This season has not been the easiest to get through. It seems there is a lot of frustration at times in the bird hobby. He is some of what I have experienced this season.
The Good.
Numbers have been strong and I have more nesting pairs than ever. At least 47 of them. I have a lot of heads sticking out of gourds that are soon to fledge. Most all cavities were filled with nesting pairs this year. A strong showing from the sub adult class with several pairs of them as well. New subbies are still arriving this week.
The Bad.
Heavy rains and storms throughout May and June has really caused havoc in my area. This has also affected many nests. I have a few that failed completely and others that had casualties. Strange nest critters to go with typical blowfly problems are one problem. Wet nests from driving rains almost every day are contributing. Sub adult males are causing their share of problems too. I must have at least 10 bachelor males just hanging around causing problems. They are also dive bombing me.
The Ugly
I had a killer European House Sparrow that rarely ever comes into the yard. But when he does it is only to murder other bird's young. He first tactically killed my young bluebirds prior to fledging. He never tried to take the house or nest in it afterwards. A week later he eliminated the young tree swallows over a period of 2 days of which I tried to help. He simply pecked their heads until they were dead. This in spite of my efforts and another pair of tree swallows pitching in trying to keep him away as well. Once again no interest in the nesting box. Just kills their young and leaves. Keeps coming back until they are all dead. He then eliminated a wren family on the outer edge as well that had an oversized hole. I can't believe any bird would do this just to kill. He has been impossible to shoot or trap as he only comes to do the dirty work then is gone.
So in a nutshell, very wet, very frustrating at times this season. More heavy rain expected today. We have had almost a foot of rain already this month. Just hoping to get these birds fledged soon!
Doug
The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly.
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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.
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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
Hi Doug,
Glad you are rising to the challenge! Our season started slowly then picked up steam! So far I have 48 pair, Fledged 163, have 79 young and 4 new eggs. Within the past week I have experienced repeated Coopers Hawk attacks! I have lost one ASY Male and 3 young today that I witnessed! The young were fledging...many hovering adults encouraging them...out of the blue, the hawk swoops in and grabs all 3 young, right off the porch about 20' away from me. Neither I nor the martins saw it coming! This has been a very frustrating year for us too!
Hope you have successful results and a good season!
Debbie
Glad you are rising to the challenge! Our season started slowly then picked up steam! So far I have 48 pair, Fledged 163, have 79 young and 4 new eggs. Within the past week I have experienced repeated Coopers Hawk attacks! I have lost one ASY Male and 3 young today that I witnessed! The young were fledging...many hovering adults encouraging them...out of the blue, the hawk swoops in and grabs all 3 young, right off the porch about 20' away from me. Neither I nor the martins saw it coming! This has been a very frustrating year for us too!
Hope you have successful results and a good season!
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!
The HOSP are EXCELLENT KILLERS. Their sneaky, and, they WILL do their killing in GANGS too. I watched this year as they started ganging up on Bluebirds. I was unaware at the time how they operated.
HOSP and Starlings have to be eliminated. They are BOTH DANGEROUS to our native birds. They have the capability of killing where our native birds do not.
I hate to say, but we need more accipters to prey on them (this is NOT the answer though-we cannot program our birds of prey to ONLY hunt HOSP and Starlings which man introduced-makes me wonder if HOSP attack accipter nests as well).
The American people need to be educated what these "foreigners" are doing to our indigenous species. Afterall, man did this, so man will need to fix it as far as I can tell.
HOSP and Starlings have to be eliminated. They are BOTH DANGEROUS to our native birds. They have the capability of killing where our native birds do not.
I hate to say, but we need more accipters to prey on them (this is NOT the answer though-we cannot program our birds of prey to ONLY hunt HOSP and Starlings which man introduced-makes me wonder if HOSP attack accipter nests as well).
The American people need to be educated what these "foreigners" are doing to our indigenous species. Afterall, man did this, so man will need to fix it as far as I can tell.
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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.
I once had a pair of Kestrels nesting in a large box before I had Martins.
Their eggs did not survive as a starling threw them out onto the ground. I saw it happening when driving out my driveway.
Doug
Their eggs did not survive as a starling threw them out onto the ground. I saw it happening when driving out my driveway.
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.