Crazy weather in north (NY)
Well this is day three of crazy weather. Yesterday was freezing rain and snow.Today five inches so far still snowing. Martins couldn't get out of gourds because of ice, so I had to chip the ice and snow away. Got some crickets in them and left some on ledges. Problem is they don't away go into the same gourd and I have 40 total. No break in weather until April 11TH. Hope other landlords are doing better.
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Forum Admin
- Site Admin
- Posts: 339
- Joined: Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:16 pm
- Location: Erie, PA
Dave, could you plug most of the gourds, to direct the martins into gourds that 1, you have seen them use, 2 face away from the weather/wind/snow, and 3 you will be able to supply food to the selected gourds.
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Purple Martin Conservation Association - Please consider becoming a member of the PMCA.
Purple Martin Conservation Association - Please consider becoming a member of the PMCA.
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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.
Cransy,
To think that a few of mine may have headed north this morning when the temp bumped 50 for a few hours. My first few arrivals bounced around to different gourds too. They were not even my birds.
Doug
To think that a few of mine may have headed north this morning when the temp bumped 50 for a few hours. My first few arrivals bounced around to different gourds too. They were not even my birds.
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.
Hi cransy ,I've been thinking about you up there all alone ever since I saw that early register of yours. Those are nice pictures as long as they only happened just this once. When I first read your thread I thought that you said you had 40 of them then I realize you were talking about gourds not Martin's. How many do you have? We don't have much going on down here only about three birds entered my daughter has one in Ashville but we're keeping our eyes open so that they don't just slip into a gourd without being noticed. Good luck to you cranky looks like you're going to need it.-------Ed
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
Cransy:
You are north of me. We were spared the deeper snow. Just got a dusting here & wind. If temps are to continue below freezing at night you may consider placing hand warmers in the lower cavities, plug them & let the one above open.
Toy in PA
You are north of me. We were spared the deeper snow. Just got a dusting here & wind. If temps are to continue below freezing at night you may consider placing hand warmers in the lower cavities, plug them & let the one above open.
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
Hi guys I have the same problem here in Wisconsin, I have 1 asy male, I hand toss crickets morning, noon, and night just before sunset
this is very trying and takes up time but we need to do what we can, I haven't had a 40 degree day since last Thursday, the last 3 days the temps never got out above 30 degrees, last night lows were in the 20's and there is no warm up in sight, it would be great if I could see at least a temp of 40 degrees but that might not happen until next Monday, this is the worst spring in 6 years and I'm sure landlords are losing birds Saturday we had 4 inches of snow and blizzard like conditions, lets hope for some warm weather. Greg Z.
this is very trying and takes up time but we need to do what we can, I haven't had a 40 degree day since last Thursday, the last 3 days the temps never got out above 30 degrees, last night lows were in the 20's and there is no warm up in sight, it would be great if I could see at least a temp of 40 degrees but that might not happen until next Monday, this is the worst spring in 6 years and I'm sure landlords are losing birds Saturday we had 4 inches of snow and blizzard like conditions, lets hope for some warm weather. Greg Z.
Greg Z
