Buddy returns early....once again!

[Jones4381]

I have been looking for a sign of a "Buddy offspring" because I sure will miss him coming in so early. So I am hoping.

If you would meet Buddy you would know him. He is truly a one of a kind bird. Heck I can even tell his voice from the others at my site. When the same bird, comes home to the same gourd, every year a few weeks earlier that the rest and he comes to you when you whistle...... well that's all the proof I need. No other bird is so tame and practically eats from my hand. I don't flip him crickets with a spoon. He snatches them a few inches from my hand.

You are all welcome to doubt this is a 13 year old bird. But I believe it 100%. No doubt whatsoever.

This has been an amazing spring for him. He is doing so well and is actually the best he has ever been. He is the total leader and the Alpha Male. He is the hawk expert, and gets the entire colony syncronized as they show up. He didn't get the first girl, but he currently has 2 fighting over him. He attracts migrating birds to the site in the evening and gives them a place to stay for the night. I swear he must be charging room and board lol.

I am sure of another thing. Martins have a language and can communicate with each other. Buddy is the ultimate communicator. He is a real leader. He is very smart too. There was a very droopy male Martin at my site there other day. It was crazy that is gravitated to where Buddy stays. It sat out on his porch in the rain and tried to go in his gourd. I have seen Buddy not take this well in the past when another male tries to move in on his territory. But this guy he showed compassion, got him out fairly nicely, and got him to go in the empty gourd next door.

For now I will sit back and admire this"king of the Martins". I am lucky to witness this.

Doug

Great stuff! I enjoy this immensely. Carry on Sir!

[Martintown33]

I agree with you! Buddy is definitely a one of a kind! Good luck!
Rob

[Kegger]

Congrats Doug! Great to hear this once again!

[birdman in buckhead]

I lost my "Buddy" last year. "Barney" was the alpha male of my colony. He and his mate, Wilma, started the colony 8 years ago, and were always the first to arrive. Last year, Barney and Wilma arrived and took up residence in their normal unit - the middle unit facing northeast in a 6-compartment house (converted from the original 12 - 6"x6" compartment house to a 6 - 6"x12" compartment house). Everything was proceeding as always, with ASY birds arriving almost daily until there were about 17 pairs here - I have a total of 20 units, the house plus 14 gourds. After nests were built, all the females started laying eggs, except Wilma. At first, I didn't give it much thought, but after 2 - 3 weeks and still no eggs, something had to be physically wrong with either Barney or with Wilma. Then, when the other pair's hatchlings were about to start fledging, Barney and Wilma disappeared and never returned.

I thought a hawk may have gotten them, but since Wilma didn't lay any eggs there's probably another explanation. Have any other landlords experienced this? Do male PMs become unable to do their part in the breeding process? Do females become infertile and unable to produce eggs?

I'm just curious. The colony is healthy. 80 fledged last year. This year, 18 or 19 ASY pairs are here, and nest building is in full swing. I haven't spotted any SY birds, yet. But normally, at least one pair arrives and most years there's a rude SY male that harasses ASY birds until the males reach their tipping point and put the SY male in his place!

[Jones4381]

I lost my "Buddy" last year. "Barney" was the alpha male of my colony. He and his mate, Wilma, started the colony 8 years ago, and were always the first to arrive. Last year, Barney and Wilma arrived and took up residence in their normal unit - the middle unit facing northeast in a 6-compartment house (converted from the original 12 - 6"x6" compartment house to a 6 - 6"x12" compartment house). Everything was proceeding as always, with ASY birds arriving almost daily until there were about 17 pairs here - I have a total of 20 units, the house plus 14 gourds. After nests were built, all the females started laying eggs, except Wilma. At first, I didn't give it much thought, but after 2 - 3 weeks and still no eggs, something had to be physically wrong with either Barney or with Wilma. Then, when the other pair's hatchlings were about to start fledging, Barney and Wilma disappeared and never returned.

I thought a hawk may have gotten them, but since Wilma didn't lay any eggs there's probably another explanation. Have any other landlords experienced this? Do male PMs become unable to do their part in the breeding process? Do females become infertile and unable to produce eggs?

I'm just curious. The colony is healthy. 80 fledged last year. This year, 18 or 19 ASY pairs are here, and nest building is in full swing. I haven't spotted any SY birds, yet. But normally, at least one pair arrives and most years there's a rude SY male that harasses ASY birds until the males reach their tipping point and put the SY male in his place!

All species has a clock that works against them biologically in some fashion or another. My first ASY male arrival last year went through 2 nesting periods in the same gourd with a total of 9 eggs that never hatched even though the first female was on the next for at least 25 days+ first go around. Not 100% certain both females were predated or if it was on the female side of the infertility but my guess is Zeus lost his lighting over the years or maybe was sick or something else like parasites drove off the female...etc.etc... (I emphasize guess as I'm no avian biologist). Happens to both sides of the coins as we age out I've always presumed (keeps nature's strongest of the fittest thing in place). No other signs of issues as most other nest that laid - hatched - and fledged besides the normal SY's that have a stray egg or two that gets abandoned. I will watch out on the same gourd again to see if it occurs again (assuming its the same male...I can't tell any of them apart but don't observe consistently enough to be sure).