Devastating loss 5 day rain event

[Jones4381]

Year was going so well with 34 active nest and over 140 babies as I departed for business trip this past week to the upper Midwest. A 5 day cool and heavy rain event with over 8" cumulative rain spelled disaster for this colony as front stalled over mid Atlantic (VA) the entire week. Nest check completed and lost 96 babies from ages of 6 days to 25 days. Currently have 54 babies that survived from 1d to 25 days old. I did not remove any adults so it appeared they all survived during this event to the best of my knowledge as the numbers of adults seems unchanged. found 1 jumper last night and put him in a nest with other 24-25 day olds.

Re nested the cavities with young and the losses and hoping the 50+ fledglings will survive. Great teaching moment for me and as I talked all this through with my youngest daughter and how these event also parrallel our lives. Life is sweet, tough, difficult, joyous, bitter, incredible....and so on...kinda like this hobby most of us in here are drawn too. Wishing all the best in our good times and not so good ones...We're a little bummed and saddened but thankful not all was lost.

[flyin-lowe]

Funny how just a few hundred miles away in Indiana we have had record drought for this time of year. Hopefully the remaining little ones have enough strength to pull through and be OK now that they are able to be fed.

[brent]

Oh boy Jones. So very sorry to hear this. I wonder how other local landlords do. What could have been done in a situation like yours? Hope the rest of the surviving chicks do well. Good luck. Brent

[Jones4381]

Thank you both and not really for sure what could have been done. When you have 3 in college at the same time and driving hard to pay as you go it leaves little time to do all the little things life calls for. We try and do the best we can but nature has a way of balancing everything and I trust in that. Tough week but you'd never know it by the adults. Maybe some will renest but in the end the skies are full with many Martins flying high now and some gourds still need younglings to tend to and there feeding away. Timing...its the key to everything...sad that 4 gourds full of 5,6,6,7 were suppose to fledge yesterday and today....but life goes on. Hopefully 50 will make it on their first flight... and it will be a big increase in the numbers fledged here from the past year...2 gourds has heads out and on day 27 estimated age, so keeping fingers crossed and office week so I can tend to best i can and witness that first flight....

[C.C.Martins]

Man, sad news i wasn't expecting. Sorry about your losses. Just shows how susceptible they are to bad weather events. Doubt even supplemental food would have sustained them all, even if you were there not sure what could have been done. That sux. Trust the weather forecast is in your favor now to get the chicks through this.
Sorry man.
Tom

[Birdiegirl]

Jones- my goodness. My momentary YAY of seeing the forum back up was short lived. I'm so very sorry to hear of your losses, what a cruel turn of events. Eight inches of rain over that short of a time period is a bit unprecedented for inland folks- kind of like a stalled-out hurricane.

I cannot fathom what you could have done in that situation other than watch helplessly. Good news is- you've worked very hard to build your numbers and will still have a banner year of babies! You certainly have an admirable frame of mind through the disappointment and I'm with you celebrating your 50+ that will take to the skies soon.

[Jones4381]

Thank you very kindly Tom and Laura.

Multiple nest checks yesterday and today moving some solo chicks to other gourds and feverishly trying to save a few more that are not so well. Fed one solo survivor soaked dried mill worms and moved to another family of 2 that survived at similar age (thankful as they are only 3 days apart 13-16 days).

Complete losses in every housing in every direction so I can't blame it on a directional rain issue or type of housing. Losses in BO11+, Bo9's, SK Barn, Excluder Plastics, and Naturals ConleyII entrances...so pretty sure it was mass starvation for 2/3 of the young, probably lost some adults too just didn't get them out of the gourds. I did put out dried mill worms in the feeder tray's where I had egg shells they had eaten up earlier in the season..but that was on TH during a heavy rain and mist day once I got home from Chicago...but probably to late...I didn't see any birds outside the gourds that entire day.

Anyway I'll update the final tally which will be much less than the 160 fledges I had expected just little over a week ago. Still very thankful this didn't happen last year or the year before that could have led to a colony collapse. In the end I expect fervent growth again next season...this season had surpassed my expectations or hopes of 15 pair so we will remain positive and upbeat about things we can control and not try and be to sad about events beyond our control. Thanks for all the nice post while we were depressed and processing the losses as it does affect ones mental health (whole family was down in the dumps). Still we will view it as a positive year just not the Great Year we had hoped for and the family is healing and excited about seeing the upcoming fledges...We're going to hope and do all we can to see these 50+ make it... Peace Rod.

PS, Moving to mostly all new plastics next year. Going to get 36 of the Boaxis gourds and replace some naturals and add 6 more to reach 60 cavities (that's our max). Put 1 up as a test horizontally and it has an SY pair that just had 5 pinkies yesterday in it (put OWL guards on it too, I like how it looks)...so there was some pleasant surprises and not all bad. I really like this new gourd and going to invest in it...I'm going to use them mostly horizontal but on the main rack I'll use them Vertically as they are interchangeable...pretty cool design they did.

[Martintown33]

Very sorry to hear this Jones… that’s a tough one… I hope your surviving chicks all make it to fledging!
Good luck
Rob

[Martin man RI]

The same type of event happen here in the northeast in 2021. Hundreds of Martin chicks perished. The horror to go to sites and not one bird heard or seen 2022 warm and dry
spring 2023 there numbers are back to normal.. You hate to see this happen but its temporary the birds will make a strong come back in two yrs. In 2005 we had rain five days
the entire population wiped right out in late May. Not a Martin was heard or seen for five days when another small group that was late flew in. The ground littered with martins
We have come a long way in New England but we all know we are at the northern limits and die off are the norm you are well south and im sure you will recover rapidly. Put out of
your mind enjoy the summer go to the beach or what ever you enjoy. The martins will be back and the recovery start in 2024. We cannot control the weather. im sure the martins know that too. The martins left the stricken area and headed south a month early. I was happen this time around was the chicks only that perished. Extended periods of rain affect everyone
no matter where you live. Best of luck in few yrs you will be doing the happy martin dance again. You will really enjoy the site of them in the spring after this event. I did.

Ray
Rhode Island

[BillieJR]

I am so very sorry to hear of your loss. I can only imagine how upsetting and heartbreaking it was to look at gourd after gourd to find so many had perished. I'm so glad you still have 50+ that survived and will give you much joy this season yet. Hoping and praying for good weather and good luck with your remaining colony.

[Jones4381]

Thank you all again...upsetting no doubt but the joy in seeing these remaining 54 fledge will be rewarding in its own way. 34 active gourds down to 12 still active and we are watching those intently until they all get airborne. Nature is unrelenting, life giving, devastating, all while beautiful and I do believe in its design and purpose, its just my pea brain can't understand it sometimes. Nice having the support of this wonderful group of Martin loyalist in here...thanks Bio Joe for getting the forum back up...it helps.