Chances of one pair returning

[detioh11]

Hello all,

I was wondering other people's thoughts on the chances of 1 ASY pair returning to a sight they successfully raised young at last year. Last year was my first year to have a pair and I have not seen a single Martin so far this year. I have 4 other active sights within 5-15 miles that I know of and they all have birds. Some of those sights got one male very early but the rest were very slow and late in coming. The neighboring sites seem to only get a couple pair a piece. We are not swimming in Martins in my part of central Michigan. Anyway if there is a 50% chance that an adult will return doesn't that mean there is only a 25% chance that neither the male or female will return? Only time will tell for sure I guess.

Thanks
Dennis

[Mhoover]

The Martins are slow coming back this year. I finally got an influx of 8 in the past four days. Until then I just had one pair. Your martins will probably appear within a few days as the weather is due to improve by the weekend in the midwest.
I think that there is a better chance of ASY birds returning than SYs. The adults know what to expect on the northward migration.

[Rockchalk]

I'm hardly an expert... far from it in fact, but I may add some encouraging news. I had one single pair last season in a house that had no martins for a looooong time. Same location, same spot, same compartment in the same house... have a martin building a nest right now. I'd bet it's the returning parent/s from last year or one of their fledglings. Can't know for sure I guess but the fact that they chose the same compartment seams it is likely them. Good luck!!!

[Doug Martin - PA]

The good.
Male Martins are extremely loyal to their previous site. As long as weather does not get him he should be back. The chances of his return are very, very, good and he will be along very soon if that is the case.

The bad.
Females that nest previously as a single pair or among only a few pairs seem to be attracted into a bigger colonies the following year. I am not sure they like the experience of solitary site after it occurs. So I think her chances are low to return. Also if your male got caught up in this latest round of bad weather that would not be good.

The good again.
Should your male martin return by himself, it may take a while, but he should remain loyal and attract a new SY female and a few more subbie males or pairs to your site. However much of this activity will occur somewhat later in the season.

At least those are my thoughts.

Doug

[Nealbopper]

I live East of you and a little south in Oakland. I have had a house up for four years, nothing. However, I have seen birds come by, I saw a Sub Adult Male last Wednesday, (nice weather) but he flew North. I'm hoping warmer weather brings them near to me. Wish me luck too.

[Mitch Booth]

Dennis,

I have hosted martins every other year I've tried to get them. So I'm batting a big fat zero on returning birds. I'm to the point now that I'd rather not even get one pair so my expectations will be in check for the following year. Both years I only had one pair. The first pair successfully fledged young the second pair two years later had all the nestlings die to cold rain for an extended period.

If history repeats itself I should get martins this year.

Mitch

[avesrun]

Hi Dennis:

I had a single successful pair last season at my home (asy male/female). the male showed up like clockwork about the same date of last season's arrival. The female has not shown up thus far. The male stayed 7 straight nites until crappy weather hit for 5 consecutive days; I did not see him for those days and for 4 days after the weather broke; However, he is back at this time and has brought in an sy female and they are using the same gourd as last season. This all substantiates what Doug-PA has expressed regarding the EXTREME site fidelity of asy males. I have recently also had additional (3) asy males and another sy female frequenting the site which is a good thing.

Unless the asy male of the pair you had last season did not survive the migration south or the return north, chances are great that he will return this season. How far from last year's arrival date are you at this point? Good luck and I hope BOTH of your martins from last season return!

TimG

[detioh11]

Thank you everyone for the encouragement. It is very nerve wracking waiting like this. They are worth it though. Good luck to the rest of u also. Maybe the subbies that are headed this way will find all of our sites attractive.

[detioh11]

Last year my pair showed up Memorial Day weekend which was the last weekend in may. I figured he would be earlier this year. We spotted Martins flying around the third week of May and that weekend they picked a compartment in my t14 and almost immediately started neat building. Scouts show up around April 15th in this area. I figured he would at least be sometime in April this year but I know it has been slow migrating for a lot of the country this year.

[Courtney-NC]

I also had 1 pair last year at my home site. This year, I have 3 pairs.
All the males are ASY. Two of the females are ASY, and one is SY. I know my founding male came back, as he was the first one to arrive, and very promptly and without hesitation went right back into the same gourd he used last year, which I hung in the same spot.
I don't know if the same female came back, as this one took a while to decide she wanted to stay in 'his' gourd.

[detioh11]

I think my ASY male from last year just showed up today . He was only at the house for 10 minutes or so, but he kept going to the same compartment he used last year. Hopefully he is just out trying to find a female right now. I am a little nervous because I have the S&K Tunnels on my T14 and last year I left the round and crescent holes open at the same time all season. The male always used the round hole and the female eventually started using the crescent. This year I have the round hole plugged because I have some starlings showing up every few days. Hopefully having his round hole plugged and just the crescent available won't spook him.


Dennis