Great nest check today

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
Post Reply
MichaelH
Posts: 586
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:10 am
Location: IL/Gillespie
Martin Colony History: 2015 28 cavities 2 pairs
2016 big upgrade 56cavities 16 pairs great year
2017. 76 cavities 36 pairs
2018. 146 cavities

Not getting a lot of time to come and post on here with work ,and summer to do list so hope everybody is doin good and havin a great season up to know and great to read of new landlord succcess you know who you are,and those of you who have colony's getting bigger. Good luck to you all

Nest check today was great and as of now I have 95 eggs 8 babies and at least 8 new nest being built and green leaves in some other nests and still getting a few new sy birds show up actually one of my males just paired up with one yesterday ,amazing to think only my third year as a landlord I feel blessed, so I am estimating prob will end up with around 30 pairs this year ,I am so happy and satisfied to be a part of this great hobby and hope you all have a fantastic weekend
2018 146 cavities.
Top
Kyler
Posts: 899
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:15 pm
Location: Colby, Kansas
Martin Colony History: PMCA Member - Project MartinWatch - Enlarged Compartments - SREH - S&S Control - Mite Control - Predator Guards - Heat Control ( Vents and Insulation ) - Supplemental Feeding -

Manage 7 different colonies in Colby Kansas.

Fantastic Mic you will be busy with them. I grew more than I thought I would this year. I have a total of 13 nests with more birds paired up that haven't even started nest building. We are expected Eggs our next nest check.

Kyler,
Purple Martin Landlords of Northwest KS
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC9HDLGlbCmSYcSExIySwUQA

2013 - 0 Pair -
2014 - 1 Pair -
2015 - 0 Pair -
2016 - 5 Pair -
2017 - 18 Pair -
2018 - 22 Pair -
2019 - 28 Pair -
2020 - 40 Pair -
2021 - 40 Pair -
Top
Kuemic
Posts: 176
Joined: Fri Jan 15, 2016 7:17 pm
Location: Topeka, KS
Martin Colony History: 2015 1 pair, 2 eggs destroyed by HOSP
2016 1 pair, 2 fledged, HOSP 46
2017 1 pair, 5 fledged, HOSP 14
2018 daily visitors, HOSP 12
2019 1 pair, 2 fledged, HOSP 14
2020 1pair, 5 fledged, HOSP 17
2021 2 pair, 7 fledged, HOSP 21
2022 3 pair, 12 fledged, HOSP 18
2023 8 pair, 35 fledged, HOSP 16
2024 13 pair, 55 fledged, HOSP 11

What great news! The more babies, the more potential success for wannabe's and new landlords. Congrats!
Michelle
Michelle in Topeka
Top
MichaelH
Posts: 586
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:10 am
Location: IL/Gillespie
Martin Colony History: 2015 28 cavities 2 pairs
2016 big upgrade 56cavities 16 pairs great year
2017. 76 cavities 36 pairs
2018. 146 cavities

Yes great news there kyler even after all the crappy weather and the snow you had I am sure you will have a ever expanding colony there isn't it great seeing so many birds around ,.
2018 146 cavities.
Top
taxidermy lady
Posts: 2988
Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:21 am
Location: IL/Ellis Grove
Martin Colony History: Started trying to attract purple martins in 2012! It's finally happened in 2017! 5 years!!! ASY male and SY female came May 1st, fledged 5 babies!

Good for you Mick! It's a great feeling when you can sit out and see martins flying in your space! I love it! Good luck! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
Top
pmartinlover2
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:37 pm
Location: IL/Hillsboro
Martin Colony History: 2011 Home site--1 SY pair--2 fledged
2016 Satellite Site---4 pair--19 eggs laid--17 hatched--16 fledged
2017 Satellite Site--8 pair--37 eggs laid--34 hatched--34 fledged
2018 11 pair--fledged 60
2019 20 pair-fledged 94
2020 23pair-fledged 108

Wow Mick! The martins love your place! How big do you want to go? Certainly hadn't taken you long to get to 30 pairs! I love it!!! Good luck getting all those babies in the air!
_____
Jody
Jody in Central Illinois
Landlord in 2016
2016—4 pr fledged 16
2017—8 pr fledged 34
2018—11 pr fledged 60
Top
MichaelH
Posts: 586
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:10 am
Location: IL/Gillespie
Martin Colony History: 2015 28 cavities 2 pairs
2016 big upgrade 56cavities 16 pairs great year
2017. 76 cavities 36 pairs
2018. 146 cavities

