About 700 Pairs Of Martins And Maybe Around 3000 Fledglings

[Steve Kroenke]

About 700 Pairs Of Martins And Maybe Around 3000 Fledglings

So far, this is turning out to be an outstanding purple martin season in northwest Louisiana though things weren’t so good earlier in the season. We had lower martin numbers and cold wet weather. But things changed significantly for the better as April progressed.

Bob, my next door neighbor, and I have around 480 pairs of martins in our two personal colonies. My total is about 335 pairs and Bob probably has close to 150 pairs. Of course, not all will be successful, but the vast majority will most likely do well. If we average about 4.5 babies per nest, then we could possibly fledge about 2000 martins this season from our personal colonies. My select nest checks have revealed many nests of five and six babies.

We also have six satellite martin colonies located in northwest Louisiana. Bob established all these colonies many years ago and I have helped him with upgrading the housing and managing them. We are very pleased with our satellite colonies and they have raised probably thousands of martin fledglings over the years and greatly expanded the martin population in this area. No telling how many new colonies have been started because of the productivity of our satellite sites. It does take a lot of time, money and effort to establish satellite martin colonies, but we are more than happy to do it for the benefit of the martins. Hopefully we have helped the martins in this area and perhaps inspired other folks, who have seen our satellite sites, to establish their own colonies. Bob and I are even thinking about establishing some more satellite colonies in the future.

Our six satellite colonies have a total of 278 cavities and some are often 100% occupied each season and others may have around 75% occupancy levels or more. We don’t have an exact count for the number of pairs at these colonies, but there are MANY martins at them. My estimate is that we have probably 225+ pairs of martins at these colonies this season and they may fledge possibly close to a 1000 martins this year. I hope to post a more detailed article about our satellite martin colonies on the Forum.

So if things continue to go well, the food supply holds up and the weather does not become unbearably hot, we may have around 700 pairs of martins which could possibly fledge about 3000 youngsters this season from our personal and satellite colonies! And though martin fledgling mortality is high, there will still be many youngsters to return in 2011 as SYs to seed new colonies and expand existing ones.

Hope everyone is having a great purple martin season.

Steve

[Billy Stephens]

WOW! How do you do it? That seems like a full time job!

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Billy,

I retired early when I lived in Florida and moved to northwest Louisiana and started my martin colony in 2005. Being retired, I can devote considerable time to our martin colonies and spend hours every day studying and protecting the martins. We can't monitor our satellite martin colonies as closely as our personal sites, but we do check on them periodically. I am really not retired and have an almost full time job taking care of our two super martin colonies!

Steve

[Davlyn]

Hey Steve , thats a BIG order , but you LOVE it and the martins depend on it ! Once they have all gone you can take a nice long much deserved rest and then start thinking about 2011 ! My season is almost over with three nest left to fledge , I am not sure how long they will keep bringing the young back to roost but when ever then I will take a nice rest and get ready to plan for next season .

[M.Stephens]

Hey Steve that is just fantastic !! I would love to come and see that awesome sight !!

[Robert Richerson]

Great numbers Steve! That gives me hope being so north of you in KY that I may well increase over the 152 pair I presently have.

Continue the great work!

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey April,

Our martins have just begun to fledge and most should do so over the next three weeks. The parent martins are bringing their young back to roost in the evenings and this will eventually turn everything into a madhouse when hundreds of fledglings are all flying about.

Yesterday our resident male Cooper's hawk came over and dived down on a fledgling in a tree. The fledgling actually escaped! This is a rare experience as the hawks always get their martin fledgling. But this little martin was "born to fly" and he/she managed to elude the hawk as a large flock of adult martins mobbed their enemy.

Yes, I am ready to take a long rest! I still get up around 4:00 am to go on owl patrol and then get ready for the day ahead. I love my martins but I am always relieved when the season finally concludes. Then I can start thinking about the next season.

I know you are ready for a rest, too!

Steve

Hey Malcom,

If you are are ever in this area, please stop by and visit. Maybe some day Bob and I can organize an event so folks can visit and watch the martins. Have our own Louisiana Purple Martin Fest!

Steve

Hey Robert,

Sounds like you are doing very well with your martin colony, too! You still might be able to attract some SY pairs in early June. Our chances pretty much end by the first of June and I doubt we will get any more martins now. We did attract some martin pairs through May.

Steve

[Scully]

Of late I have been driving around checking on the 100 martin sites we have been monitoring.

