Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied. Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.
I had one last gourd with one last nestling almost ready to fledge. Woke up the other day to find the lil one on the ground wet from the dew unable to fly. We put it back in the gourd and saw it peaking out and being fed. The next day I found the baby in the big yard (outside the yard with my rack) and it had died. I'm sure it had jumped again and died from the heat.
My question is: We have one lone bird just sitting on the rack. She will occasionally peak her head in the gourd where the baby was or sometimes go all the way in. Is she looking for her baby? In mourning? This is awful. The other PM's will come around and stay for a bit then leave but she just stays here sitting above her gourd. Any thoughts on this? My husband said he just can't stand it. Me either!!
Connie
Hi Connie I sympathize with your feelings that would be awful hard to take watching it go on. When you had the little one in your hand did you notice how it's Health was was ,was it injured from the fall? Do you think in that hot weather there could be a infestation of mites possibly driving him out what happened to the rest of it's siblings or was he the only one? Taking care of the little ones in that heat so hard on the parents also maybe it's for the best that he's gone sorry to have to say that. Take care .
Ed
That lone bird that is peeking into the gourd could be another nestling, now fledged, from that same gourd. Was there more than that one nestling in the gourd? Fortunately, martins seem to accept the death of nestlings better than we would - they will continue caring for live young with others dead in the same nest. Small dead young are often removed, but not always.
Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied. Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.
Thanks y'all. It was probably the heat that made the lil one jump. I never thought about the lone bird being a sibling to the ones that fledged. I hope he/she found the roost and made it ok. Finally gone and I'm glad I don't have to see it sitting and chirping so sadly.
