad to make a donation, just wished it was closer, I would love to volunteer.

[Matt@atx]

Louise~ thanks for your input. mom reports the smallest baby out of the 4 died today and she did not see any parents feeding them.


Suzette~ Im sorry to hear bout what has happened to your last remaining clutches. The majority of our season was very good and smooth as well. I believe dozens fledged out and did well, No predator issues. the late nesters got caught in the summer burn. Its good you took them to rehab. I think we will pull them tomorrow but I want to call this place mom took them to last year first to make sure they are fitted to rehab martins.
It seems if they do not get out of the nest by the first week of June at the latest, the heat here will kill them. I am not a fan of Texas summers