104 in central OK tomorrow, prepare!

[ron20m]

It's going to be 104 in central oK, time to take action. Today it was just close to 100 and I saw no feeding going on, so I put up the misters.
At 104 babies start jumping and dying so prepare.
I'm down to two nests left and a third scheduled to fledge today did thank God

[DornCounty]

so is 104 the absolute hottest a baby can take? Are there any sort of rules of thumb here?

[Sam Harris]

I'm glad all mine fledged. They still come back in the late afternoon. I just hope the can still find food.

[Louise Chambers]

Eggs may not hatch well if temps go above 105, and smaller young (under 10 days) may be at greater risk from high temps. Feathered young have insulation to protect them from heat and cold, pinkies don't. Until 10 days or so, martin nestlings lack the ability to regulate their body temps and rely on their parents to brood them if it's cold, and cool them by soaking belly feathers before brooding them when it's very hot.

[parkerdes]

I have a late SY's nest that I'm worried about!!! It is supposed to be 106 here tomorrow & it was 102 today just west of DFW!
The babies are at least 1 1/2 weeks from fledging & an ASY pair abandoned their babies that would have been 5 days older over 10 days ago!
I will be really amazed if they make it through this week of 100+ temps!

[Dave Duit]

When temps get real high; I hook up my hose and spray attachment for a heavy mist that shoots up above the goard rack. It can be as simply as running the hose up the pole and securing it with bungy cords. Point the spray nozzle up at the top of the rack and turn on the water. The martins seem to get immediate relief and the babies benefit from the evaporation cooling effect on the housing.

[ron20m]

Dorn there are NO guidelines just opinions.
Mine is that babies survive but are stressed severely at 100-102. At 103 they start to jump and at 104-105 anything that can make it to an entrance will jump.
I've had some debates on here in the past about heat vs decrease bug supply and this year solves the debate for me. Bugs are the best I've ever seen and as soon as the heat hit 102ish feeding stopped. I think it is hard for a bird to eat when they are panting, think about your dog.
When I hook up misters directly over the houses feeding resumes. I think the drip of cool water over the housing may be even more effective than the mist.
I have been misting for a couple years and have gotten some babies through as high as 108.
Misting helps. You can buy a cheap one for 11-12 bucks at Atwoods.

[DebA]

Hi Dorn,
Misting does help. That would be difficult at best with your community housing I imagine.

Remember last year? We sustained over 100 for 32 days straight. Most of the time it was 108. I had a late nest of 5. I ice packed the house. I would go home for lunch around 1 and put lunch box ice packs around the walls in empty surrounding compartments. Then when it was crazy hot (114) I put my ice packs in the nest on the entrance compartment. They only last a few hours but when I'd get home at 530, drop my house and find the babies had moved over and were sitting on the melted pack I knew they appreciated it. All 5 fledged successfully.

I also misted.

Deb

[DebA]

Oh yeah...I fed crickets too. Directly to my babies and left on the house for mom and dad.
Deb

[DornCounty]

Great info guys.. The community colonies will have to fend for themselves. The early nesters there are fledging last week and this week. But I would say half will be fledging in 10+ days. The forecast is for 10 straight days of 100+or- a degree or two. So hopefully they will make it.

At home I can put up a mister if needed. I think I will monitor the situation and provided the highs don't get beyond 102 I will probably just try to ride it out.

[DornCounty]

Remember last year? We sustained over 100 for 32 days straight. Most of the time it was 108. Deb

Oh.. yes I remember.. I was building a house through all that. Ugh.

[DebA]

Honestly, I didn't worry last year til 108. We all seemed to acclimate where 95 felt good. I read the 102 103 worries. Maybe it's my house they seem to do well and I didn't notice non feeding or panting til 108. Doesn't mean it'll be that way this year and maybe humidity plays a role. I will cross my fingers for you and them. Mine too...I'm not home this week.
Deb

[Matt@atx]

106 in central Texas. would a white painted wooden cover like a roof wired in place work to provide shade if the gourds were side by side on the rack and allowed it?

[Louise Chambers]

Sure - lighter weight material would be good, but whatever it is, if painted white and secured well, it will help.

[Matt@atx]

cool. thanks Louise. Since we do not have misters at this time, it appears a shade cover is a good option. Im glad Ron and others brought this thread up.

[parkerdes]

I was out by the last gourd late this morning & Mama SY was making a lot of noise. I realized that 2 babies were in the grass below their gourd & when I picked them up...were dead!
I lowered the gourd rack & checked on the others & there were only 2 inside. I later saw another one in the grass quite a ways from the rack & it was still alive. I took a hose & strapped it to the rack & I had a mister nozzle I use for seedlings & attached the hose with zip ties to try to keep them cool. I have mealworms that I raise for Bluebirds, so I put one in each of their mouths before I raised the gourd back up.
Not sure if Mama SY has been feeding them or if she will with the mister going on top of the gourd.
If I feed them again how often & how many mealworms should I give them?
It is currently 104!!!

[ron20m]

That is a sickening feeling parker, been there many times