It is getting to the point where I am beginning to wonder if something happened to a lot of birds, not only martins. Usually be this time I have been trapping and disposing of many sparrows and starlings, but I have only caught one sparrow and two starlings at this point this year. And of course the martins haven't arrived yet, and don't seem to be arriving very quickly in states bordering West Virginia.
Some landlords have expressed their concern with regard to this, suggesting the cold weather or perhaps even not being popular birds in their wintering grounds being the reason for the martin's slow arrival. Other seasons we have had cold weather, and we feed crickets, etc., to tide them over. This season seems SO different. I can't help but be concerned.
Well, here's to another week of hoping and watching the skies. Sure hope we are rewarded by hearing our beloved birds soon.
Absence of Birds
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Sue,
Strange indeed. I have a pair at my site but even they are acting strange. Even with temps in the 60s they stay in the gourd all the time and only come out for minutes at a time. I have to coax them to come out. I will try and feed them today when I get home as it has been cold and rainy all day today.
Yesterday was a little cool but sunny and beautiful out and they did get out for a while and seemed happy. But it's strange these 2 are acting like a married couple that hasn't slept for 2 weeks. She has been here for a week now. He joined her 2 days after she showed up. They have taken a few crickets and some scrambled egg so far but they have been able to feed most days. They just prefer to stay in the gourd all the time though. It's kind of like they aren't there. I'm not really able to enjoy them being around.
Hoping more will be along soon. Also hoping they start acting normal soon.
Doug
Strange indeed. I have a pair at my site but even they are acting strange. Even with temps in the 60s they stay in the gourd all the time and only come out for minutes at a time. I have to coax them to come out. I will try and feed them today when I get home as it has been cold and rainy all day today.
Yesterday was a little cool but sunny and beautiful out and they did get out for a while and seemed happy. But it's strange these 2 are acting like a married couple that hasn't slept for 2 weeks. She has been here for a week now. He joined her 2 days after she showed up. They have taken a few crickets and some scrambled egg so far but they have been able to feed most days. They just prefer to stay in the gourd all the time though. It's kind of like they aren't there. I'm not really able to enjoy them being around.
Hoping more will be along soon. Also hoping they start acting normal soon.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
I look at it this way.....I have recorded arrival from March 23rd to April 10th over the years. They know more what is going on than we do. And for some strange reason mine seem to arrive during storms, or right after they arrive the weather turns bad for several plus days. I have had martins arrive looking beaten & battered. Some are thin, as if they could not find food along the migration route. As soon as I see any arrive I get out the crickets & they gobble them up. They are always hungry when they finally reach home. If it's cold I put hand warmers in the houses to help warm them up. Usually the next day they are perked up.
Last year, on May 1st, I had 22 martins here so far. 11 extra martins arrived, about an hour before dark. They really looked bad. I flipped crickets for them. Some ate, some did not. They spent the night. 2 Females perished by morning. The rest (9) pushed on north. I have no idea where they were going, but I hope I was able to save a few of them from starving. They were a mix of ASY Males & ASY Females & SY females.
We don't know what's taking place south of us. There have been many storms to the south & we just had a blizzard 2 weeks ago. Could be food is scarce along the migration route & they are delaying moving north. Also.....Sadly many areas have been heavily spraying the creeks & rivers for insects over the last few years, which has greatly depleated their food source.
We haven't had a lot of southerly winds either. A day here or there, but north winds keep pushing southward, along with a lot of rainy days. Weather outlook for central PA: March 30-April 13...The next 14 days = Only 3 days without rain & only 2 days of southerly winds. Sure doesn't look like good migration weather. Heck it's only 39/wind chill of 33 here right now at 5PM. Just had a light shower.
Those of us in the north need to do all we can, when they do arrive, to keep them going. A few days of supplemental feeding & warming up your housing on a cold night can really help to keep them alive.
As for them acting strange.... I have seen mine do the same, as they wait for others to arrive. It's like they are guarding the houses. They sleep in, fly off to feed, come back & hang out for hours, then fly off to feed & then come back & tuck in for the night. As more arrive things return to normal. Safety in numbers I guess.
Toy in PA
Last year, on May 1st, I had 22 martins here so far. 11 extra martins arrived, about an hour before dark. They really looked bad. I flipped crickets for them. Some ate, some did not. They spent the night. 2 Females perished by morning. The rest (9) pushed on north. I have no idea where they were going, but I hope I was able to save a few of them from starving. They were a mix of ASY Males & ASY Females & SY females.
We don't know what's taking place south of us. There have been many storms to the south & we just had a blizzard 2 weeks ago. Could be food is scarce along the migration route & they are delaying moving north. Also.....Sadly many areas have been heavily spraying the creeks & rivers for insects over the last few years, which has greatly depleated their food source.
