Hi Forum Members.
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted to the Forum. I thought I would provide annual update to my purple martin colony located in Silver Lake, WA. I learned long ago that I could extend my martin season by watching the annual migration begin arriving in the most southern part of the US in early January if not late December. Since I live in Washington state, my earliest arrival was late March. Usually ASY birds start to show up around the second week in April.
I started my colony from scratch in 2004. A single pair of SY martins claimed a gourd placed on a single pole primarily to attract Tree swallows. The young pair built a nest in early July, added green leaves but didn’t lay even a single egg. It was a pleasure watching them that year because they attracted visitors, usually 6 to eight that would fly around and spend a little time then depart the area. That lasted a couple weeks but by early August they were gone. I doubted they would return again the following year, but to my surprise they did and I had three pair of martins in 2005 that nested, raised and fledged 15 young birds that year.
With the help of mentors from the Western Purple Martin Working Group, the PMCA Forum, and other martin enthusiast that I contacted I made it a mission to become a martin landlord, knowing that attracting martins in the Pacific Northwest might be a challenge in itself.
The following years have become so rewarding and such a surprise they need to be shared.
In 2018 my colony reached super colony status with over 100 pair of martins. Something I made a goal around many years prior. Two years ago I received a T-14 from a friend that passed away too early in life. I’ve had a single T-14 for several years and within the first few years I had it, it was fully occupied and the first cavities to fledge young each season.
The new T-14 was fully occupied this season.
My season is winding down with four or five pair still raising chicks, one with young only a few days old. Should they survive and fledge it will be mid September by the time my last martins leave. Needless to say this extends my martin season well past the usual departure dates. This season I offered 132 cavities and hosted 121 pair of West Coast martins.
Here’s wishing all a pleasant martin off season and can’t wait to start again next spring.
Ken Buker
Silver Lake, Washington
2026 season from Silver Lake, Washington
-
ken buker
- Posts: 77
- Joined: Thu Nov 20, 2003 9:51 pm
- Location: Washington/Silver Lake
- Martin Colony History: Started backyard colony at Silver lake in June 2004 with single pair of SY martins. Built a nest, no eggs, they left by late July. Returned 2005 and colony grew to three pair successfully raising and fledging 15 healthy young. In 2018 this colony was 110 pair strong and thriving. Managed a small colony along the lower Columbia river west of Longview, WA for a few years prior to starting my colony at Silver Lake.