What up with an egg in a super sparce nest?
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- Posts: 313
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 7:03 pm
- Location: Scott County Kentucky
- Martin Colony History: 34 cavities (combo of T-14, barns, and gourds)
2020- Visitors
2021- 1 pair, 5 fledged
2022- 11 pair, 36 fledged
2023- 20 pair, 78 fledged
I posted last week about two nests built with unusual materials. Today I want to ask about REALLY underwhelming nests. I have two nests with barely a sprig or two of material. One has just couple strands of hay and two eggs, the other a couple green leaves and one egg. Egg count has remained the same for the past two nest checks (7 days apart). I had this happen in a nest last year too- no surprise the egg last year never hatched. I don't expect these will either. So what is going on? Inexperienced/SY birds? A pair utilizing two nests? When I first noticed them should I have provided nesting materials?
Laura
PMCA member
PMCA member
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- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Hi Laura… sometimes, inexperienced SY’s will build very skimpy nests.. when I see that, I help them out by sliding pine needles underneath, what they have built.. I even beef up decent built nests, in the same way.. I figure it’s easier to beef up a nest early on, than to deal with eggs not hatching, or other issues..
Good luck
Rob
Good luck
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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- Posts: 2879
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair.
HOSP: 52 Starlings: 29
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 6 room trio mini castle with troyer tunnels and enlarged compartments.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair,
PMCA member
Sounds like a real subbie nest!!!!
Do you put pine needles in the cavities before they get there? It helps in these cases, just a matter of tucking the material under the eggs in cases of thin nests.
If not, can add a layer of nesting material under the eggs? I don't think they will abandon because eggs are present. Its a touchy one.
They are just inexperienced.
Do you put pine needles in the cavities before they get there? It helps in these cases, just a matter of tucking the material under the eggs in cases of thin nests.
If not, can add a layer of nesting material under the eggs? I don't think they will abandon because eggs are present. Its a touchy one.
They are just inexperienced.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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- Posts: 313
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 7:03 pm
- Location: Scott County Kentucky
- Martin Colony History: 34 cavities (combo of T-14, barns, and gourds)
2020- Visitors
2021- 1 pair, 5 fledged
2022- 11 pair, 36 fledged
2023- 20 pair, 78 fledged
Thanks guys- I figured SYs could be the culprits. We'll do another nest check this weekend, so I'll add some hay for them. The martins around here don't use pine needles and instead use hay bales, grass clippings, and white oak leaves. Hopefully they will appreciate the help ![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Laura
PMCA member
PMCA member
-
- Posts: 2879
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair.
HOSP: 52 Starlings: 29
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 6 room trio mini castle with troyer tunnels and enlarged compartments.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair,
PMCA member
Hey Laura,
Try prenesting before the birds arrive, the older birds add to it for sure but the young ones typically don't or add just a little. We have 5 or 6 subbie pairs at the preserve, difficult to tell early on if they are actually nesting because their nest isn't all that. I just wait for eggs in their case.
A good bed of pine needles is important for a number of reasons. I don't want them on the ground over long gathering nesting material, I think they waste energy, finally, gives them somewhere warm and dry when they arrive. I used hay one year and it got moldy. There is one, just one, stand of pine trees here in corpus, took me years before I found it. Iv bags and bags of pine needles. In fact, ill go get some more here soon going to be an active hurricane season...if we get hit there may be little left![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
Try prenesting before the birds arrive, the older birds add to it for sure but the young ones typically don't or add just a little. We have 5 or 6 subbie pairs at the preserve, difficult to tell early on if they are actually nesting because their nest isn't all that. I just wait for eggs in their case.
A good bed of pine needles is important for a number of reasons. I don't want them on the ground over long gathering nesting material, I think they waste energy, finally, gives them somewhere warm and dry when they arrive. I used hay one year and it got moldy. There is one, just one, stand of pine trees here in corpus, took me years before I found it. Iv bags and bags of pine needles. In fact, ill go get some more here soon going to be an active hurricane season...if we get hit there may be little left
![Smile :)](./images/smilies/icon_smile.gif)
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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- Posts: 313
- Joined: Sun May 24, 2020 7:03 pm
- Location: Scott County Kentucky
- Martin Colony History: 34 cavities (combo of T-14, barns, and gourds)
2020- Visitors
2021- 1 pair, 5 fledged
2022- 11 pair, 36 fledged
2023- 20 pair, 78 fledged
Ah- I still have much to learn from the veteran landlords! I will try pre-nesting with pine needles next year. I had not considered the mold factor!!! Not many pines around here, but I'll be on the lookout...
Texas sure has had its share of storms lately- you all deserve a break!
Texas sure has had its share of storms lately- you all deserve a break!
Laura
PMCA member
PMCA member
-
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Agree, pine needles are a drier material to pre nest with…I’m lucky to have access to pines here, but if you can’t find pine needles in your area, they are sold by the box , online…
Good luck,
Rob
Good luck,
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
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- Posts: 658
- Joined: Fri Jan 12, 2007 7:43 pm
- Location: Paulina, Louisiana
I get my pine needles from PMCA. Just look at the top of the page for "Shop Purple Martin". Search for '"Pine Straw". It comes in about three days in a nice dry box. One small box covers my three S&K houses and have some left over.
-
- Posts: 2879
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair.
HOSP: 52 Starlings: 29
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 6 room trio mini castle with troyer tunnels and enlarged compartments.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair,
PMCA member
What we need is rain! All those storms were well north of us. Between you, me, and the forum....im hoping for a hurricane. I need a new roof anyway.....Birdiegirl wrote: ↑Wed May 22, 2024 8:39 amTexas sure has had its share of storms lately- you all deserve a break!
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.