Today we finished up a final nest check for the season and started taking down our gourds. We are cleaning them and making needed repairs for next year.
Totals for 2009 are:
Pairs: 92
Eggs laid 475 - several didn't hatch, 4 dead young 1-2 days old with 2 egg encapsulations, few eggs came up missing, several babies missing right after hatching.
Fledged: 417
No jumpers!!
We had 108 cavities until early May. We decided to add another gourd rack (Super System) on which we put 17 more cavities (ended up with 8 pair on that rack).Our T-14 is the least favorite of our martins.
In 2010 we are planning to add tunnels on every other t-14 cavitiy hoping they will like the T-14 better. Our plans are to try the T-14 one more year. If we don't have better results next year with the T-14, we will probably take it down and add a gourd rack. We will probably add one more gourd rack in 2010. We are hoping to be considered a super colony in 2010.
2009 Final Nest Check Results
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Scott D.- La
- Posts: 823
- Joined: Thu Jun 08, 2006 8:35 am
- Location: Louisiana
Congrats Terri,
You had a wonderful season at 417 fledged. You have really come a long way!
You had a wonderful season at 417 fledged. You have really come a long way!
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Birdy Girl
These are very good results. I don't know if you send in a project Martin Watch form -- I try to using good data from at least one or two of my houses. And despite my considerable experience and good care (grin), my fledge rate tends to be average. Was crunching numbers over the weekend and came up with 73 percent. Looks like you are 87.7 percent (eggs/fledged), if my math is right. I intend to make some modifications to nest tray fronts next year -- had some small babies crawl out and perish when it got hot, but I always have a few total nest failures. Seems to me you are doing everything right. Keep at it.
John M
These are very good results. I don't know if you send in a project Martin Watch form -- I try to using good data from at least one or two of my houses. And despite my considerable experience and good care (grin), my fledge rate tends to be average. Was crunching numbers over the weekend and came up with 73 percent. Looks like you are 87.7 percent (eggs/fledged), if my math is right. I intend to make some modifications to nest tray fronts next year -- had some small babies crawl out and perish when it got hot, but I always have a few total nest failures. Seems to me you are doing everything right. Keep at it.
John M
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Guest
BG,
Very VERY nice report. You should be so proud of such a fine effort.
Well done and best of luck to you.
Very VERY nice report. You should be so proud of such a fine effort.
Well done and best of luck to you.
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birdy girl
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
- Location: Mississippi/Dumas
Nancy,
It is my understanding that a super colony is 100 pair or more. We had hoped for it this year, but was just a little short of that number. Hopefully next year we will go over 100 pair.
Thanks to all of you. We really love martins and try to provide a great home for them here.
John,
I don't complete the Project Martin Watch form (We have our own form we use). I tried to download the form onto my computer and since I am on dial up, it wouldn't download. So we created our own form so we can keep up with our results for each year. I did send in our results from 2008 to PMCA and it was published in a recent PMCA magazine. We did have great results this year. We have 2 pvc's elbows on each gourd or cavity which helps with airflow in cavities. We also add sevin dust if any mites are found on each nest check. We also do frequent nest checks until the babies get of age that they may premature fledge. I think all these things help prevent jumpers.
We have lots of work to do for next year as I am sure most of you do also.
It is my understanding that a super colony is 100 pair or more. We had hoped for it this year, but was just a little short of that number. Hopefully next year we will go over 100 pair.
Thanks to all of you. We really love martins and try to provide a great home for them here.
John,
I don't complete the Project Martin Watch form (We have our own form we use). I tried to download the form onto my computer and since I am on dial up, it wouldn't download. So we created our own form so we can keep up with our results for each year. I did send in our results from 2008 to PMCA and it was published in a recent PMCA magazine. We did have great results this year. We have 2 pvc's elbows on each gourd or cavity which helps with airflow in cavities. We also add sevin dust if any mites are found on each nest check. We also do frequent nest checks until the babies get of age that they may premature fledge. I think all these things help prevent jumpers.
We have lots of work to do for next year as I am sure most of you do also.