Earliest start ever by a few weeks.

flyin-lowe · Tue Mar 11, 2025 5:55 pm

I was home at lunch today and thought I saw a glimpse of a martin fly by out the window. I went out for a few minutes and sure enough and ASY female swooped down. I was able to get s short video on my phone as I saw it fly away and then start back my direction. I am guessing it was one of mine or one that has been here before because both times I saw it, it was in the area of my housing, but my houses are not up yet. So it's unlikely a martin would be swooping by the empty poles. I put a few gourds up and have not seen it since. I'll be curious to see if it is here in the morning. The good news is, as of right now the weather is forecasted to be at normal or a little above the next few weeks. Hopefully the forecast stays on track. Since 2008 I have only had 4 arrivals before April first, with the earliest ever being March 20th. I am curious to see if they start flowing in earlier this year as a whole or if this is just a lone female who took off earlier than normal. I was planning to put part of my T14 up today, just to trap and shoot HOSP from. I figured I had a couple weeks to work on the HOSP. I can still work on them though...

C.C.Martins · Wed Mar 12, 2025 5:36 am

Tend to agree with you, a migrating through martin wouldn't make passes like that would they? Boy that would be early! Hope she does return, sounds like weather is going to cooperate.
Good timing on your part to be there!

Jones4381 · Wed Mar 12, 2025 5:38 am

flyin-lowe wrote: ↑
Tue Mar 11, 2025 5:55 pm
I was home at lunch today and thought I saw a glimpse of a martin fly by out the window. I went out for a few minutes and sure enough and ASY female swooped down. I was able to get s short video on my phone as I saw it fly away and then start back my direction. I am guessing it was one of mine or one that has been here before because both times I saw it, it was in the area of my housing, but my houses are not up yet. So it's unlikely a martin would be swooping by the empty poles. I put a few gourds up and have not seen it since. I'll be curious to see if it is here in the morning. The good news is, as of right now the weather is forecasted to be at normal or a little above the next few weeks. Hopefully the forecast stays on track. Since 2008 I have only had 4 arrivals before April first, with the earliest ever being March 20th. I am curious to see if they start flowing in earlier this year as a whole or if this is just a lone female who took off earlier than normal. I was planning to put part of my T14 up today, just to trap and shoot HOSP from. I figured I had a couple weeks to work on the HOSP. I can still work on them though...

Holy Moly! Early here too... thankful as the next 10 days show 60's and 70's with only 40's-50's for lows...Martins seem to know more than we sometimes....Spring is here

flyin-lowe · Wed Mar 12, 2025 8:27 pm

She was here today when I got home from work sitting in a gourd chilling out with her head sticking out. I am guessing she might be alone for a week or two, but who knows the others may be close behind as well. Starting to see more reports this far north so they might just be early all around this year.

C.C.Martins · Thu Mar 13, 2025 6:50 am

Good, glad she is back. Yeah, she will be a loner for a bit but not long.
Well like I always say, early is on time...on time is late.

With that pellet gun, you will have no worries knocking back the sparrows.

Martintown33 · Thu Mar 13, 2025 4:55 pm

Great news on your early arrival and the weather forecast. Sounds like they’ll be rolling in soon!
Good luck!
Rob

Dave Reynolds · Fri Mar 14, 2025 7:29 pm

…flying-lowe…. Sounds like he/she is one of yours.. Congratulations ,, Hope the weather holds out for ya…

Dave

flyin-lowe · Fri Mar 14, 2025 8:30 pm

Temps are looking ok, but that band of storms that has being moving across the country is supposed to hit us overnight tonight and into tomorrow morning. Forecasting 70+ mph winds and tornado's. I lowered the gourd rack today and it only has 6 gourds on it so it won't be near as heavy or catching as much wind as if it were fully loaded.

flyin-lowe · Sat Mar 15, 2025 10:12 am

2nd female showed up this morning so looks like they will be filing in. It is amazing how quick it goes from one or two to 50 or 60, it will be loud around here in a few weeks. Just hoping the weather stays decent. Right now with just a couple I can feed without much trouble. If we get bad weather after 50-60 martins get here it could be issues. I have only had a feed a few times and those times there were less then 20 martins at my site.

flyin-lowe · Fri Mar 21, 2025 10:54 am

So after just over a week I have 5 adults here (3F and 2M). Yesterday temps stayed in the 30's and this morning it was in the high twenties. I went out a couple hours after sunrise just to see if they were hungry enough to take some flipped bee larvae. Some of them I have back must be ones I have fed before because the very first flip they took. I am leaving town on Monday afternoon for the week and most of next week highs are only in the mid to high 40's. Hopefully they can forage some, Ill try to feed them one time good before I leave and they are on their own next week. I expect to have quite a few more back when I get home next Friday.