My martins have probably not fed since Sunday morning due to a cold rain setting in Sunday afternoon. Since then it has not left the 30s and we've had rain and ice. My martins are hunkered down in gourds with prenest materials.
During the last cold/ice snap I attempted to feed the 4 birds I had at that time. It lasted 4 days. They did not take crickets that I was flicking, but I placed some inside gourds and they were gone when I checked later. I know that starlings also found them so they accounted for at least some of the missing crickets.
The weather should break tomorrow (wednesday) and although cloudy...it should reach 57 degrees.
Should I disturb the martins and try to feed today? Or should I wait it out until tomorrow?
If I wait it out, that means no food from Sunday through Wed....
What are your thoughts?
I hate this weather this spring.
To feed or not to feed? What would you do?
-
Greg
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
- Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Martin Colony History: As a child I managed a purple martin colony consisting of 3 houses on a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. I started my own colony at my house in Holly Springs, NC as an adult that grew to 27 pairs one year. In 2016 I moved and started a new colony in the spring of 2017 at my new home, which is about 7 miles south of my old colony. I successfully attracted my first ASY male in April of 2017. He quickly attracted a mate, followed by 7 more pairs. Grateful to have been able to start a new colony so quickly!
Greg H.
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
-
DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
Greg you described my life last year. I would feed! Try to flip again just to see if you get one's interest. The first time I did I would place cricket on my spoon and say, ready!, then let it fly. Everytime. It seemed to get them focused and ready knowing I was about to flip. It took several then I saw one male's eyes following the crickets. My aim improved and I got it near the house. He flew up a few feet and caught it! After that the other three followed suit quickly. A week later when others arrived those four taught them.
The worst conditions are when moisture is coming down. Light mist I have fed in. But wet and cold is a rough combo for them. So if you get a break in moisture try flipping and if they don't catch on flush them and place crickets like you did last year. Then if they do eat you've given them the energy they need to be able to hunt tomorrow!
I would also do same with scrambled eggs. At first they seemed to want crickets but then they loved the eggs too.
Good luck and bless you for being proactive!
Deb
The worst conditions are when moisture is coming down. Light mist I have fed in. But wet and cold is a rough combo for them. So if you get a break in moisture try flipping and if they don't catch on flush them and place crickets like you did last year. Then if they do eat you've given them the energy they need to be able to hunt tomorrow!
I would also do same with scrambled eggs. At first they seemed to want crickets but then they loved the eggs too.
Good luck and bless you for being proactive!
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
feed feed feed! and how did the starlings get inside to get the crickets? I would also take care of that. put the crickets on the porches right inside the entrance . that always works for me.
2008 1 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
-
Greg
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
- Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Martin Colony History: As a child I managed a purple martin colony consisting of 3 houses on a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. I started my own colony at my house in Holly Springs, NC as an adult that grew to 27 pairs one year. In 2016 I moved and started a new colony in the spring of 2017 at my new home, which is about 7 miles south of my old colony. I successfully attracted my first ASY male in April of 2017. He quickly attracted a mate, followed by 7 more pairs. Grateful to have been able to start a new colony so quickly!
The starlings were sticking their heads inside and grabbing crickets. They can't get in my goourds because the entrances are SREH. They were just sticking their heads in.
Greg H.
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
ok that's great news. I would try putting the dish in the back of the gourd so they can not reach them. I always put mine in the back side. when they go in for the night the martins eat them.
2008 1 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
-
Kathy in VA
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:24 am
- Location: Virginia/Scottsburg
- Martin Colony History: It took me 11 years to get martins. It finally happened in 2010! Been going strong, ever since! I have a 12-gourd rack, full and overflowing!! I love this hobby!
Hi, Greg! Kathy from up here in VA. We are having horrible martin weather too. Temps in the 30's, sleet, freezing rain for several days. I flipped crickets yesterday and today to my 3 martins here. Flipped some mealworms, too. Tried eggs last year and they spit them out. I just ran out of crickets. Will be going back to flipping mealworms, I suppose.
