So where would you go? Solved?

[Doug Martin - PA]

This is a hypothetical question but this first Martin that came in has me puzzled.

Ok it was 50 degrees and he was gone all day yesterday. He was totally stealth coming in for the night and I really questioned whether he actually did.

But this morning I went out and whistled and coaxed and out came his head and then the rest of him. He ate both tossed egg and crickets from my hand and ate from the bed and breakfast real quick but was hesitant to land for long. He then flew all around for 15-20 minutes in the cold wind and then went back into his gourd.

So the temperature was 33 degrees. By noon it was a booming 39 with flurries and I decided to go home for lunch and feed him again. (3 meals a day). My wife went out right before I got home and tried but said he was not there. I figured he probably was inside on a cold blustery day and would certainly come out for me. But no luck.

I lowered the rack expecting him to fly out but..... no again. I checked inside his gourd....no again. So the bottom line is he was off somewhere else with temperatures in the 30s.

Usually the first ones back in cold weather will just stay inside and conserve energy. I then call them out to eat. They fly around and go back in. Not this guy.

So where would you go if you were him? Nearest large lake is over 10 miles away. It's 39 degrees with wind and flurries. He just arrived and is still recovering from the long trip. This one has got me puzzled.

Doug

[ToyinPA]

Doug:

I've had them do the same thing. They take off for the day & come in for the night. I've had them leave for a few days & then show up, often with one or more martins in tow. Once more arrive then they seem to hang together & stay closer to the house. I would guess he's out looking for more martins. Safety in numbers & he's looking for company & a mate. You fed him up yesterday, so he has energy.

Almost forgot...We had snow in 2016, after several arrived. The porches were full of snow. They sat outside in the snow. I flipped crickets while it was snowing. You'd think they'd want to be inside out of the the cold & snow, but nope they spent most of the day outside braving the cold, snow & wind.

Toy in PA

[Doug Martin - PA]

Toy,

I guess he must be in better shape that I could imagine. I could see if it was mid 40s but they tend go into survival mode in the 30s and colder.
He would need to travel quite a while to see more Martins if they exist. Only a few scout reports so far. Not many sites around here either.

I talked to a gentleman 10 miles north that has 2 females there now. They were hanging out on the housing there. But no sign of a male. Now that would be a good place to be.

Guess I need a mini martin cam. He has got to have some other place to hang out and keep warm. Can't imagine him just flying around acting like a Martin in the snow. Just doesn't fit with I have seen in the past. I used to think they must be out somewhere only to find them hunkering down in the housing.

Guess he could of moved to a different gourd on the other rack or into the T-14 as his gourd is facing into the wind.

Doug

[flyin-lowe]

I always thought it was weird at my old colony that my returnees would pop in one morning and let me know they were there. Then they would disappear for 2 days or so then come back. Several people have reported seeing the same or similar behavior. Some do this some don't.... My thought always was there might be some group that migrated back together and roost together for a few nights. That would also explain why some people report having ASY's show up and then leave never to return, they cold just be huddled up with their group for a few days.

[birdbrat]

So the temperature was 33 degrees. By noon it was a booming 39 with flurries and I decided to go home for lunch and feed him again. (3 meals a day). My wife went out right before I got home and tried but said he was not there. I figured he probably was inside on a cold blustery day and would certainly come out for me. But no luck.

I love the fact that you said he would certainly come out for you. And not your wife??? I say the same thing here. Seriously though, I came home and fed 6 martins today in the cold, ice, and rain. And when they flew to an electric line to perch, another flew in to join them. Its hard to say where they go but on these cold days I know I feed more than the ones that are here to stay at my site. Unreported neighboring colonies often join my birds for a meal.

[Doug Martin - PA]

FYI I can't believe she was willing to try and feed him. LOL You see it takes a woman a few years to recover from a guy that tried to get Martins unsuccessfully for 28 years. Hey I'm very lucky though..... at least she's still my wife.

OK this evening I get home at 5:45 once again I go to the patio and to his rack to see if anyone is home. This time much different.

He flies out and circles right to me. Well he then ate a bunch, and I mean a bunch of the dried soaked crickets. A few chirps even came out. Well after hanging out together, a long talk, and some bonding at 6:50pm he is back in his gourd with a very full belly and hand warmer he watched me install in his excluder gourd.

So...... all is well in Fombell once again. Where ever he was he sure worked up an appetite. We should be good to go, for eating in the snow, tomorrow.

Doug

[taxidermy lady]

That’s just so cool! Thanks for waiting 28 years and caring for them the way you do! lets all think spring! good luck to everyone!

