Update From S.E. Kansas

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

This is my 3rd year at our new location in Pittsburg, KS. and it has been challenging to say the least. The continuous rain and cool temps a couple weeks ago caused females to stop incubating in five nests. Fortunately, due to supplemental feeding for three days, I did not loose any adults. So far, four of those nests have started a 2nd clutch. Starlings and sparrows have been a constant battle this year. Although I have not had any starling breaches with my Conley II entrances, they are ever present and constantly harassing my martins. A male sparrow destroyed two eggs before I was successful in trapping him. Every couple of days a new male sparrow shows up trying to find a nesting spot. My blaines and repeating traps have worked extra hard this year.

I offer one pole with 12 house cavities and 12 THG's below the two houses for a maximum of 24 cavities.



My latest nest check yesterday found 22 nests with either eggs or nestlings. With the re-nesting taking place, it is going to be a drawn out season for me. Hope other landlords who have experienced bad weather this year have a successful season.

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Tim,

Thanks for sharing an update about your purple martin colony. Though you have had challenging weather and some competitor issues, your martin colony appears to be doing well thanks to your care and protection. Your supplemental feeding probably saved many martins in your colony.

I believe Tony G's martin colony in Kansas is doing well too and I know Tony has provided supplemental food for his martins during the bad weather.

Probably many martins have died as a result of all the adverse weather this season.

We've had some weather challenges, too but nothing like you have had.

Thanks again for sharing an update and providing such good care to your martins.

Steve

[Larry A Kronemeyer]

Tim,
What a beautiful in-town site you have! Very manageable. I think it's lovely.
We are east of you in Illinois. Slightly more north, but not by much, so your weather is usually also our weather. Yes, it has been a hard spring for the martins. We've been feeding them also and I know that's what saved our adults a couple of weeks ago. Recovery for them has been slow, but since they are all still here I guess re-nesting may yet occur. That would mean birds here into August. The later arriving birds are sitting on recently laid eggs and God willing the weather will hopefully be kinder to them.
Keep us updated.
Judy

[MamaBruff]

Tim, You have a lovely site, and I always enjoy coming to help with banding the babies. I'm sorry for all your S&S and weather troubles, but it sounds like you and your birds are figuring it out. I have a Martin friend who says "If the starlings are even hanging around your housing, then they perceive that they can enter. Once the entrances are starling resistant, they don't even come around." I have found this to be true at my site, where I had porch plates only on 4 THGs and 4 TVGs. Starling breaches everywhere this year, First time in 4 years. So I added the 4 WEPs I had on hand for the full Lewis Mod and took down the porch mod only gourds until 4 more WEPs arrived. The starlings tried for a while but lost interest and moved on. This was my first year for starling breaches on my ConleyIIs with porch plates, so beware, you live not far from me! Once one of the persistent pests figures out how to get in, they hold an ongoing educational seminar. Then look out. And keep after those HOSP. Where do they all come from? Good grief!

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Steve:
Wish I lived closer to you. Would love to come back down and just sit, visit and watch.

Larry:
The hardest part for me is no firearms since we live within city limits. There have been times this year where I have felt like just calling it quits due to all the sparrow/starling pressure. My neighbor across street puts out more sparrows from their martin houses than I can eliminate. Very, very frustrating.

Mary:
So far, no starlings have been able to breach my housing. I might have to go back to the Lewis modification next year just to be on the safe side. I will be banding my first nest in a few more days. Probably be 10 to 14 more days before any large number of nestlings will be banded on the same day. Helping with banding or just visiting, you are always welcome.

[taxidermy lady]

Hi Tim, I have a neighbor with chickens and he has a old plastic Martin house in the chicken pen! Well when I first started to try to get martins they were here constantly! So yeah I can shoot. So they are weary to come down here now! But I went up there one afternoon with my shotgun and blasted that thing to pcs. Naturally they wasn't home and they've never said nothing! it drives a wannabe crazy! I'm not a bad person!
You Martin site is gorgeous. All your flowers and the fence is beautiful! Good luck!