Devastating afternoon in northern IL
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MaryanneKaht IL
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:34 pm
- Location: Spring Grove IL
- Martin Colony History: Active colony of purple martins at this location since 2002.
We have 2 Trio converted Castles + one 8 compartment gourd rack and one 12 compartment gourd rack. 2025 summary: Best year ever! Fledged 100+ purple martins with zero sparrows at colony site this year!
Fragile return of purple martins to date...weather little above freezing during the day...below freezing at night...If that wasn't bad enough, right before my eyes, I witnessed a hawk take a ASY as it was skimming along the farm field most likely after an insect...I need to put down the binoculars! SAD!
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Dang, sorry! Im watching the weather reports and the posts and just cringe. Its a tough time.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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mjfog
- Posts: 446
- Joined: Sat Dec 30, 2017 3:40 pm
- Location: Palm City, FL
- Martin Colony History: 2018 will be my first try. 6 S&K B09s. 29 eggs - 8 fledged
2019 - 12 Troyer Horizontals with tunnels, 6 S&K B09s and 12 B011s all with tunnels. 43 eggs - 36 fledged
2020 - Rack 1 - 6 B011s, Rack 2 - 24 B011s, and Rack 3 - 24 Troyer Horizontals. All gourds have tunnels, porches and crescent/Conley 11 entrances; racks have predator guards. 161 eggs - 88 fledged.
2021 - 54 gourds-214 eggs, 184 hatched, 168 fledged.
2022 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 363 eggs, 294 hatched, 278 fledged.
2023 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 321 eggs, 276 hatched, 246 fledged.
2024 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 330 eggs, 283 hatched, 250 fledged.
2025 - 3 racks of 24 gourds. 347 eggs, 281 hatched, 266 fledged.
Maryanne - That hawk may be feeding young. All wildlife has to eat. It's really not so devastating, but very interesting. Enjoy all aspects of Mother Nature.
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
All very true, its the cycle. each has its niche and each is no less important...just wish they'd take one of the 200 million or so starlings and not a Martin that traveled 5000 miles. ah well.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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Dave Duit
- Posts: 2145
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to daveduit@yahoo.com. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
Hi Mary,
Very sorry to hear this bad news. It is always a hard pill to swallow dealing with the loss of a martin. I just lost an ASY male today de to starvation and cold. I kept him alive for 26 days on c rickets and eggs. He was all by himself for 22 of the 26, until a few more arrived. The weather and continued lack of normal eating pattern was just too much. A hawk attack it terrible. I feel for you.
Very sorry to hear this bad news. It is always a hard pill to swallow dealing with the loss of a martin. I just lost an ASY male today de to starvation and cold. I kept him alive for 26 days on c rickets and eggs. He was all by himself for 22 of the 26, until a few more arrived. The weather and continued lack of normal eating pattern was just too much. A hawk attack it terrible. I feel for you.
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
wow, I feel terrible for you both; couldn't get the thought of that hawk attack out of my mind. to witness the loss first hand through binoculars no less and Dave, to have nursed that poor guy through all that time after that trip he took is truly horrible. I think Id have a tough time with that. Each martin is extremely important, being passionate about the birds vs clinical and live and let live is part of the very deep feelings we have and turns the "hobby" into a rewarding long lasting endeavor that benefits the birds and (if I may) is good for the soul. I know mine feels great when they are around.
I just got a text from a lady I'v assisted from time to time (labor and tips mostly-being relatively new), she is winning her sparrow battles now and her colony that has been around for 20+ years is doing ok. She is passionate and cares enough to drag the ladder up everyday and rip out sparrow nests of her housing despite ill health. Not clinical, she's passionate too...does what she can.
Sorry you guys.
Tom
I just got a text from a lady I'v assisted from time to time (labor and tips mostly-being relatively new), she is winning her sparrow battles now and her colony that has been around for 20+ years is doing ok. She is passionate and cares enough to drag the ladder up everyday and rip out sparrow nests of her housing despite ill health. Not clinical, she's passionate too...does what she can.
Sorry you guys.
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Maryanne, truly devastating, what a horrible thing to witness, Hope you are blessed with another Martin that's faster than the cannibal hawks!
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
Sorry for your Loss. I have lost 2 Martins this year to Cooper's Hawks. They are so busy fighting over housing, they should spend more time looking over their shoulder.
It's always tough when you lose Martins either to cold weather, Hawks, Owls, Starlings, or Sparrows.
Raising Martins will increase your awareness to the hazards all the birds in your yard face everyday.
Good Luck with your Martin Season!
It's always tough when you lose Martins either to cold weather, Hawks, Owls, Starlings, or Sparrows.
Raising Martins will increase your awareness to the hazards all the birds in your yard face everyday.
Good Luck with your Martin Season!
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.