We haven't had a lot of southerly winds either. A day here or there, but north winds keep pushing southward, along with a lot of rainy days. Weather outlook for central PA: March 30-April 13...The next 14 days = Only 3 days without rain & only 2 days of southerly winds. Sure doesn't look like good migration weather. Heck it's only 39/wind chill of 33 here right now at 5PM. Just had a light shower.
Those of us in the north need to do all we can, when they do arrive, to keep them going. A few days of supplemental feeding & warming up your housing on a cold night can really help to keep them alive.
As for them acting strange.... I have seen mine do the same, as they wait for others to arrive. It's like they are guarding the houses. They sleep in, fly off to feed, come back & hang out for hours, then fly off to feed & then come back & tuck in for the night. As more arrive things return to normal. Safety in numbers I guess.
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
Doug and Toy, what you both have said is so interesting. Doug, you are concerned about your pair that don't venture out often. My experience with newcomers is that they feed all day during suitable weather, then come in late at night. You are seeing them there most of the day. Very strange.
Toy, you mentioned the variation in arrival dates. Ours seemed to arrive earlier each year, but by this time we usually had at least one. One thing you mentioned was the spraying along the rivers. What is in the spray? Could that have an effect on the birds. I lived in Wisconsin when I was young, and there was a period of time when there were NO birds. The culprit turned out to be DDT, which killed insects, and the birds suffered because of bone fractures as I recall. DDT has been outlawed now I believe. But spraying can be a problem. The starlings that I am not seeing are insectivores like the martins, so they would have been eating similar foods, though martins fly for theirs, and starlings dig.
I don't know --- just seems like an unusual year. Both of you had very interesting points, and thank you for the information.
Toy, you mentioned the variation in arrival dates. Ours seemed to arrive earlier each year, but by this time we usually had at least one. One thing you mentioned was the spraying along the rivers. What is in the spray? Could that have an effect on the birds. I lived in Wisconsin when I was young, and there was a period of time when there were NO birds. The culprit turned out to be DDT, which killed insects, and the birds suffered because of bone fractures as I recall. DDT has been outlawed now I believe. But spraying can be a problem. The starlings that I am not seeing are insectivores like the martins, so they would have been eating similar foods, though martins fly for theirs, and starlings dig.
I don't know --- just seems like an unusual year. Both of you had very interesting points, and thank you for the information.
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
Sue:
My colony will also go feed all day, if weather permits, but not until more arrive. It's like they wait for safety in numbers.
I do not know what they are spraying. It's for black fly, so people can enjoy the water sports. I do know that for the last couple years we have fewer insects here. We can sit out on our front porch & not worry about mosquitoes, etc. We have seen less & less dragonflies being brought in by the martins. Lighten bugs are far & few between anymore & we have less bees of all kinds. Our neighbor noticed fewer insects on the creek when fishing. One of his friends was on the creek, fishing, when the helicopter flew over & sprayed. They say they are spraying for black fly & what ever it is they are using isn't supposed to harm other insects, birds, etc. Yeah right!...I doubt that. Many of the insects birds eat hatch out in water or a wet creek/river bank.
Starlings dig for grubs. They leave small holes all over the yard, as they drive their strong beaks into the ground. I recently read that some airports have been eliminating flocks of starlings, as they are a possible hazard to planes.
Many birds migrate south for the winter. Some to southern states, others to South America. We have no idea what type of spraying they may have used or are using down there. Add in climate change & the whole system is being messed up. We see it in the birds.
Toy in PA
My colony will also go feed all day, if weather permits, but not until more arrive. It's like they wait for safety in numbers.
I do not know what they are spraying. It's for black fly, so people can enjoy the water sports. I do know that for the last couple years we have fewer insects here. We can sit out on our front porch & not worry about mosquitoes, etc. We have seen less & less dragonflies being brought in by the martins. Lighten bugs are far & few between anymore & we have less bees of all kinds. Our neighbor noticed fewer insects on the creek when fishing. One of his friends was on the creek, fishing, when the helicopter flew over & sprayed. They say they are spraying for black fly & what ever it is they are using isn't supposed to harm other insects, birds, etc. Yeah right!...I doubt that. Many of the insects birds eat hatch out in water or a wet creek/river bank.
Starlings dig for grubs. They leave small holes all over the yard, as they drive their strong beaks into the ground. I recently read that some airports have been eliminating flocks of starlings, as they are a possible hazard to planes.
Many birds migrate south for the winter. Some to southern states, others to South America. We have no idea what type of spraying they may have used or are using down there. Add in climate change & the whole system is being messed up. We see it in the birds.
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Well mine are doing better. Although it was only around 50 degrees they were way up feeding until almost 7:00 PM. They were finding food way up. Their voices are getting crisper and louder too. I tried to feed them crickets when they cam back down to earth but the female only took one.
This is the second evening now that they were out flying and feeding. I actually cut my grass for the first time this evening after they went in.
As Toy said not real good systems with south winds for a while. So they will be taking their time. The Central US has been wet and cold too.
