Here they come "Buckeyes"

[Dave Reynolds]

Watch out Buckeyes..... There coming.....
Someone made a report from Lucasville, Ohio. I know it is early. (To early for me) But that's only 100 miles from me.

My friend (Two miles away) called and wanted me to come over and clean up all his houses, I did, but I am still afraid it's still a little cold here.

Dave

[Siberman]

Strange year . I just had my first scout show up (NorthEast Texas).

[Dave Reynolds]

Siberman ..


It has been a strange year here also. Had a little more snow then we usually get. Snow stayed a little longer then usual. Now the Scouts are one to two weeks early. Crazy year.

My neighbor has a colony about two miles away, and he has no martins yet but, we expect them any day now. Is your new arrival a Sub Adult?
Just wondering if that would be a yellow dot on the Map.

Good luck with your new arrival..
Dave in Southeastern Ohio

[MingjoMartins]

Dave - Glad to see another buckeye watching the scout report as much as I do - I also saw the scout report for Lucasville and it's got me pumped! I've done every calculation in the world to predict when my birds will be back - but in reality I'm spending half my day looking out the window and just praying!

Good luck this year - hope this is your year!

[Dave Reynolds]

MingjoMartin.....

I have a brother-in-law that lives in the north west side of Columbus, I come to Columbus to visit him from time to time. I'll have to drive over your way and see if I can spot your colony. Sound like you are the tipical Landlord,,,, They just can't get here fast enough...

Good luck this year hope you have many PM babies..

Dave

[Ron Shaffer]

Hey, Dave!

Hello from Beverly...best of luck this year!

[Dave Reynolds]

Ron ----
Your closer to me then MingjoMartin and sounds like you have quite a few Martins.. Meaning quite a few houses. Do you do the nest checks too? I will have to swing by someday, on my way through Beverly, if you don't mind. I just love to watch them. I sure hope this is my year.

Dave from Little Hocking

[BigT]

If you folks ever get to the Grove City Area, stop by. In the past six years, the earliest martin return at my colony was March 20th, and the latest was March 27th. Won't be long now, but I hope they are latter than sooner with the lousy weather. Best of luck! Terry

[Siberman]

Siberman ..


It has been a strange year here also. Had a little more snow then we usually get. Snow stayed a little longer then usual. Now the Scouts are one to two weeks early. Crazy year.

My neighbor has a colony about two miles away, and he has no martins yet but, we expect them any day now. Is your new arrival a Sub Adult?
Just wondering if that would be a yellow dot on the Map.

Good luck with your new arrival..
Dave in Southeastern Ohio

We had an unusually cold winter this year. Had a cold front this week accompanied by the usual Texas tornadoes (after two weeks in the 70's). Kinda glad they haven't showed up yet since the flying insects are pretty much still dormant.

There are several colonies present at the area lakes and my parent's houses (about .5 miles away ) have several pairs but I'm still waiting. Hope they hurry up as I'm about out of BBs (for the English Sparrows and Starlings). I have starling-proof entrances but they'll sit on top of the houses and scare the martins away.

The "scout" was an adult male.

[MingjoMartins]

Dave - Martin people are always welcome! My neighbors always laugh when they see people sitting on the patio watching the martin houses - it's not uncommon for people to simply knock on the door to see the birds and the "bird house condos"

Terry - we visited your place for the Ohio Martinfest that you hosted, had a great time and learned alot from Mary Dawnsong.

John

[Dave Reynolds]

Glad to see lots of you "buckeyes". Had to take my brother in law to Cleveland Clinic today .... I' ll be back in Columbus tomorrow pending on the weather.. Any way I will be hunting you all up in about four or fives weeks, ounce you all get your colonys back...
Stay in touch, even after the Martins return. Dave

[Ron Shaffer]

Dave...by all means...stop by and take a look. I'll be putting up somewhere between 95 and 100 gourds this year...all SREH...mostly Modified excluders. Had one guy come up from the Ravenswood area to "transplant" a neglected baby a few years back.... was successful.

[e p jones]

There has been a pre-migratory staging area on high voltage lines here for probably decades.

The private preserve is a former gravel excavation site.

This year we observed 1st Tree Swallow here on 3/8; had a half dozen Bluebirds spend the winter in BB housing that stayed up--offering 20 cavities (Peterson cedar houses & Naturelines w/ reduced round entrances).

In '10 we had 4 BB pairs and 8 TRES pair nest successfully.

The Purple Martin colony on the 378 acre preserve (150 surface acres--lakes) has had phenomenal, almost unbelievable success in just 3 years:

'08, 79 PM eggs layed (had 3 ASY pair 1st year)

'09, 175 PM eggs layed

'10, 256 PM eggs layed

Last year we offered 57 cavities; had 53 nests.

In 2011, we are increasing to 73 cavities w/ SREH entrances: 3 Trio Houses & a Castle; 3 Coates Watersedge Suites; & 24 Natureline Gourds; all entrances have both porches and hawk/owl guards.

All PM poles have climbing guards.

All aluminum housing has aluminum nest trays and enlarged cavities
(to 6" X 12").

The Naturelines have round nest "trays" made from 1/4" hardware cloth and are firmly attached to the gourd floors.

Best wishes to all.

[Dave Reynolds]

Ron --
Thanks for the invite.... I'll get back with ya... on E-Mail ,,,

Dave

[Dave Reynolds]

Hey Buckeyes.... saw a report that the PM Scouts are in Letart, Wv. That's only 40 or so South from Little Hocking, just follow the Ohio river north. Started playing the Dawn Song and watching the sky. Tomorrow might be my lucky day...
It is going to be in the upper 60s tomorrow, with clear skys.


Hang in there, their coming..

Dave

[MingjoMartins]

Best of luck - still waiting on birds here in central Ohio. I stay entertained by wiping out the local starling population!! At least two a day using round hole gourds with a gourd trap inside - they can't resist it!!

[BigT]

Still looking for that first tree swallow. They typically get here a few days before the Martins. Nice weather and southerly winds. Sounds purple to me! Terry

[Dave Reynolds]

Pataskla, Grove City and Beverly,,,, Stay on the look out,, Any day now,,
Yell out loud when they arrive, I'll be able to here you all down here.
Best of luck....

Dave