QUESTION FOR THE EXPERIENCED

Winger · Mon May 02, 2011 2:39 pm

WE HAVE 20 CAVITIES AND ALL ARE FULL. THE LATEST NEST CHECK SHOWED 77 EGGS. FOR THE LAST WEEK,VERY LATE IN THE EVENING,WE HAVE SEEN ABOUT 40-50 MARTINS MIXED WITH OURS ALL FLYING IN A SWARM . THEN OUR BIRDS RETURN HOME AND THE VISITORS LEAVE...YESTERDAY EVE WE LOOKED UP AND SAW MARTINS EVERYWHERE. HAD TO BE 200-300 . THESE BIRDS WERE ABOUT 150 FT UP AND ,AGAIN,FLYING IN A CIRCULAR PATTERN. LOOKED LIKE A ROOST GATHERING WE SEE IN THE PICTURES. LOTS OF NOISE AND VERY EXCITING. WE ARE WONDERING --ARE THESE BIRDS MIGRATING? WE LIVE ON SAM RAYBURN RES. ABOUT 100 MILES NORTH OF BEAUMONT,Tx. COULD THESE BIRDS COME FROM NEARBY RESIDENT COLONY(S) ? THIS IS DRIVING US CRAZY. THANKS

bird fan · Mon May 02, 2011 2:45 pm

My guess is that there migrating, up here in Wisconsin most of us havent seen any sub adults yet and the cold weather may be dictating that.

3wood · Mon May 02, 2011 4:16 pm

I had the same behavior here in Lake Whitney my little colony (8 birds)was on their house and above them it looked like a Martin tornado. It lasted for about an hour and then dissipated.

Hanover Bill · Mon May 02, 2011 4:44 pm

Hopefully those Martins are gathering for the jouney north. We sure could use some of them up in these parts.

The weather up here has been awful this spring, so I'm hoping they are just going to be late arriving. This is my third year trying to establish a colony so I'm looking for any good news I can find, and these swarms of Martins could be some.

Hanover Bill.

Guest · Mon May 02, 2011 5:35 pm

I wood say they are migrating SY's

dick