The year has been eventful as every year with some crappy weather in May that saw hurting hatch rates from the earliest pairs (5 eggs 1 hatchling etc...in multiple gourds on primary rack 1 24 gourds). Weather finally turned and SY showed up in mass and filled 60 gourd colony to 54 active nest with 2 others nest only and 4 empties. All going typical with only about 11 jumpers in late June as fledges begin their new journey, we used the toss in the high method and some went off and put others back in gourds and used a temp emergency gourd that saved 2 we think. only found 1 dead fledge as the parents drove it down into the field (uncut) and we couldn't locate him (darn...he/she almost made it...I know it sux). Found it 2 days later on a mowed area for our daily walks in and around the property. Guessing it died of dehydration/starvation.
Then we had, for the first time in my 5 years being a landlord, a 3 day hawk attack (estimated around 12-15 individual attacks seemingly every few hours each day) from a very large and able Coopers Hawk. I am not 100% of the I.D. as the hawk was much bigger than I expected (larger than a crow) is what I'd estimate but very agile and determined with a very long tail and rounded wings with incredible flying abilities. Although we never actually witnessed a successful attack we did find 2 gourds with the entire clutch dead (early aged 4-8 days) where we expect the parents were predated by the hawk, but only an assumption. The defensive array of the 100+ Martins was impressive and very loud covering a large area of the sky on our property....it seemed they had done almost 3 layers (high, medium, and lower level flights in circular patterns looking for the Hawk as it retreated into the Northern Woods of the property or further away from the Colony to the West in the deep forest. Once the Hawk reached forest cover it was able to most of the time regroup and the Martins would eventually lose track of him until the next attack, they did however stay very defensive during these days but feeding kept going on after about 45 min or so break after each attack for defensive maneuvers.
One particular morning around 6am as I was walking the dogs on our .5mile walk around a field edge that ends towards our house and the 4 racks, I couldn't help but notice the eerie silence as nothing was moving above or in the gourds to my ears and sight which is a typical of early mornings here with much bird chatter everywhere. Then as our Goldens and German Shephard went further in front of me, the Coopers flew from a nearby tree between my yard and the north woods that lay in a perfect ambush spot for Martins fledging or going towards the pond at the bottom of the property some 300 feet away for a drink or the casual dragonfly snack....I assume I spoiled that hunting attempt but pretty sure the Hawk was successful in catching some Martins but again, I didn't see any on the 4 attacks I personally witnessed. As quickly as the attacks happened over 3 days from June 27-June 29th they ended and the colony has been at peace ever since and no signs of the Coopers since its sudden disappearance. I'd like to think the Red Shouldered Hawks ran him off but I don't actually believe that...I believe he got what he came for and moved onto new hunting grounds.
I suppose the most embarrassing part of the experience was while sitting at my Pool side early one of those mornings and the Hawk appeared out of no where and only a few feet away from a fleeing adult as it darted and zig zagged with the Cooper in hot pursuit....I jumped up and with a mighty yell....could only muster "HEY!!" Then a second later "HAWK" "HEY!!!"....I know pretty weak right...but under the gun that's what happened and pretty disappointed in myself but it's strange how we all react when we are startled...(It's easy to say what I would have done etc. etc......but I choked in the moment for sure that time when the sh#t was hitting the fan...I'll get better next time
) All in all, it's part of the overall ecosystem that I love and have helped create here, and it does frustrate you a little when it happens to one of your star performers....thought I'd share and now back to enjoying the peace once more listening to the soft chirps during fledge time with the visitors and one's remaining fluttering outside the gourds in large numbers encouraging the next 'little one' to take that first flight! But the Hawk attacks were a part of the story and a memory I'll keep and tell often to the locals who are now asking me all kinds of PM questions
Happy Martining everyone.