It looks like we may have a pair in our new site in Michigan. For the last few days, I've seen them going into one of the houses carrying nest material. It seems they work in the morning, then disappear for a few hours. So this afternoon I dropped the house and found lots of two year old corn stalks, last year's soybean stalks, and the pine needles I gave them. And one green leaf!! They have spent the night a few times, but last night I didn't see them until this morning, working away. It's been hot and very dry here in Michigan. This year's beans and corn are really suffering right now and I'm worried about the birds leaving me for a nice lakeside home somewhere. When do you know if they're here to stay?
By the way, I've got nice Northstar and Trendsetter houses, but they chose the modified Trio to nest in.
Pete
Add one in Michigan?
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Peter Alberda
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:09 pm
- Location: Michigan, Zeeland
- Martin Colony History: Started with Amish copy of Trendsetter 12 room house, added Trio Grandpa with expanded rooms, and North Star 8. Taking Trendsetter down this spring and adding gourd rack.
2020 - A pair of SY birds with three nice chicks. Lots of visitors all year long.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3789
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
It is late in the season even for Michigan. Normally I would say the green leaf is a sure sign, and it could be. But this time of year you won't know for sure until they lay some eggs. I am assuming that they are both SY?
2026 HOSP 27
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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Peter Alberda
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:09 pm
- Location: Michigan, Zeeland
- Martin Colony History: Started with Amish copy of Trendsetter 12 room house, added Trio Grandpa with expanded rooms, and North Star 8. Taking Trendsetter down this spring and adding gourd rack.
Yes, they're a couple young kids, sy. Hopefully, they'll get down to business and make some babies yet this year.
2020 - A pair of SY birds with three nice chicks. Lots of visitors all year long.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.
Hey Pete
Sounds like a good sign. It's tough to start a new colony in this state so congrtas, keep us posted on what happens.
I have a pair of sy's that started building a nest the end of May, they still bring in green leaves now and then but have not layed any eggs yet. I have never heard of that before so I'm vey curious to see what your pair ends up doing this year.
Good Luck
Matt
Sounds like a good sign. It's tough to start a new colony in this state so congrtas, keep us posted on what happens.
I have a pair of sy's that started building a nest the end of May, they still bring in green leaves now and then but have not layed any eggs yet. I have never heard of that before so I'm vey curious to see what your pair ends up doing this year.
Good Luck
Matt
2013, back in the game with a pair at my satelite colony that has eggs due to hatch around July 7th
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Penny Briscoe
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2010 3:46 pm
- Location: Michigan/Vicksburg
Thanks in Zeeland for starting a colony. It's very rewarding and we need many more colonies in Michigan where numbers are waaaay down.
Penny in southwest Michigan
40 nest boxes/gourds
26 years with martins on Barton Lake
Penny in southwest Michigan
40 nest boxes/gourds
26 years with martins on Barton Lake
Barton Lake Martin Lover
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Peter Alberda
- Posts: 175
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:09 pm
- Location: Michigan, Zeeland
- Martin Colony History: Started with Amish copy of Trendsetter 12 room house, added Trio Grandpa with expanded rooms, and North Star 8. Taking Trendsetter down this spring and adding gourd rack.
The nest looks about complete, less eggs, though she's still adding to it everyday. This morning there were three martins flying around the houses, this afternoon there were four. Hopefully there'll be eggs soon.
They seem shy of me. The further away from the hiouses I am, the more at ease they appear, especially new birds.
Pete
They seem shy of me. The further away from the hiouses I am, the more at ease they appear, especially new birds.
Pete
2020 - A pair of SY birds with three nice chicks. Lots of visitors all year long.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.