Nice Influx Of Purple Martins Arrived

[Steve Kroenke]

Nice Influx Of Purple Martins Arrived

More purple martins are arriving at our two personal colonies and we now probably have between 40 and 50 birds. This arrival pattern is typical for our colonies for this time frame in February.

This season I am seeing a definite preference by the martins for two gourd styles in my colony: the Troyer Horizontal with a cling plate and the Troyer Horizontal with a tunnel/porch. Whether this preference pattern continues remains to be seen.

The martins have been returning at different times of the day though the morning seems to be the most active period for seeing new arrivals. However, I am seeing martins arrive later including ASY males that show up in the mid afternoon or at roosting time. These males obviously nested in my colony last season as they go directly to a specific gourd rack or house or even a single gourd or compartment. Many of the newly arriving females are somewhat different and often fly around the colony and check out the males and their territory.

We have experienced significant rainfall lately and I am almost sick of it! Of course, we needed the rain desperately and I am so grateful that the many ponds in our area are full or overflowing. This may insure that a plentiful dragonfly population will be available for the martin babies in May, June and July.

So far I haven’t shot a single starling in February and starlings have not been very active in our area. I did trap five starlings between November and early February and this early trapping program tends to eliminate most starling issues for our two personal martin colonies. I usually shoot between three and five starlings during the active martin season each year.

Bob and I have seen some martins at our six satellite martin colonies. In fact we were working on a colony site today and three males and a single female martin showed up! Bob has seen martins at our other satellite colonies, too.

Most of the ASY martins return in March to our colonies so the BIG WAVE is yet to come! We still get some ASYs in April and these may have been SY martins the previous season and did not breed or are martins that have just lost their previous nest sites for various reasons and are looking elsewhere.

The first SY males tend to show up in our colonies the last of March and most SY martins return in April and continue through much of May. It will be interesting to see if many SY martins show up this season since many martin nestlings/fledglings perished last year from starvation during the terrible drought in northwest Louisiana and many nearby areas in east Texas.

Steve

[John Barrow]

Thanks for the report Steve. I just posted my first migration report for 2012, in response to a large arrival we observed this past Fridaiy, the 17th. It was too windy for northward movement yesterday, but today is perfect. I predicted this new wave will move eastward with the frontal system. and your report confirms that this is happening. This is a much stronger arrival then that occurring last week, and should bring a good number of martins into the country.

As you note, this is just the start of a months' long process, and noone should be concerned if they have not yet gotten martins at their site. This, in my opinion, is the beginning of significant migration and future waves will increase steadily.

Best to you and Bob. Although I don't post often, I enjoy reading your posts and observations.

Friend in Texas

[tonyg]

Thanks Steve, just what this ole Kansas boy wants to hear...

[Tim Stover]

Thanks Steve
i like reading these reports waiting on arrival here but i dont
want them here to early cant wait to see what this year is
gonna be like

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey John,

I read your migration report and what you say is definitely happening in our area! Today with winds out of the south even more martins have arrived at our two colonies. I so much enjoy watching the male martins arrive and dive down to re-claim their territory from last year. Of course, there is a lot fighting going on even though there is PLENTY of room for all!

I enjoy readying your migration reports very much. You are located on the coastal areas of Texas and can observe first hand what is happening as the martins arrive.

I hope you and Louise have a great martin season.

Steve

Hey Tony,

I am sure your martins are getting ready to come home too! And they will have some great new gourd racks!

Steve

Hey Tim,

Yes, I sometimes wish the martins would wait a little while longer! But I believe migration behavior may be genetically program, so the martins respond and head home!

I bet you have another terrific martin season. And I believe Dennis will have a great one, too.

Steve

[Mike Coupe]

Enjoy your posts and keep up the good work. Last year the horizontal and double natural gourds were prefered at my site. I bought 2 troyer tunnel gourds(conley entrances) and installed 4 troyer tunnels on naturals with conley entrances and these were also taken. The martins use to always go to the super gourds( 10 yrs old now) 1st and raise young. Now these are last picks. I am converting these to troyer tunnels along with some average size gourds. I also bought 2 troyer horizontals too. I mostly have crescent and clinger openings. I put my trap up 3 days ago along with raising my two poles. Trapped 4 starlings that day. Been averaging about 2 a day now. Hey Steve, where can I buy Lexel? There is a Lowes in my town and I didn't see any. Is lexel a name brand caulk or adhesive?

