I thought I was having a good year. 16 gourd rack full but my other rack only had 1 pair. I have mostly ASY pairs for some reason. Only 1 or 2 SY's. Then a lot of the nests started hatching at the end of May right when a cold spell hit. Lost about 10 babies. I had 2 nests of 6 eggs fail completely. One has since re-nested with 4 eggs. Well I have 4 or 6 SY males, I got no females. With the males hanging around all season all of my later nests have been raided. Last week 1 nest had 1 hatchling and next time I checked all eggs and hatchling were gone. This week two more nests. When I did a check on Tuesday I watched as a chick was hatching, so cool. The SY's were right there when I raised the pole back up. When I checked Thursday only 2 of five eggs left nothing else. Also yesterday another nest of 5 hatching. I watched a martin went in and came out with the baby and dropped it in the field. Today I checked and two more babies dead on the ground and only 1 egg left. Sooooo disheartening Now all I have is the re-nest to hatch out and I know when it does the SY's will only KILL them to. I never thought I would be mad at martins. You try to make a safe place for them and they just turn on themselves and there is nothing you can do; just like people I guess. Oh well just had to let this out
Mark Waynesville, OH
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PMCA MEMBER
2017 22 Pair
2016 15 Pair 84 eggs
2015 17 Pair 108 eggs 78 young 55 fledged
2014 13 Pair 70 eggs 51 young 50 fledged
2013 10 Pair 51 eggs 39 young 39 fledged
2012 5 Pair
2011 1 Pair
Martin Colony History: A new purple martin wannabe landlord, I took over management of long neglected colonies at two public golf courses Spring of 2015. I had 20 nesting pairs at Algonkian Golf Course and 15 at Brambleton.
Sorry Mark. I lost a nest of 6 babies to SYs. Your situation sounds particularly disheartening.
2015 Obsessed Newbie - brand spankin' new 6 gourd Troyer system at home and only lookers
2015 took over management in late May of sites at two golf courses with active colonies
Mark
Had the same thing here. Lost two complete nest to sys. Very tough to see happen. I wondered if they would destroy my whole colony, but it finally let up. Got one renest out of it and a new sy nest.
Still, hard to understand. We know the sadness and anger that you feel right now. Not your fault, just one of those things.
Larry and Judy Kronemeyer
est. 1999
1-12 compartment Trendsetter and 8 gourds(crescents)
12 gourd rack (crescents)
Member PMCA
Now all I have is the re-nest to hatch out and I know when it does the SY's will only KILL them to. I never thought I would be mad at martins. You try to make a safe place for them and they just turn on themselves and there is nothing you can do; just like people I guess. Oh well just had to let this out 