First time to have a 2nd wave of nests
All previous years, all our nestlings have fledged the same week. This is the first year that we have had a second wave of nests. I've been out of town for a while but on my nest check today I see that both nests in the 2nd wave have hatched. One set of babies looks quite a bit older than the other.
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- Newer babies in the Quad Pod, photo by me.
- DSCF6413a.jpg (167.99 KiB) Viewed 1539 times
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- Older babies in the Binz house, photo by me.
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Hi Bill.
If I remember correctly, you and I were in similar situations this season, in reference to only having approx half of the number of nests we had last year.
As for the second wave of nests, I wonder if you're seeing the same thing with your late nesters, that I'm seeing at my personal colony.
Here we are, almost about to enter July, and NONE of my nests have fledged yet.
My theory, is that the massive delay in egg laying and incubation at my small colony, is directly related to the severe drought.
All of my pairs arrived, and finished nest building, pretty much right on schedule.
Then the holding pattern.
It really seemed like they were waiting for better weather/insect conditions to materialize, before they began egg laying.
Those conditions did not come together, and due to the simple time constraints of having to have their babies fledged, and gathered up at the area pre-migratory roosts in time to make the trip south, they had to go ahead, and commence with egg laying and incubation.
Again, this is just my theory, about what has transpired at my colony.
This has been a very stressful season, for many Martins, and their landlords.
There are probably quite a few of us (and the Martins) that can really relate to the Lloyd Bridges quotes from the movie "Airplane", where he says "Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop......"
If I remember correctly, you and I were in similar situations this season, in reference to only having approx half of the number of nests we had last year.
As for the second wave of nests, I wonder if you're seeing the same thing with your late nesters, that I'm seeing at my personal colony.
Here we are, almost about to enter July, and NONE of my nests have fledged yet.
My theory, is that the massive delay in egg laying and incubation at my small colony, is directly related to the severe drought.
All of my pairs arrived, and finished nest building, pretty much right on schedule.
Then the holding pattern.
It really seemed like they were waiting for better weather/insect conditions to materialize, before they began egg laying.
Those conditions did not come together, and due to the simple time constraints of having to have their babies fledged, and gathered up at the area pre-migratory roosts in time to make the trip south, they had to go ahead, and commence with egg laying and incubation.
Again, this is just my theory, about what has transpired at my colony.
This has been a very stressful season, for many Martins, and their landlords.
There are probably quite a few of us (and the Martins) that can really relate to the Lloyd Bridges quotes from the movie "Airplane", where he says "Looks like I picked the wrong week to stop......"
Matt,
Sorry to hear about your colony. It has been a very tough, dry and hot year.
Yes, I initially only had 2 nests (maybe a 3rd that was destroyed by starlings before I got them) instead of my usual 4-5. Both those initial nests have successfully fledged, and now I have 2 more with nestlings in them. So, it will end up being an average/high average year for me after all, if all the 2nd wave of nestlings make it.
Good luck to you and your martins.
Sorry to hear about your colony. It has been a very tough, dry and hot year.
Yes, I initially only had 2 nests (maybe a 3rd that was destroyed by starlings before I got them) instead of my usual 4-5. Both those initial nests have successfully fledged, and now I have 2 more with nestlings in them. So, it will end up being an average/high average year for me after all, if all the 2nd wave of nestlings make it.
Good luck to you and your martins.