Hi Jody how's things with your site ..?
I am going to replace the old trio this fall and give it to a friend who wants to get a small colony, and I will get a Gemini rack in its place holds 24 gourds ,only have one pair in the trio the last two seasons that will give me 118 cavities and that will be it for me I need to stop and just try and fill up lol I did put 10 Troyer horizontals this spring 6 with cling plate and they all have nests in them so think will put all them on my Gemini rack they do love them but I do have nest in both my new lonestar alamos too and about four nest in the trendsetter but they do go to the gourds first hope you filled up on the golf course site this year
Mick
2018 146 cavities.
Top
DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Wow! Super colony in your future! Right now I have about 34 pairs, offering 44 cavities. No babies have hatched. About a week away from that at least. Don't you just love the singing and noise 30 pairs gives you? Do you have much House Sparrow pressure? I stay busy trapping. Doing my best to get rid of them and it has really made a difference. But I still see one on my houses when I go outside. My husband said there are sure a lot less now. Speaking of I need to go check my traps. I have been catching PM's. They know I am ridding them and they keep investigating my houses. So I check the traps frequently. Take care!
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Top
Martinfarmer
Posts: 153
Joined: Sun May 07, 2017 6:33 pm
Location: Guthrie KY 42234
Martin Colony History: 2015 put up a S-k house, visitors but no takers
2016 homemade Martin condo (40 nesting boxes) several visitors no takers
2017 changed crescent openings to Troyer Conley 2 openings and installed 4 super gourds with Conley2 adapters and 12 vertical Troyers.
Several nests and eggs. Hopefully will exceed one hundred eggs this year.
6-21-17 nest inspection 68 chicks and 26 eggs
6-30-17 inspection 90 chicks and a new nest with 4 eggs.
8-30-17 successfully fledged over 85 martins.

Deb, that's cool how yours has grown sense 2009. I hope you have another great year.
Top
MichaelH
Posts: 586
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:10 am
Location: IL/Gillespie
Martin Colony History: 2015 28 cavities 2 pairs
2016 big upgrade 56cavities 16 pairs great year
2017. 76 cavities 36 pairs
2018. 146 cavities

That's great Deb you got yourself I great colony too,.yes it is amazing seeing that many birds at our sites really makes me smile I have had a few starlings trying to nest but there in starling heaven now lol,I did buy I new pellet gun so been keeping down on the numbers only have one pair of sparrows that keep nesting on the back side of my Alamo and I can never get a good shot at them I have to be careful as I live in town but I just pulled out the nest when I did my nest check and destroyed the eggs I am sure they will try again, but think the bigger number of martins are keeping the other birds away as some of my birds do take down a sparrow from time to time lol enjoy your colony Deb
Mick
2018 146 cavities.
Top
pmartinlover2
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:37 pm
Location: IL/Hillsboro
Martin Colony History: 2011 Home site--1 SY pair--2 fledged
2016 Satellite Site---4 pair--19 eggs laid--17 hatched--16 fledged
2017 Satellite Site--8 pair--37 eggs laid--34 hatched--34 fledged
2018 11 pair--fledged 60
2019 20 pair-fledged 94
2020 23pair-fledged 108

Hey Mick! You're certainly doing great with your martin colony! Amazing is more like it! I really like the Gemini gourd rack too and my martins are evenly split between the THG with porches and the Excluder gourd. Do you have any concern that nest checks will be too long with 24 gourds on 1 rack? Just wondered what you thought? I need to add another rack at my satellite site at the golf club. I'm really confused this year at just how many pairs I have? Seems like I have a shortage of females, I think? If a female leaves the gourd and 3 males chase after her does that mean they don't have mates or just that they know she has eggs and they want to mate? I also can't see several of my gourds becuz they face the lake. Two of those gourds have sparrows in them. I can barely stand to have them there but don't want any sparrow revenge so I leave them alone. Would love to shoot them with a pellet gun but I think the club is in city limits. So I guess I'll have to be a little more dilegant about keeping them out next
year!
Good luck! Your garden should be beautiful with all the rain we've been getting!!!
_____
Jody
Jody in Central Illinois
Landlord in 2016
2016—4 pr fledged 16
2017—8 pr fledged 34
2018—11 pr fledged 60
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Purple Martin Forum”