With another good Martin season finished, it will be very quite in the back yard with all of the Martins gone. My colony consist of 126 cavities, containing natural gourds, super gourds, horizontal gourds and 4 North Star wooden houses (12 hole each ). This was my fifth year that my colony has fledged 300 plus birds. 2011 was my first year in the 300's.
The result for the last five years are as follows:
2011 produced 347 birds
2012 = 389 birds
2013 = 335 birds
2014 = 324 birds
2015 = 372 birds
I also banded every single one of the above birds. I believe that my colony located 9 miles south of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan has grown into one of the largest Purple Martin colony in western Canada. I would like to know if there is a larger PM colony in western Canada. Input from other Martin landlords would be greatly appreciated.
Thanks to the Forum for all the information over the last 16 years,
Jerry Parent
Another Good Year in Saskatchewan
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taxidermy lady
- Posts: 2988
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:21 am
- Location: IL/Ellis Grove
- Martin Colony History: Started trying to attract purple martins in 2012! It's finally happened in 2017! 5 years!!! ASY male and SY female came May 1st, fledged 5 babies!
That's a lot of martins! AWESOME to raise that many! 
Sharon from southern Illinois
Congratulations on your success in Saskatchewan, Jerry! I wonder if my two visitors last Saturday morning stopped here for a mid-morning breather on their trip to Brazil. They were a pair of ASY martins. It was enjoyable, though unusual for any martins to be at my colony site this late in the summer. Good thing for me that the weather was balmy for I had my windows open, and it was music to my ears to hear the martins. The female even looked into one of the gourds. But my resident hummingbirds still have our yard to themselves.
PMCA member
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
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madattiver
- Posts: 263
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 8:44 pm
- Location: SK/Saskatoon
- Martin Colony History: 12 unit North Star + 4 gourds
2014 - 1 pair
2015 - 1 pair
2016 - 1 pair + 1 sub male (until my female died)
2017 - 6 pair
Congrats Jerry on another great Martin year at your colony!
Adam
Fifth Year Landlord
Fifth Year Landlord
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Rodger Drye
- Posts: 671
- Joined: Sun Mar 23, 2014 10:07 am
- Location: NC/Mt. Pleasant
- Martin Colony History: Have been hosting and providing a sanactuary for Purple Martins for 30 years.
Hey Jerry, Great job with your Martins. Great success, keep it up. How would I get started to learn how to band my birds? Do you go to a State school or what? Why exactly are you banding them for? Does the PMCA or some other agency do studies on them?
Thanks, Rodger
Thanks, Rodger
PMCA Member
Have been Hosting and Protecting Martin's for 30 years.
Have been Hosting and Protecting Martin's for 30 years.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Rodger, here is an older article that has good info on the basics of banding: http://www.purplemartin.org/update/Band ... 283%29.pdf
Nowadays, geologgers and gps tracking devices are being used to track martins and other birds on their migratory travels, see: http://www.purplemartin.org/main/geolocator.html
The best way to learn more about banding is to contact the nearest local chapter of the Audubon society - they will know who is banding in your area. Or contact biology department of a university. PMCA bands martins at its colonies every year, and we help coordinate banding and geo projects in other areas as well.
Nowadays, geologgers and gps tracking devices are being used to track martins and other birds on their migratory travels, see: http://www.purplemartin.org/main/geolocator.html
The best way to learn more about banding is to contact the nearest local chapter of the Audubon society - they will know who is banding in your area. Or contact biology department of a university. PMCA bands martins at its colonies every year, and we help coordinate banding and geo projects in other areas as well.