This involves a brief perusal during this peak martin time to estimate occupancy based upon young with heads out and especially the frequent return of those martins feeding young.

Haven't crunched the numbers yet but my impression is that martin numbers are down this year. This is to be expected around here of course given the two dry years we have just endured, especially in '08 which was the worst year we have seen in respect to losses of young.

Of course that "Class of '08" would be returning two year-old ASY's now, which I understand make up the bulk of martin breeding pairs.

Be interestesting to see if we get a resurgence in '12 from this year's bumper crop.

Mike Scully

[Kenneth Hicks]

Steve,

What has happened to your martin landlord skills? Only 700 pair?

That is quite frankly an astounding number. I am having my best year with about 45 nests with young.

I am going to make a recommendation to all who can do so. If you get the opportunity and you are not too far away, go by Steve's place in Logansport and check out his colony. Steve is a good host, enjoys a visit from a fellow landlord and makes a mean glass of sweet tea. I have made the two hour drive from my place a couple of times and enjoyed the visit each time. Just give him a ring ahead of time see what time works best .

Steve, I hope you don't mind me inviting all these good people to your place.

Kenneth

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Mike,

Our martin numbers seem to be either slightly up or holding their own with 2009. I do know that some other martin colonies in this area have declined, but I believe that is more due to poor management.

Next season, I want to do a better job of checking our satellite martin colonies to get more reliable data on occupancy levels and young fledged. It is difficult to manage/protect our two huge super martin colonies and also check on satellite colonies located miles away.

Steve

Hey Kenneth,

It's those no good, inferior round holes that I have been using! My poor martin colony is going down the tube because of the shape of the entrance hole! According to some, there is no place whatsoever for those evil round holes! I just laugh "all the way to the bank!" LOL

I did enjoy your visits and always like to talk with fellow martin landlords. So if any folks are in the area, just let me know and stop by. I will even try to have some real sweet ice tea available!

Steve

[april57]

I start to shake and flap my wings thinking about this many martins..I cant imagine that many. I fret over 4 martins not sure how I would handle those. That is amazing and good for you taking the time and energy. But then I would do it too!!!
Wow
April

[Scott D.- La]

Congrats Steve on the Great Numbers! You and Bob give a lot of yourselves both financially and time to help the Purple Martin population in your area. People need to remember that. Keep up the good work's that you do.

[tonyg]

Wow Steve great numbers..you only have me beat by 660 pairs...i'll catch you in the year 2080...congrats..Tony

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey April, Scott, and Tony,

Thanks for those kind remarks! Bob and I have worked hard on our personal and satellite martin colonies and the hard work has paid off: many martins raising many fledglings.

We are especially proud of the satellite colonies which greatly helps the martin population in other areas around Shreveport. Plus these colonies are noticed by the public. Sometimes folks will leave a message attached to the poles of the martin housing at our Lowes' colony in downtown Shreveport. They will be requesting information about martins.

We are thinking about establishing some martin colonies at several of the local schools in our area. I have been greatly impressed with the work of Mike Scully and how he has introduced the martin hobby to many boys and girls. We need young folks to become interested in martins and carry on the tradition when we are gone.

Thanks again.

Steve

[Tim Stover]

WOW Thats a lot of martins doin a GREAT SUPER GREAT JOB i know its alot of work would love to see that many martins remember me asking about the round holes i went with 2"round and oblong entrance i have kept the starlings at bay i have got 24 pair 6 pair of them are asy the rest are sy also 7 sy bachelor still lookin for mates i guess only had 2 pair last year nest check today 25 hatchlings all ages 72 eggs my goal is 100 pair i know it will be a lot of work keep up the good work

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Bigtim,

Thanks for sharing those great martin results with us! Your colony has grown tremendously and you are proving that you can use round holes successfully and control starlings. Many folks do the same thing and there is a place for both round holes and srehs in the purple martin community. We are all working together for the benefit of the purple martin and there should be unity in the martin community, not division.

I bet you will reach that 100 pair total next season based on how well your colony is doing this year. Now having a super martin colony can be a lot of work at times! But it can be done and I know you have the passion for martins and will take great care of them.

Thanks again for letting us know how well your martin colony is doing this season. Keep up the good work.

Steve

[april57]

Hello
With round holes there is a wooden insert you can put in the cavity that shortens the depth but the martins still nest. Starlings take a look and take off as the cavity is too short!!! It works with the house I have.
No more starlings but round opening for the martins.
April