Martin Update

pmartinlover2 · Fri Jun 30, 2017 5:46 pm

Happy to report that my martin season is going well. Had a little problem with some missing eggs but the SY pair did renest. I found egg shells below the rack an I blame a male HOSP. I saw him on several occasions going into the gourd trying to find a home for him and the Mrs. At my last nest check I had 8 pair, 27 babies, and 8 eggs in two nests yet to hatch. Two of the first laid eggs did not hatch. I did get to experience mites for the first time in one of my THG gourds. Not as bad as I thought they would be. I treated all the nests with Sevin before the martins arrived so it was time to retreat. Certainly have enjoyed watching my martins this year. Thinking about adding a second rack next year. Can't wait for fledging,,,it's a riot! Will attach a couple photos,,,sorry no fancy camera
(I wish!).

Martinfarmer · Fri Jun 30, 2017 8:36 pm

I like how your gourds are numbered and "switched up"

Tony_T · Sat Jul 01, 2017 9:36 am

Beautiful!!!
I started last year; put up a 12 unit metal martin house...some visitors but no takers.
Tried again this year...One pair and a single male frequented at the start of the season, spent a few nights and left for good...never came back

I blame a security lightpost that sits about 15 feet from the house, shining right into the nest they had chosen, so next year I'm plugging the holes facing the light.

taxidermy lady · Sat Jul 01, 2017 11:55 am

Congratulations Jody! You've done a great job with your martins! Good luck with getting your babies in the air! BMF

Tony_T wrote:Beautiful!!!
I started last year; put up a 12 unit metal martin house...some visitors but no takers.
Tried again this year...One pair and a single male frequented at the start of the season, spent a few nights and left for good...never came back
I blame a security lightpost that sits about 15 feet from the house, shining right into the nest they had chosen, so next year I'm plugging the holes facing the light.

Tony my pair are right by a security light and shines in their gourd at night! I don't think that bothered them! They are weird birds and do funny things! Nothing is set in stone until you get babies in the air! I have 3 more days for my first pair to get their babies to fledge. I am more nervous now than ever because it's so close now! They liked something about your site! Good luck next year!

avesrun · Sat Jul 01, 2017 3:19 pm

Great update PML2 and congrats! Long live satellite sites!

pmartinlover2 · Sun Jul 02, 2017 10:52 pm

Thanks Tim! Did you ever get any to stay at your home sight this year after your original martin left? I didn't even see a Martin at my home, but with everything else going on, I didn't really try very hard. Maybe next year? The martins love the satellite sight. It's perfect I think. The lake is right outside their gourds, golfers coming and going, constant human traffic in and out of the clubhouse restaurant, and to top it all off they have a speaker on the deck where the martins get to listen to country music all day and half the night!!! So as you can see there's lots of activity and they love it!
Thanks for the kind words Sharon/BMF! Your dream was realized this spring and I couldn't be happier! Hope your colony grows each year!
Thanks Martinfarmer--you've done well attracting martins this year that's for sure!
Tony-T---my rack at the lake is very close to a security light which lights up the whole area where the rack stands. Those gourds were the first ones chosen when I became a landlord last year. But your situation may be different!
Hope everyone gets their babies in the air! I'm NOT looking forward to "empty nest syndrome". The season goes so fast!
_____
Jody

avesrun · Wed Jul 05, 2017 2:15 pm

Jody it's a long story but NO martins at my home site this season

The founding asy male of last year's founding pair made it back like clockwork; however the asy female did not for whatever reason. She either didnt survive migration or possibly is nesting at my satellite 2.5 mi away! who knows. The male stuck around for several days and endured several periods of extremely harsh weather that even took the life of at least two martins at my satellite site and martins were lost at other Iowa landlords' sites as well. The male at home was able to eventually bring in an sy female who was inconsistent. she stayed a few nites but not others. she seemed to struggle with my sreh. We had more crappy weather and eventually they both disappeared. I really think the asy male followed the sy female to a round hole house up the road a little over a mile. It's a nice site with a pond. Also about 2.5 miles away is a golf course with 5 round hole trios that may have sucked in the sy female. Either way I remain hopeful for 2018 at my home.

My satellite site (again, about 2.5 mi from home) will be putting out over 100 fledges if all goes well! I currently have 30 nests and 116 young, and 2 had fledged as of 7/1/17!! Take care and best of luck for the remaining season!!

