Last year I had a SY male spend several weeks guarding my T-14 and dive-bombing squirrels and a ground hog. He brought in a few females, none of which were impressed enough to stay.
This weekend he returned:
Now a big and beautiful ASY he is still determined to make my T-14 his home.
The ASY was sitting on the top perch when my resident Blue Bird dive-bombed and squawked at him chasing him off the perch which the BB took over. A minute later the ASY dive-bombed the BB and ran him off so he could take over the perch.
So the ASY is sitting there and the BB flies up and lands on the opposite end of the same perch. They just sat there looking at each other for 20-30 sec. and the BB went about his business. I think they?re friends now. Another major crisis overcome!
A while later the ASY comes screaming through the yard with alarm calls. I start looking around for the trouble and sure enough a Sharpie flies up from the creek bottom and perches nearby. He soon parts the branch and heads up where the ASY is waiting for him!
The ASY dive-bombed and squawked the Sharpie at least twice! I know Martins will do this in numbers, but one Martin against a sharpie I have never seen before. What was even more exciting was when the ASY returned to the T-14. He came in singing louder and more colorful than ever before, seemingly so proud of his accomplishment and wanted to make sure everyone knew it!If we get any descent number of females this year this guy will win one and hopefully a new colony will be established (my 4th year).