A lone ASY male showed up today in Fombell PA. He was at the neighboring site next to mine. I was driving to Erie when I got the news.
He sat on the housing then accepted a few flipped crickets. Was only seen for a few hours. Not sure if he moved on or retreated to the housing for the day.
Cold here only around 40 degrees. The lakes and ponds are still frozen over here.
We just got our cricket supply yesterday and bagged them last night. So at least he got a meal. We will see if he is still around or moved on tomorrow.
Doug
First Martin in Fombell PA
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
Wow and it is so cold. I do not know how these birds make it. We are facing cold here till wens day without a break in between. I have 3 birds back. I am going to try feeding them inside the gourd. Then when I get more crickets flipping 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
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
This lonely Martin spent all day yesterday in the housing.
Today once again at around 10:30 AM he came out. He seemed familiar with the bed & breakfast and ate scrambled egg and more crickets.
He's got a rough week of weather to get through. Today flurries wind and around 30 degrees. Same till Thursday.
Doug
Today once again at around 10:30 AM he came out. He seemed familiar with the bed & breakfast and ate scrambled egg and more crickets.
He's got a rough week of weather to get through. Today flurries wind and around 30 degrees. Same till Thursday.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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MingjoMartins
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:28 pm
- Location: Pataskala, OH
Hopefully he is one tough bird - luckily he is used to supplemental feeding - best of luck on your 2014 season.
JohnM
JohnM
2013 - 37 pair-179 eggs,142 hatched,139 fledged
2012 - 32 pair-163 eggs,141 hatched,134 fledged
2011 - 19 pairs - 78 fledged successfully!
2010 3 pairs - 9 eggs - 8 fledged!
2009 - 1 Sub Adult Male (only) - LOTS visitors
2008 - 58 Visitors by year end
2007 - 13 Visitors by year end
2012 - 32 pair-163 eggs,141 hatched,134 fledged
2011 - 19 pairs - 78 fledged successfully!
2010 3 pairs - 9 eggs - 8 fledged!
2009 - 1 Sub Adult Male (only) - LOTS visitors
2008 - 58 Visitors by year end
2007 - 13 Visitors by year end
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MingjoMartins
- Posts: 312
- Joined: Tue Dec 09, 2008 3:28 pm
- Location: Pataskala, OH
Hopefully he is one tough bird - luckily he is used to supplemental feeding - best of luck on your 2014 season.
JohnM
JohnM
2013 - 37 pair-179 eggs,142 hatched,139 fledged
2012 - 32 pair-163 eggs,141 hatched,134 fledged
2011 - 19 pairs - 78 fledged successfully!
2010 3 pairs - 9 eggs - 8 fledged!
2009 - 1 Sub Adult Male (only) - LOTS visitors
2008 - 58 Visitors by year end
2007 - 13 Visitors by year end
2012 - 32 pair-163 eggs,141 hatched,134 fledged
2011 - 19 pairs - 78 fledged successfully!
2010 3 pairs - 9 eggs - 8 fledged!
2009 - 1 Sub Adult Male (only) - LOTS visitors
2008 - 58 Visitors by year end
2007 - 13 Visitors by year end
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jr 2
- Posts: 749
- Joined: Fri Jun 17, 2011 3:20 pm
- Location: ohio,proctorville(just across ohio river from huntington,west virginia)
congrats doug;;;keep him warm and fed;;don't think the weather is going too be that bad here except at night for a couple of days;;;you are a bit further north;;;jr2
PMCA member; s 2011 2 pair fledged 3; 2012 3 asy pair,4 sy pair,2013 8 asy pair,6 sy pair;2014 19 asy pair,2 sy pair
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bwenger
- Posts: 1059
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Doug, we know that you will do your best to keep him alive until the weather warms up.
Good luck, Bill
Good luck, Bill
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dhjohnson
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Clayton
- Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy
Doug,
You're compassion is showing. I know you will help pull him through. We have 6 here. 5 males and 1 female. She is still holding out hooking up for this season. 2 more males showed up with drooping wing sluggish takeoff, etc. Offered them crickets but no dice. They were cleaning their beaks so maybe they filled up before this weather moved in.
Good luck this year. It has been a rough start for the martins!
Debbie
You're compassion is showing. I know you will help pull him through. We have 6 here. 5 males and 1 female. She is still holding out hooking up for this season. 2 more males showed up with drooping wing sluggish takeoff, etc. Offered them crickets but no dice. They were cleaning their beaks so maybe they filled up before this weather moved in.
Good luck this year. It has been a rough start for the martins!
Debbie
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
I was shocked to see you have birds up where you live, Doug. I also saw where there are martins in Waynesburg, Pa, which is about 25 miles north of us. I think the birds are coming in about ten days early this year. It seems like the wrong year to be doing that.
Good luck with your boy. I hope mine hold off for a couple of weeks, but I usually get them when Waynesburg does, so don't know.
Sue P
Good luck with your boy. I hope mine hold off for a couple of weeks, but I usually get them when Waynesburg does, so don't know.
Sue P
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Thanks for all your encouragement and kind words.
Last night the temperature plumetted to 8 degrees. Not quite Martin weather.
My neighbor goes to work ealy AM so I was able to stop by there at about 10:00 AM.
Temperature was 25 degrees and I whistled and called out. He flew out and sat on housing. I got out a baggie with 10 large crickets and raised my right arm in a throwing motion. He flew right to me.
No spoon.... I hand tossed him six or seven large crickets. He chirped and flew out over the valley. Seemed so out of place in the cold.
He is doing good however. Wings are not too droopy. A few more days of very cold and a little snow this week.
I suspect there will be more birds coming north this weekend on warmer temps and south winds.
Will keep you posted.
Doug
Last night the temperature plumetted to 8 degrees. Not quite Martin weather.
My neighbor goes to work ealy AM so I was able to stop by there at about 10:00 AM.
Temperature was 25 degrees and I whistled and called out. He flew out and sat on housing. I got out a baggie with 10 large crickets and raised my right arm in a throwing motion. He flew right to me.
No spoon.... I hand tossed him six or seven large crickets. He chirped and flew out over the valley. Seemed so out of place in the cold.
He is doing good however. Wings are not too droopy. A few more days of very cold and a little snow this week.
I suspect there will be more birds coming north this weekend on warmer temps and south winds.
Will keep you posted.
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.