What happens with porches

Emil Pampell-Tx · Sun Jul 08, 2012 4:54 pm

I noticed something this year that never happened before. I did not see a single baby martin on a porch. Nearly every year, there would be several gourds where the babies would be sitting on a porch, often when it was about time to fledge. So why where there none on the porches this year? I have 250 cavities, all have tunnels & porches, some have longer tunnels and some have the standard 3in long tunnels.

I have no explanation for this. Could it be that they had more to eat this year? We had the best year ever this year, so do they come out on the porches when they get real hungry? Also this year, the babies were strong and flew so well when they fledged that I could not tell that it was babies, so were they hungry other years when they could not fly as well? We had a couple hot days (102 to 106) this year, but they survived that, so the weather was what is considered normal with adequate rainfall.

I seem to think that it was food related but am not sure. It seems like every year is slightly different, so its hard to say anything with conviction. We still have 3 gourds where the parents are feeding babies.

Dale D · Sun Jul 08, 2012 5:20 pm

Emil, Strange you should bring that up. I have experienced somewhat the same thing here. I have seen a few come out on the porches but not as many as the past years. Never gave it much thought until you mentioned it.

AvianStewardess · Mon Jul 09, 2012 5:17 am

Having only this year's observations and only one house on which to make those observations...none of the three nestlings came past their "shoulders" out of the hole until the morning they fledged.

Virgil McCoy · Mon Jul 09, 2012 6:30 am

I didn't see one out on a porch either this season. As in your area Emil, food was abundant especially Dragon Flies. Mine never got more than a head stuck out of the entrance holes with all of my gourds having porches mounted.

daveh · Mon Jul 09, 2012 10:11 am

I don't think this year was any different then any other year. The babies pretty much stay in their compartments sticking their heads out of the sreh's begging for food. But eventually they do pop thru and hang out on the porches, usually the last day or so before fledging.

I think when I was using the big round holes years ago, the babies used the porches more often, only because it was easy to get out and back in.

dave