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Okie
Posts: 541
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:26 pm
Location: Claremore, OK
Martin Colony History: 2016 Informed landlord now Have 2 pair returning from 2015 That is a miracle. Hoping for a very successful year, sparrow population on decline.
First house was plastic with crescent holes Had martins within a few days. Ignorant landlord gradually lost them
Then got Trio House and still lost most of them. Lots of sparrows

Have not posted for long long time so I thought I'd catch everyone up on Okie's on again, off again, on again "colony".
2017 was very disappointing. ASY pair failed to get any other birds to stick to the site although they tried HARD. They half heartedly started nest building but abandoned and presumably moved to another site. I presume that was the females idea as the male returned for a couple of weeks for a visit. 2017 was the first year for the new gourd pole with 6 Troyer verticals which were enticing to the ASY male but the female wanted to nest in the Trio upper floor right where the pair were in 2016. She was a very strong willed young lady.
2018 was more successful, and fun with one pair, ASY male and SY female. 5 eggs laid, 5 hatched, 5 fledged today. So that is satisfying. I changed their gourd out as it looked like a muddy mess. So they have a nice clean bed when they return tonight.
Although just one pair stuck there were consistent SY male visitors so am hoping they will return next year and find a mate to grow my site into a real colony.
It's been different this year on the S and S category. Yard has often been completely devoid of sparrows,,, until they discover it just flying over. Eliminated half a dozen male sparrows, one at a time and same with starlings. So they have not been as much of a problem as in 2016.
Looking forward to 2019 season with expectation.
Hope everyone had a successful 2018 season and good luck next year.
Okie
PMCA member
2016 Started with 2 pair, 1 pair abandoned after HOSP destroyed eggs
1 pair= 6 eggs, 6 fledged
2017 1 pair so far, But they abandoned before nest complete for ?reason? Now Bridless and joined the Wannabes
2018 One pair ASY male SY female 5 eggs, 5 fledged
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VinnyJohns
Posts: 7
Joined: Tue Jun 19, 2018 6:51 am
Location: Tampa, Florida

Thanks for sharing this with us, Okie! Good luck next year as well.
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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!

They’ll be back next year! I’m sure of that! Goodluck! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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

Okie, so glad you posted your success this year! We have no nesting pair this year but are still hopeful for next year. We have one SY male who has been attracting other PM's to our set up. The last couple of days we've had an ASY male and female visiting. No PM has breached our SREH's as yet, but PM's are still visiting. We are thankful just to see and hear martins at this point.

Hope you have great numbers next year! Glad your babies have fledged before this latest heat wave!
Michelle in Topeka
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