Another reason for nest checks...Rescued a male

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ToyinPA
Posts: 2227
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: PA/Avis
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.

Nest checks aren't just for parasites or to count eggs, etc.....they can save a life too....

We were watching the martins this morning to see if they were out yet, so I could flip crickets. Light drizzling rain, snow on the way, temp 34.

My husband thought he had seen a new male come in last night before dark. On one of the houses I saw 2 males fighting. This was a room not used as yet. So I assumed a new male or female & maybe 2 males fighter over her. So far I have 6 males & only 1 female. There's another female that has visited several times, but not stayed yet. Then I saw one poke his head out the hole. The 2 on the balcony were fighting. Then suddenly I see on swinging by one leg flapping to get loose & something around his leg. He gets free. We went out & lowered the house, as I saw whatever it was hanging from the balcony. The binder twine went from the balcony inside the entrance. So we opened the door & to our surprise another male was sitting inside, with both his leg wrapped in thin binder twine. I would guess a HS had drug it in there. He sat very still. I picked him up & unwrapped the twine. Then we took him inside to check him over, fed him a cricket, took his photo & then put him back in the same room.

The point is...IF we hadn't seen this & not checked the house he would probably have died. SO doing regular nest checks can not only alert you to parasites, egg & chick counts, etc....but also can save the life of an adult in distress.

The male & the Binder Twine that was wrapped around his legs.

Toy in PA
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IMG_7301 binder twine martin leg April 19, 2018.jpg
IMG_7301 binder twine martin leg April 19, 2018.jpg (82.63 KiB) Viewed 3840 times
IMG_7299Martin binder twine April 19, 2018.jpg
IMG_7299Martin binder twine April 19, 2018.jpg (65.86 KiB) Viewed 3840 times
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Dan G
Posts: 446
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:52 pm
Location: PA/Bellefonte
Martin Colony History: Several colonies with in 6 mile radius.
Have had visitor every year 2014-24.
Two large trees removed in fall 2024 and moved T-14 to a more open location.
2025- 1 SY pair. Fledged 2.
2026- no pairs. One daily SYM here daily. Named him Riggs!

Good save Toy. Dang HS.
Bellefonte PA
2014, 1st year-a few lookers, no nests
2015-23. Visitors each year. But no pairs.
2024- most active year. 2-4 SY male’s hang out most days.
2025, 1 SY pair. 2 eggs, 2 fledged!! Other martins visited daily.
Still eliminating starlings and sparrows.
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BillieJR
Posts: 766
Joined: Tue Apr 11, 2017 11:39 am
Location: Monroe, WI

Wow - that was a stroke of luck you the twine came out so you could realize you needed to take the house down and check. That's one (or 2) lucky purple martins. I love that your husband is watchful, too.
Billie from southern Wisconsin
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Larry A Kronemeyer
Posts: 500
Joined: Mon May 22, 2006 5:27 pm
Location: Illinois/Millstadt

Congratulations on the great save.
Larry and Judy Kronemeyer
est. 1999
1-12 compartment Trendsetter and 8 gourds(crescents)
12 gourd rack (crescents)
Member PMCA
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ToyinPA
Posts: 2227
Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
Location: PA/Avis
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.

Yes it could have been bad for both of them. The one that was swinging from the twine could have ended up with a broken leg. He was lucky to get free.

Toy in PA
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Hanover Bill
Posts: 656
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:10 pm
Location: Pennsylvania/Hanover Township
Martin Colony History: 2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72

Great job Toy. Your Martins are fortunate to have you looking out for them.

Hanover Bill.
2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
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phldave
Posts: 528
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:44 pm
Location: Iowa/Pleasant Hill
Martin Colony History: Started trying in 2012 and still trying

For sure I am going to lower the house when I get home, if there is no activity. Because I have had about a dozen hanging around since Saturday, and I didn't see them at all yesterday. I assumed they were holed up during that storm we had. Sure hope they're back today temp right now is 50 and sunny.
Dave
2012 late start
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
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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! Id say that is one or two lucky birds. Good picture of a very humble martin. Great catch! Good save.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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JRow
Posts: 52
Joined: Sat Mar 18, 2017 2:23 pm
Location: Eastern South Dakota
Martin Colony History: 2017--super 24 gourd rack with a mix of Troyer horizontals and natural gourds

PMCA member

Oh Toy! So glad you noticed. You know it doesn’t take much for a leg injury. Anything the birds can snag on is dangerous. Good instincts!
~Jen

2017-- 23 pair with 99 eggs: 81 hatched, 80 fledged.
PMCA member
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