Rodger Drye · Wed Jul 05, 2017 5:42 pm

Beautiful Nest.! I usually have a couple of 7 egg clutches. However this year I've had none . Several 6's but no 7's.
Rodger

avesrun · Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:00 am

Thanks Roger! That was my first 7 egg nest. I thought some of the eggs might be bad and part of renest but they all hatched!

Rodger Drye · Thu Jul 06, 2017 9:39 am

What's the guy with the DNR uniform on doing.?

Rodger

taxidermy lady · Thu Jul 06, 2017 5:09 pm

That's Tim Rodger! That's the satellite site he started!

Sorry for answering your Question Tim

Rodger Drye · Fri Jul 07, 2017 4:04 pm

Sharon,
Does he work for the Iowa State Dept of Parks and Recreation? Does he Band bird's like Tim M.??
Rodger

avesrun · Fri Jul 07, 2017 4:27 pm

Thanks for helping me out TL on the posting! Work has been nonstop crazy busy!
Roger I do not have a banding license but may pursue as I near retirement (2+ years away!). In Iowa anyway to get a banding license requires considerable time including working under a licensed bander for quite awhile among other requirements.
TimG

Rodger Drye · Fri Jul 07, 2017 5:34 pm

Avesrun,
Sorry Tim, I know who you are now.! I wish you Luck on becoming a licensed bander..!!!
Rodger

Tony_T · Sat Jul 08, 2017 11:45 am

pmartinlover2 wrote:Thanks Tim! Did you ever get any to stay at your home sight this year after your original martin left? I didn't even see a Martin at my home, but with everything else going on, I didn't really try very hard. Maybe next year? The martins love the satellite sight. It's perfect I think. The lake is right outside their gourds, golfers coming and going, constant human traffic in and out of the clubhouse restaurant, and to top it all off they have a speaker on the deck where the martins get to listen to country music all day and half the night!!! So as you can see there's lots of activity and they love it!
Thanks for the kind words Sharon/BMF! Your dream was realized this spring and I couldn't be happier! Hope your colony grows each year!
Thanks Martinfarmer--you've done well attracting martins this year that's for sure!
Tony-T---my rack at the lake is very close to a security light which lights up the whole area where the rack stands. Those gourds were the first ones chosen when I became a landlord last year. But your situation may be different!
Hope everyone gets their babies in the air! I'm NOT looking forward to "empty nest syndrome". The season goes so fast!
_____
Jody

Well, I thought maybe the walking trail security light had something to do with it, since they spent several nights and then disappeared, and it seemed to me that my house is at a perfect location, about 20 feet from the edge of a 50 acre lake. HOWEVER, now I'm thinking like most of y'all that these birds are very unusual and have a mind of their own!!! AND that possibly Gourds is the way to go. Seems that Sharon had birds the same year she switched to gourds, so that may be what I ought to do next year.
BEST OF LUCK TO ALL NEXT SEASON!!! My fingers are already crossed

I'm going to look online to see if there are ways to attach a couple of gourds to my existing pole and metal house so that I can try both and not have to do away with my brand new house (and $120 investment).

Tony_T · Sat Jul 08, 2017 11:53 am

taxidermy lady wrote:Congratulations Jody! You've done a great job with your martins! Good luck with getting your babies in the air! BMF

Tony_T wrote:Beautiful!!!
I started last year; put up a 12 unit metal martin house...some visitors but no takers.
Tried again this year...One pair and a single male frequented at the start of the season, spent a few nights and left for good...never came back
I blame a security lightpost that sits about 15 feet from the house, shining right into the nest they had chosen, so next year I'm plugging the holes facing the light.
Tony my pair are right by a security light and shines in their gourd at night! I don't think that bothered them! They are weird birds and do funny things! Nothing is set in stone until you get babies in the air! I have 3 more days for my first pair to get their babies to fledge. I am more nervous now than ever because it's so close now! They liked something about your site! Good luck next year!

Thanks! I need every bit of that good luck!!!
Hope your babies make it all the way to adulthood and you get to watch them fly away (bitter sweet) until next year.
I may try attaching a couple of gourds to my pole under the metal house (if they sell a bracket to mount on that pole without crowding it too much) and see if they like that better...
BEST OF LUCK NEXT YEAR TO US ALL!!!!