[BillieJR]

I'm so enjoying these stories.

Tell me about these handwarmers you use.

[Doug Martin - PA]

Hand warmers can be purchased at sporting goods stores. They are basically a small sack of what feels like sand and you shake it to activate the heat. They then stay warm for up to 10 hours. They are used a lot for early spring baseball or softball.

However he did not stay in the gourd with the hand warmer. He moved. See my new string. "Crazy morning in the snow".

Doug

[Craig Dyer]

I have wondered if martins sometimes retreat and fly back south several hundred miles for a few days. Where the weather is warmer and flying insects may be more available?

[Doug Martin - PA]

That would makes sense Craig. But I have seen entire colonies get wiped out by bad weather. They tend to pack into cavities instead and go into a state of hibernation. This can sometimes be their doom. They entrap themselves instead.

I have to get mine through bad weather just about every year. Keep them active and keep them fed and they all live!

Doug

[Doug Martin - PA]

Perhaps this string now has the answer that had me puzzled.

This Martin is now staying at a my neighbors site just a few thousand feet away. Their housing was not raised when this bird arrived and it would appear he was waiting on that happening. So I was the next best thing. Yesterday he caught their attention there begging for food and they raised their T-14 house and he has been there ever since.

It is remarkable how adaptable these guys can be to survive. There are times when during poor weather that the birds from my site will go down there to feed and visa versa. They go where food is available.

They are retired now and have plenty of time to feed him during the day. I still work close to home and have to make a trips home just to feed them. So he will be well cared for. I dropped off a large bag of dried crickets for him this morning.

Sure..... I miss him a bit, but there will be plenty more birds arriving in the next few weeks. They will all be hungry at times and need some help. That's why I bought 5lbs of dried crickets and 11lbs of mealworms. This looks to be a tough cold spring up here. Perhaps all the way through mid April.

One thing all should know out there. There is one language these trained birds definitely understand. That is the quick raising of the arm (hand) in a tossing motion. They will respond quickly to this if trained and hungry and come to you. It is the first thing I did when he showed up. He understood this language perfectly.

Doug

[ToyinPA]

Bummer Doug. Oh well at least you know where he went & is now. He'll be well cared for. Good thing you had your houses up & open or he may not have survived.

My guys don't wait for me to go out & raise a hand or arm. If the weather is bad & they are hungry they get as close to my back windows as they can, on the power lines, & peek in. It's so funny. If I walk into my laundry room they can see me & then they start lining up. They learn quick where to get emergency food. Not all will supplement feed. The ASY Males are a bit aggressive in catching crickets, so the females hang back. I try to make sure they get some too.

In case anyone is wondering if this is spoiling them.....the answer is no....

They will NOT take supplemental food if they are not hungry & the weather is good. Nope. They will fly off & find their own food.

Toy in PA

[BioJoe]

As the battery tech for our GPS dataloggers has improved, we're becoming able to look at the return migration in more detail. We'll have answers to these types of questions soon! Keep supporting the PMCA to make our research possible.

[Dave Duit]

I have heard that the migration south to Brazil, martins zig zag on their path south. But, on the spring migration north the martins make a pretty straight line to their colony.

[Doug Martin - PA]

Think I remember that too Dave, Think they are in hurry to get home and once they do they seem to stay.

Guess what though? I have named this Martin "Waldo". Why?.......

Because you never know where he is hiding. When I got home this evening it was a little before 7:00 PM. It's sunny cold and about 39 degrees. I decided to go outside and make sure no other birds came in today. I got a few texts today that "Waldo" ate breakfast and lunch down the road so I figured him to be nestled in there for the evening by now.

So I went out in the snow and whistled loudly a few times and tapped on the pole a few times. Oh well.... guess I can go in for the evening myself.

But wait... up there in the sky dipping down like a missile.... is it a bird or a plane? Yep it's a bird alright. Guess who???

WALDO IS BACK!! I make the flipping motion and the game is on again. Luckily I still have a bag of soaked crickets in the fridge from when he deserted me. Well, I may as well feed him I thought. He ate a bunch...I mean a bunch of tossed crickets and then circled high above and dropped right into the gourd he had stayed in before. I sent out a text. "Well that crazy bird is back here again". Oh boy, the saga continues.

Wonder where Waldo will be tomorrow? Better be on the lookout if you live near Fombell. I 'm beginning to think he will head further north when this weather breaks. But who will know when some others arrive.

Doug

[ToyinPA]

"Waldo" is a good name for him Doug. Guess you'll find out soon enough whether he decides to stay or go.

Toy in PA