Female peeking out

[Diane Porter]

I have been sort of worried about whether we'd actually caught a colony this year or not. Two weeks ago there was a lot of squabbling and chirping, but now things are really quiet. I see evidence of nesting in the gourds, but most of the day the martins are not around. I was starting to think they had abandoned the site.

This morning the one adult male was sitting on the porch of the gourd that contained three eggs a couple days ago. He chirped some, but really he was pretty still. Just perched there like he had all the time in the world. And a female was peeking out of another gourd. This is the first time I've seen that happen. I think we have a colony, after six years of no birds.

A female peeks out

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[Whippy]

Diane,

Great picture. My 5 year experience tells me that when the females begin peaking out like that they are claiming their territory or laying or both. That's when you know they plan to stick around.

Congratulations and way to keep at it for so long.

Coolwhips

[Kegger]

love the picture Diane,and happy for you.

[Rediwill]

Did you see nest building already? Have you done any nest checks? what did you see? This is a good sign if the female is doing that. My female is doing that when she is awaiting the male to return so she can grab a drink or bite quickly and then she returns to incubate more. All, that chirping in the beginning was just the courting phase. I have a solo make that still tried to steal one of my pairs females and they get in fights some days but the pair drive him off eventually. Hope you see eggs and can look forward to babies and fledglings. Next year I hope they return and bring friends for you.


Red.

[Diane Porter]

Well, it is fascinating and curious! I just looked into the gourds. Mid afternoon, because I don't see activity at this time of day. I was dying to look in where the three eggs were last time I looked.

So I opened the lid, and there was a purple martin on the nest! She had stayed on her eggs while I lowered the rack and opened the gourd, so I didn't get to count the eggs. She flew out when the rack was half way up again, and I didn't want to take it back down and maybe scare her.

I think the one ASY male is the male partner of that nest. He perches on its porch a lot, or on the gourd above it. I'm adding his photo again as I'm not sure if it showed last time. I call him Prince Albert, and his mate Queen Victoria. (Corny, I know.)

None of the other gourds have eggs or green leaves that are still green. Another gourd, from which the female was peeking out in my previous post, has had straw brought in, but there are no eggs. There are three pieces of leaf, all pale and dried out. I don't know if that means she is going to lay eggs or has given up the attempt! I do see SY martins going in and out of the gourd sometimes. There are at most 6 birds active around the pole in the mornings and evenings.

So what do you guys think? Is the nest with the straw and the three dried leaves and the peeking female going to be a family also?

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