COLD WEATHER ALERT-LOUISIANA!!
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PMDavid
- Posts: 534
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 8:50 pm
- Location: Boyce,Louisiana
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 lone nut and lots of visitors
2019 6 pair -21fledged
2020 18 pair -60 fledged
2021......to be seen.
24 natural gourds on a satellite rack,9 other gourds scattered around
2-12 compartment trio houses
Rarely see a sparrow or starling,but when I do they don’t last long!
Will have a second satellite rack for the 2022 season and phase out the houses,the martins here strongly prefer natural gourds.
Hey guys how’s everyone .....just wanted to offer a heads up in case y’all haven’t seen it yet. For Louisiana ,mostly central and northern portions of the state.....starting NEXT Thursday through the weekend they are predicting temps in the low 20’s and 30’s and some snow and snow showers. Do what you can in prep for your birds. I would image some very low temps will also be a getting down to south Louisiana where some of you are that I know and correspond with.
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PMDavid
- Posts: 534
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 8:50 pm
- Location: Boyce,Louisiana
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 lone nut and lots of visitors
2019 6 pair -21fledged
2020 18 pair -60 fledged
2021......to be seen.
24 natural gourds on a satellite rack,9 other gourds scattered around
2-12 compartment trio houses
Rarely see a sparrow or starling,but when I do they don’t last long!
Will have a second satellite rack for the 2022 season and phase out the houses,the martins here strongly prefer natural gourds.
Brent ,I like you I’m sure are now worried! I don’t really have an answer about closing cavities unless it would be to force them to go where they already are going in so you could handwarmer those specifically.. that’s my best guess. Also recheck earlier post about possible first arrival.
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Conrad Baker
- Posts: 763
- Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm
- Location: Paulina, Louisiana
Not sure I would close any cavities. Might get a straggler that is looking for a dry place. You just might save a PM that would have to fly off to try to find housing somewhere else.
Also, not sure how effective the handwarmers would be. I use them while hunting, and they only last 4 hours or so. Any heat in this weather would help the PM, but you would have to replace the handwarmers at least twice a day to be truly effective.
Also, not sure how effective the handwarmers would be. I use them while hunting, and they only last 4 hours or so. Any heat in this weather would help the PM, but you would have to replace the handwarmers at least twice a day to be truly effective.
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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.
Also check for martins stuck in cramped compartments. They will often huddle together & get stuck inside.
Toy in PA
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
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Stacy B.
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Mon Jan 25, 2021 11:04 am
- Location: Leroy, Louisiana
- Martin Colony History: 2018- visitors only
2019- 8 pair, fledged 32
2020- 18 pair, fledged 91
2021-
Also host 1 pair of bluebirds and barn swallows
Every year. Avg. 3-5 fledglings each annually.
Good news is,
I have 15 martins on housing this morning. Had 6 previously, with 9 more showing up in the past few days including more females arriving. (Counted at least 4 females today).
The bad news is,
being in the deep South La. I'm not especially worried about them until the temps. Drop below freezing for extended periods, with daytime highs not getting above 45°. Which down south almost never happens. Well, for the first time in my 3 yrs. Of martining that's about to happen and I'm nervous. I don't want to loose my 3 yr. Investment into my growing colony. I've really grown to love my birds and hate to loose even one to the cold. 26° forecast lows With 40s for highs, for 3-4 consecutive days is insane for my area! I have hand warmers ready but I'm not confident they will produce heat thru the night.
Main concern.
I have several martins that have chosen cavities facing NORTH!!??
what do I do to help them? Any advice on that is much appreciated!
I know they are wild animals, and I normally will take a hands off approach and intervene only in a life or death situation. This may very well be one of those situations.
Can anyone speak to the north facing cavities?
Thanks in advance
I have 15 martins on housing this morning. Had 6 previously, with 9 more showing up in the past few days including more females arriving. (Counted at least 4 females today).
The bad news is,
being in the deep South La. I'm not especially worried about them until the temps. Drop below freezing for extended periods, with daytime highs not getting above 45°. Which down south almost never happens. Well, for the first time in my 3 yrs. Of martining that's about to happen and I'm nervous. I don't want to loose my 3 yr. Investment into my growing colony. I've really grown to love my birds and hate to loose even one to the cold. 26° forecast lows With 40s for highs, for 3-4 consecutive days is insane for my area! I have hand warmers ready but I'm not confident they will produce heat thru the night.
Main concern.
I have several martins that have chosen cavities facing NORTH!!??
what do I do to help them? Any advice on that is much appreciated!
I know they are wild animals, and I normally will take a hands off approach and intervene only in a life or death situation. This may very well be one of those situations.
Can anyone speak to the north facing cavities?
Thanks in advance
Stacy B.
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PMDavid
- Posts: 534
- Joined: Wed May 16, 2018 8:50 pm
- Location: Boyce,Louisiana
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 lone nut and lots of visitors
2019 6 pair -21fledged
2020 18 pair -60 fledged
2021......to be seen.
24 natural gourds on a satellite rack,9 other gourds scattered around
2-12 compartment trio houses
Rarely see a sparrow or starling,but when I do they don’t last long!
Will have a second satellite rack for the 2022 season and phase out the houses,the martins here strongly prefer natural gourds.
Hey there Stacy, is Leroy up above Columbia on the way to Beauf river? On the matter of the north facing holes ,sorry since we can’t talk to the birds and tell em to move to the other side they are where there. I noticed your uncertainty about the hand warmers not lasting all night though. My only answer there is that 6-7+ hrs of some heat is better than no heat at all. I went yesterday and found some with a 2024 expiration date as opposed to the ones I had that said expires 4-2020. Fresher product. They also say “up to 10hrs instead of the 7 hr ones.