Doug
This is the second evening now that they were out flying and feeding. I actually cut my grass for the first time this evening after they went in.
As Toy said not real good systems with south winds for a while. So they will be taking their time. The Central US has been wet and cold too.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
Doug and Toy, I know what you are saying is correct. We fledged abut 85 babies last year so it is unlikely everyone had something happen to them. Yet the absence of starlings and sparrows makes me wonder.
One of these days I'll probably regret complaining about the starlings and sparrows, and the martins will arrive. Maybe the martins will be here a bit longer than they usually are, since they are a bit late in arriving this spring. Glad to hear that you two are doing well.
One of these days I'll probably regret complaining about the starlings and sparrows, and the martins will arrive. Maybe the martins will be here a bit longer than they usually are, since they are a bit late in arriving this spring. Glad to hear that you two are doing well.
This year is a very odd one. I got my first martin right on cue, but then only a couple more in the next 2 weeks and at this point I am only about half of where I should be at this time according to records. I am hearing from a lot of people across the country that they either have no birds at all or only a couple and this is from sites with established colonies. Something is going on. Either the birds are very late or the population has taken a drastic decline this year.
Am in Coastal GA, on the salt marsh. Had 100+ fledging from 28 to 35 gourds, apt's, for the past 20 years or so. Two years ago, had hawk attacks; this reduced the returning Martins greatly. Last year the hawk returned, drove off remaining Martins except for one brave pair. After season, lowered housing and found a snake skin. This year I have seen only one Purple Martin in our whole waterfront community. There are 6 other landlords besides myself. No one has a single bird.
I can understand my situation, with Hawk and Snake attacks (one of three poles did not have a bottom predator guard = hello snake
). BUT - where are all the Martins? I don't see them even over other areas where they used to roam. Hurricanes? Bird Flu? ??
I can understand my situation, with Hawk and Snake attacks (one of three poles did not have a bottom predator guard = hello snake
). BUT - where are all the Martins? I don't see them even over other areas where they used to roam. Hurricanes? Bird Flu? ??I know where snakes and hawks pose huge problems. But one thing I was just looking at were the reports from Pennsylvania and West Virginia in the year 2015. As I remember, it was a normal year. 2016 was abnormally warm, and I think the birds came in a bit early. However compared to 2015 in Pennsylvania on this date there were 32 reports to the PMCA. To date this year in Pennsylvania there are 9 reports. In 2015 in West Virginia on this date there were 27 reports to the PMCA. Right now there are 9 reports to the PMCA. As you stated, it seems odd that there aren't more martins reporting. Of course there could be variables such as fewer landlords reporting. I hope that it is something like that, and not some catastrophe that happened to our birds.
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Sue,
Yours will come in right after this rain clears out. By Sunday sound good? Let hope.
Doug
Yours will come in right after this rain clears out. By Sunday sound good? Let hope.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Nope still the 2 birds but they are doing good now.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Ammonite in KY
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 10:10 am
- Location: Allensville, KY
- Martin Colony History: I began in 2008 and slowly built up the number of guords that we have. We have 36 guords now and this year (2016) almost all are in use.
I'm in southern Kentucky. Have built up housing through the years. The last five years, the PUMA arrive in bunches and would be a couple dozen by now. They are very late this year. Have only 8 birds. Glad to see it isn't just me but am very concerned.
Debbie
Hoping I'm doing the right thing for the PUMA. It's a struggle for them to find enough to eat when you are surrounded by ag fields. I try to tell myself they need a place to nest but the last few years their success rate has been low.
Hoping I'm doing the right thing for the PUMA. It's a struggle for them to find enough to eat when you are surrounded by ag fields. I try to tell myself they need a place to nest but the last few years their success rate has been low.
I am also very concerned. Each year I have between 12 and 20 pair. By this time, I usually have around 4 pair. Only 3 birds have visited so far on different dates, and each only stayed around 5 minutes. I have had no predator problems. I firmly believe that something serious, either weather, disease, or human interference has affected the birds. No other sightings of martins at other colonies anywhere in the city. I hope things improve.
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Timbo
- Posts: 10
- Joined: Wed Apr 08, 2015 11:58 am
- Location: MO/Conception Junction
- Martin Colony History: 1999-2008 Nothing
2009 1 Pair Housing 1 Alamo
2010 5 Pair 1 S & K Gourd Rack
2011 7 Pair 2 Coates 6 Room
2012 13 Pair 2 M12K Converted to 6 Room
2015 27 Pair
2016 32 Pair 3 S&K 12 Converted to 6 Room
I keep record of when Martins arrive at many sites. They were all returning several weeks early before it got cloudy and cold mid march. Then they dropped off and were arriving on schedule or a few days behind. It is probably cool cloudy weather. My first one arrived today which is the 92nd day of the year. My average since 2009 is the 93rd day. 25-Mar-12 earliest and 11-Apr-14 the latest. Good Luck