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Mike,

When I used natural gourds, I used Lexel to attached access doors, rain canopies, and tunnels. You can use Lexel on plastic gourds, too. I have attached PVC tunnels to Super Gourds with Lexel and it worked great.

It is a name brand but I have never seen it for sale at Lowes. You can get it at Ace Hardware and off the Internet. Just do a google search for Lexel. I think even Amazon sells it. I got mine off the Internet.

Lexel is more expensive than most adhesives, but it is strong and durable. It has been the best adhesive I have ever used. It is messy to use. You can dip your fingers in soapy water and this makes it easier to smooth out the Lexel.

Sound like you are doing well with all your gourd styles! I hope you have a great martin season in 2012.

Steve

[Davlyn]

Hey Steve , I have also noticed a influx of martins in the last few days , I have around 20 martins at this time just like yours my males have all claimed their gourds and the females cant seem to make up their mind ! And patience paid off they have all excepted the wire fence I just have a few more gray hairs that all . We still have not done the trio house yet but we will do it this weekend , no birds there yet anyway . When we get through with all the houses with the fence I will get with you about posting them for me .

Thanks

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey April,

I am so pleased your martins are accepting the wire owl guard cages around the gourd racks. I figured they would do it, but it can take some time since the guards are so new to the martins and the martins have to fly under or through the wire.

Yes, I will be happy to post any photos of your modified systems using my Photobucket account.

Looks like your martins are coming home and you already have a nice bunch!

I believe we will see more martins arrive today as the weather conditions are favorable with winds out of the south.

Keep us posted on how your martin colony is doing.

Steve

[Steve Kroenke]

Just a short update...

Today, February 21 more purple martins arrived at our two personal colonies. It is impossible to count them, but we probably have over 60 martins between us. I saw many new male martins return to our colonies today. I thoroughly enjoy watching these males make their awesome dives on our colonies and go immediately to their previous gourd rack or house.

Vicious fights are taking place as the first male martins that arrive at a gourd rack or house often try to control the entire system or large sections of it initially. However, other males that nested in these systems last year want their nests back so they are willing to fight to re-claim their territory. There is NO brotherly love between male martins! Each male views other males as competitors for territory and most importantly females. So the males try to keep other males away as much as possible.

My two Trendsetter houses are getting as much action from returning martins as any of my gourd racks. The Trendsetter is my favorite aluminum house and the martins love it, too.

Usually by the first week of March we will probably have 100+ martins in residence. Based on the martin arrival pattern I am seeing so far, we should have that many martins in our colonies.

It is getting NOISY around our yards with so many martins arriving!

Steve

[Kathy in VA]

Mike, you asked where you could get LEXEL. My local True Value Hardware Store doesn't keep it in stock but is happy to order it for me, but I don't have to pay any shipping charges (Yay!). They receive a truck shipment on the same day of every week, so it comes quickly and I just pick it up at their store. Maybe all True Value's work that way.

Best wishes for a good martin season for you. Good job on all your are doing to help in martin conservation and education (based on your thorough profile information.)

[Stretch]

love reading your posts! thanks for the update!

[Steve Kroenke]

Another quick update...

More martins are arriving today, February 23! We are experiencing about 20 mph winds from the southwest with warm temperatures. Martins often arrive during such weather conditions, particularly with southernly winds. Our martin numbers are well over 60 birds and growing.

Last evening at around 6:00 pm a female merlin made an awesome attack on our martin colonies! She came in high from the northwest and selected several martins as potential targets. These martins were flying rapidly in a zig zag pattern. The martins saw her coming and many were climbing as fast as they could to gain an altitude advantage. The martins tried their best to outfly the merlin by speed alone but it was futile. The merlin overtook each martin, but was unable to connect as the martins out maneuvered their enemy each time through tight banking actions and downward dives. The merlin chased two martins that I saw and finally left and headed toward Texas! I have never seen a merlin succeed in catching a wary martin that KNEW the merlin was after him/her. The martin escaped every time through superior agility, not pure flying speed.

This morning a female sharp-shinned hawk tried to sneak up on the Bob's colony but the martins saw her and went on the offensive with a brutal mobbing attack. She saw me approaching and beat a hasty retreat across an open pasture.

As more martins arrive, we will no doubt be experiencing many more Accipiter and merlin attacks. It happens EVERY season!

Steve