Has the Season Ended in the Mid-South?

[Guest]

With a question like that you know I'm a novice at this. Some of you might remember the trials and tribulations I posted about two or so years ago -- how I had a lot of Martins on a lake levee for year, but one year (2008 I believe) they just disappeared. I gotthe Super Gourds and other good ones and tried all sorts of things without much success. Then last year we tried again, putting the gourds up higher and on a hilltop between two lates -- and the Martines came back.

I had a good group last year, and seems like they left about this time last year. Is laste July and early August the time when the Martins leave the mid-South, ie the Memphis area? I'm about 80 miles south of there.

This year I have even more Martins. Those fellows are so much fun to watch. One even made her nest in a big PVC pipe under my boat shed! When I ride around the place I see a lot of Martines darting and diving and following. Friendly guys and gals. I just love them.

The other day I noticed only a very few left, and in a few more days I didn't see any. Is that normal for this area? If so, I have to label this year a rousing sucess for my Purple Martins. I probably have about 20-25 pairs this year.

Here is my Flickr link showing my new set-uplast year. I didn't change a thing except I cleaned out really good around the base of the structures and sprayed them for weeds, and also added some old tin to keep the weeds out and make the base fire proof. The Martins seemed to love waching every thing we did out there. My Flicker link is: http://www.flickr.com/photos/tomatodon/ ... 703473677/

Let me know if the link works, and if this is about the right time, late JUly, for the Martines to leave the Memphis and north Mississippi area.

Thanks for all the help here!

Don

[Linda Reynolds]

Our season has NOT ended.

We have fledged massive amounts of purple martins from our site this season.

Paul and I are so lucky that in spite of the drought, we had a productive year.

It is now July 28, and, as unbelievable as it might seems, we still have three healthy nests yet to fledge. They are about to fledge any day now, and the nestlings are happy, alert, and eager to show their tiny faces at the entry. This season has been amazing and has surpassed all others.

We offer 46 gourds, but many years have reported at least 56 pair nesting, and then additional nests.

We have almost always had nestings by second pairs at our site. I do not believe these are second nests by the same original pair, but second nestings by pairs that have not previously hatched and raised young.

[Guest]

Yes, but should I be alarmed that my Martins appear to have gone for the year, or is it pretty normal for Martins in our area to leave about this time?

[Linda Reynolds]

Don, martins leaving your site for the season is not unusual at this time of the year. They should be congregating at staging areas and large roosts preparing for their trip to Brazil.

I am thrilled to hear you experienced a fabulous season.

[Guest]

How long does the trip to Brazil take? Do they go through Texas and into Mexico, going the full route over land?

And why do they prefer hotter temps now by moving south than just hanging around here another couple of moinths till things cool off?

Thanks for the reply!

Don

[Carlton]

Glad to hear you had a good season Don! I enjoyed the pics.

Even up here in Delaware the martins are rapidly disappearing from the nest sites. I have a few coming back in the evenings now but NOTHING like a week or two ago. I still have two pairs with unfledged young but the other 34 pairs have finished for this season.

Carl

[AidanRois]

I'm up in Horn Lake, about a mile or two from the TN/Memphis line. My birds have all left me now. Just like you described, mine dwindled a few each day or so around the first of July until it was just the last SY nest left, and we lost them to that crazy first heatwave. I've not even heard a call since they all left so I assume they've moved on to a staging area or roost. I don't see any at other local colonies now either. It's almost safe to call our season done in DeSoto county.

[DornCounty]

How long does the trip to Brazil take? Do they go through Texas and into Mexico, going the full route over land?

And why do they prefer hotter temps now by moving south than just hanging around here another couple of moinths till things cool off?

Thanks for the reply!

Don

It's not exactly known on the whole or on a specific bird status. But geolocators are being put on bird in more and more numbers, so I would expect to see a more scientific answer soon.

Typically they will fly over the gulf in one day,

Check out this article: http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=23795

Also Great photos don. Do you guys have any problems with starlings?

[cary-nw-fla]

DonS, Nice pictures.... have a question about your gourd rack set up. Is the wood pole a 4 x 4? or a 6 x 6? And what length? Thanks.