My Public Site Colony is "Growing"

[avesrun]

so to speak. Today I visited the quarry at midday and had 13 martins hanging around the house including 4 ASY males. I've always maintained I'm in a martin deficit area but apparently NOT. I have no idea where these birds are coming from. It was pretty cool to see the martins perched all over the T-14 w/ 4 gourds. Several of the lookers continued to peak inside the cavity w/ hatchlings which didn't seem to bother the parents but sometimes they shooed them off as they were bringing in bugs. I hope they leave the babies alone. Take care everyone and I sure am loving this job of trying to become a landlord. The efforts are well worth the joy the martins bring to one's life.
TimG

[lynnh]

Hi Tim,that is good news!I say the more the merrier

[avesrun]

Lynn my thinking is the word was out "there's a party at the quarry!"
with the advertisement: "all martins from nearby unmanaged housing are welcome"

Side note: My second nest of 5 eggs could be hatching on this rainy day Hope it goes well. Will be checking on them tomorrow and I'm thinking I'll swap out the ThG that the 6 hatchlings are in with a vented THG and a fresh nest. They are at least 11 days old today. Hope all is well with your colony in New Sharon. We've had some good bug hunting days depite the rainy days inbetween.
TimG

[taxidermy lady]

great news Tim. You'll have a big party when they get ready to fly!!!

[avesrun]

Thanks Sharon. As of today's nest check, 10 out of the 11 are now hatched. The second nest with 5 eggs must've started hatching yesterday or today; 4 out of the 5 are hatched and hoping the 5th one hatches later today or tomorrow. It's so dang hot here; mid 90's. Same for tomorrow but then heads back to 80's so I think hatchlings will be ok. I did my first nest change today on the nest with 6 hatchlings; they are around 13 days old. No runts; all are plump and fat and bug free. It was cool handling the little guys; had to give each one a special little petting. All went well and I watched mom go back in the gourd with bugs . That should go a long way to keep parasites out; I put a wee bit of sevin in with the new nest. We've had a good bit of rain here this season and I was surprised how dry the old nest was (THG gourd). I had not waterproofed the top or vented the gourd. Take care everyone.
TimG

[taxidermy lady]

yeah glad you have a vented gourd. Good luck with your big family now!!!!!

[avesrun]

Actually Sharon I'm sweating the situation. I took a vented THG gourd with me to the quarry not realizing that the hanging bracket was different than the one there so I was not able to swap gourds. I did go ahead and do the nest change though. To swap gourds I would have had to change hanging arms etc. which would have taken too much time to accomplish with 6 babies at 13 days old and the other nest with 4 freshly born young. I was not a happy landlord. Today the temp. is supposed to hit 96 deg. and I hope they all survive the heat coupled with high humidity. Tomorrow is supposed to be back down to the 80's.
TimG

[phldave]

great news Tim, I know your busy, nervous, thrilled etc. but please remember those pictures.

Dave

[MamaBruff]

Fabulous News, Tim!

[John Evans]

Tim, your hard work and patience is paying off. Congratulations! You might see more unattached SY males. Seems like a bunch show up around my colony when it's getting closer to fledge. And don't forget the HY's that check this out later in the season!
If you could transfer a few of those to your home colony!
Take Care,

John

[avesrun]

Thanks MB and John. It will be interesting to see if any of the HY from the quarry find their way over to my home after fledging. Better yet hoping the parent martins take them over for some visits before they head south. I kind of wish I had banded the young this season in order to verify martins from one colony visiting or establishing themselves at nearby housing. I'd really like to see a pair end up across town at forum member PHL Dave's place; he's overdue for martins !
TimG

[phldave]

Tim,

Just checked out your recent pictures. It's amazing how fast they grow-up. Seems like just yesterday they were all pink and looked like fragile little aliens. Mother nature gets these little critters out the door unbelievable quick. Ten out of eleven will be amazing for your first time. I'm hoping all of them get out the door with no problems.

Dave

[jcassiday]

Hi Tim,

Where did you post your pictures?

Jerry

[avesrun]

Hello jacassiday:
Here are some links to past posts I had for my quarry site with photos:

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ght=quarry

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ght=quarry

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ght=quarry

[avesrun]

Tim,

Just checked out your recent pictures. It's amazing how fast they grow-up. Seems like just yesterday they were all pink and looked like fragile little aliens. Mother nature gets these little critters out the door unbelievable quick. Ten out of eleven will be amazing for your first time. I'm hoping all of them get out the door with no problems.

Dave

Dave what a great description of newborn martins looking like "fragile little aliens"! My daughter and many other people who see them usually react with a "Eww gross". But myself I don't think gross but rather terms such as bizarre and amazing.
The 20+ day old martins are now beginning to stick their beaks out the gourd entrance as parents bring the bugs in. Hope to get some photos in this week prior to the fledging which could happen beginning on the 24th. The only problem is I don't photograph and Linda my helper is on the bike ride across Iowa until Saturday. I'm going to have to recruit someone I'm thinking.
Tim

[phldave]

Tim,

When and if they ever grace me with their presents, that's something I plan on getting back into, photography that is.

Dave

[jcassiday]

Tim,
Thanks for the link. I enjoyed your photos. I have several of my Y but need to reduce their size so I can post.

Jerry