So I recommend that you flip! Or put them farther back into gourds where no other species can reach in and grab them. I read that one landlord lays them on a piece of shingle back in the nest---it looks more natural than a foreign saucer in their gourd. When I first started flipping, I wasted alot of crickets because they didn't catch on; they just looked but didn't leap. Then some started leaping and caught some. Keep trying. They learned the drill much more quickly this year...probably the same birds that were here last year. Best wishes!
So I recommend that you flip! Or put them farther back into gourds where no other species can reach in and grab them. I read that one landlord lays them on a piece of shingle back in the nest---it looks more natural than a foreign saucer in their gourd. When I first started flipping, I wasted alot of crickets because they didn't catch on; they just looked but didn't leap. Then some started leaping and caught some. Keep trying. They learned the drill much more quickly this year...probably the same birds that were here last year. Best wishes!
Kathy in VA
Back in February we had terrible weather in Alabama for 4 days. It took almost two days of flipping crickets until they finally caught on and then it was game on. It really works good but you have to be patient and continue until they catch on.
-
Greg
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
- Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Martin Colony History: As a child I managed a purple martin colony consisting of 3 houses on a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. I started my own colony at my house in Holly Springs, NC as an adult that grew to 27 pairs one year. In 2016 I moved and started a new colony in the spring of 2017 at my new home, which is about 7 miles south of my old colony. I successfully attracted my first ASY male in April of 2017. He quickly attracted a mate, followed by 7 more pairs. Grateful to have been able to start a new colony so quickly!
Yay! It worked! My 13 birds ate over 100 crickets! Thanks guys!
Greg H.
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
That is great news Greg. I almost gave up and someone on here said to keep flipping. It was on day 3 of the bad weather that they started and it was like they knew exactly what it was all about. I would flip 300 at a session and I bet I wasted only 30 but the bluebirds got those real quick.
Greg wrote:Yay! It worked! My 13 birds ate over 100 crickets! Thanks guys!
-
Kathy in VA
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:24 am
- Location: Virginia/Scottsburg
- Martin Colony History: It took me 11 years to get martins. It finally happened in 2010! Been going strong, ever since! I have a 12-gourd rack, full and overflowing!! I love this hobby!
Hooray, Greg! Congratulations for your perseverance.
When I switched to flipping mealworms yesterday (after exhausting my cricket supply), the martins seemed to have a harder time spotting them, so I began attempting to flip them in the same direction, in about the same arc, every time, several feet out from the gourd rack where they perched, making the cricket go up over their heads, so they could anticipate it more easily and have enough time to fly out to it. The repetition helped them follow it alot better. Sometimes all 3 martins were going after it, nearly colliding mid-air, and were singing excitedly. If I'd had a larger number of mealworms left, I would have flipped several each time, so all of them could have a chance at catching one, but now I am running short on mealies, so I couldn't afford to lose any. So I'll be buying crickets and mealworms to be prepared for the next round of bad weather...even if it's not cold/ice/snow...we can have long rainy, windy spells (or drought) in mid-summer, when they need our help to survive. Way to go!
When I switched to flipping mealworms yesterday (after exhausting my cricket supply), the martins seemed to have a harder time spotting them, so I began attempting to flip them in the same direction, in about the same arc, every time, several feet out from the gourd rack where they perched, making the cricket go up over their heads, so they could anticipate it more easily and have enough time to fly out to it. The repetition helped them follow it alot better. Sometimes all 3 martins were going after it, nearly colliding mid-air, and were singing excitedly. If I'd had a larger number of mealworms left, I would have flipped several each time, so all of them could have a chance at catching one, but now I am running short on mealies, so I couldn't afford to lose any. So I'll be buying crickets and mealworms to be prepared for the next round of bad weather...even if it's not cold/ice/snow...we can have long rainy, windy spells (or drought) in mid-summer, when they need our help to survive. Way to go!
Kathy in VA