SY numbers down

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JoeD
Posts: 22
Joined: Mon Mar 02, 2015 5:49 pm
Location: MD/Westminster

Hi guys. Here north central Maryland the influx of SY Martins has been almost none
existent. Just a few here and there. I have had a fairly large colony over the
past 40 years (25-50 Pairs) and each spring there have been large influxes of SY
birds thru the month June. Most of these very late arrivals do not nest but they
are here. This year the ASY arrivals was great. Last year most of the babies could
not fly well and I found many on the ground unable to get airborne probably
caused by the cold wet spring and lack of flying insects during a crucial time of
their development. At present I have 30 ASY pairs and not a single SY pair. I have
not had a second year visitor in weeks. I was just wondering if anyone else
has had a similar experience especially on the northeast and mid Atlantic states.
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Martin man RI
Posts: 441
Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:04 pm
Location: MA/RI area

large numbers in RI,MA and many new sites started. One site alone I have 15 pair of SY! We had a great season in 2015.
Just got two hen SY in the last few days. Good luck Ray
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sugarcreek
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:43 am
Location: Sugarcreek, Ohio
Martin Colony History: 2016 First Yr.

We too started a new Colony in Ohio....5 pair second yr. young with a total of 10-15 around all the time
16 - 14 Cavities 4 Act. Ne 9 fledged, 2.25 Fl. per Act. Ne
17 - 36 Cavities 18 Act. Ne 65 Fledged, 3.61 Fl. per Act. Ne
18 - 54 Cavities 43 Act. Ne 169 Fledged, 3.93 Fl. per Act. Ne
19 - 108 Cavities 67 Act. Ne 209 Fledged, 3.12 Fl. per Act. Ne
20 - 108 Cavities 72 Act. Ne 243 Fledged, 3.38 Fl. per Act. Ne
21 - 112 Cavities 91 Act. Ne 313 Fledged, 3.44 Fl. per Act. Ne
22 - 114 Cavities 101 Act Ne 355 Fledged, 3.51 Fl. per Act. Ne
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handyman315
Posts: 300
Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 11:03 am
Location: SW Ohio
Martin Colony History: Colony established May 20, 2017 after three unsuccessful years. Persistent and aggressive Tree Swallows plagued the site, but beyond learning - and practicing - to control them, was the return in 2017 of a 2016-SY-M previously unable to find a mate. As a handsome ASY-M, he brought along two females and a swagger that soon put the Tree Swallow issue to rest. As the anchor pair, he and his mate hatched all six of their eggs into fat and healthy babies into what settled in to be a three-pair, flourishing new colony with up to 11 birds total, including 3 SY-M trouble makers.

Third year of trying unsuccessfully to start a new colony in SW Ohio (north of Lebanon), and despite the disappointment and trying to be objective, there seems to be less PMs at my site than the previous two seasons, and that includes SY and ASY. But for a lone SY, who is clearly living at my site but unable to find a mate, visits of SYs have been late, rare, and very brief, often never landing.
2023-42 Nests, 197 Eggs/Babies
2022-48 Nests Fledged 203
2021-43 Nests Fledged 185
2020-31 Nests Fledged 133, three early deaths due to cold & rain
2019-19 Nests Fledged 84
2018-11 Nests Fledged 48, ASY-M Arrived April 6, Despite Snow & Cold, Joined Soon by Mate & Two Adult Pairs
2017-3 Nests Fledged 13, FIRST-YEAR LANDLORD! Resident SY-M from 2016 Returned (as ASY-M) on May 20. At Least 11 Adult Residents
2016 Late-Arriving SYs, Resident Lone SY-M
2015-14 Many Visits
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