Have a 24 house up for it's 4th year and on April 25 in Houston,Tx we have 16 birds around the house and STILL no nests have begun to be built. It has been unusually cold still with minimal insects seen. Was wondering if anyone else observes this late season behavior?
Jill
2021 season Houston, Tx
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Whippy
- Posts: 1023
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:15 pm
- Location: Plano, Texas
- Martin Colony History: See Signature
Jill,
Hello from Plano.
I went back to photos on my phone from last year and, although it seems things are late here, the first photo I found was from May 29 and are of a clutch of hatchlings. So thats almost 34 days from today so I expect to see more nest building in the next week with egg laying obviously to follow. I don't have a real gauge on how late things are here but I would guess maybe by a week or so. I'm seeing more and more SY birds arriving so hopefully my single ASY males will pick up a mate and get things moving along.
Hello from Plano.
I went back to photos on my phone from last year and, although it seems things are late here, the first photo I found was from May 29 and are of a clutch of hatchlings. So thats almost 34 days from today so I expect to see more nest building in the next week with egg laying obviously to follow. I don't have a real gauge on how late things are here but I would guess maybe by a week or so. I'm seeing more and more SY birds arriving so hopefully my single ASY males will pick up a mate and get things moving along.
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- May29Hatchlings2020.jpg (134.7 KiB) Viewed 3291 times
2016 - many visitors
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
Hi Jill,
There's definitely something amiss with the Martins in our area. There have been reports of folks in our area reporting no returning Martins since the freeze, and these were active, healthy colonies in previous seasons.
I need to check the housing at UHCL that I help with, and see what the status is there. That site has been hosting Martins consistently every year since 2008, and probably had approximately 10 or 11 pairs last season.
I will not be surprised if like you, I see no active nests there either.
There's definitely something amiss with the Martins in our area. There have been reports of folks in our area reporting no returning Martins since the freeze, and these were active, healthy colonies in previous seasons.
I need to check the housing at UHCL that I help with, and see what the status is there. That site has been hosting Martins consistently every year since 2008, and probably had approximately 10 or 11 pairs last season.
I will not be surprised if like you, I see no active nests there either.
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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
Hey Jill,
Most of the cavities i looked into yesterday and day before that had developed nest bowles, only a few had dried leaves. No green leaves...may just be the oaks are a tough leaf to rip off? The last few years they grab ucalyptus leaves but freeze took care of that tree.
Iv got ASY and SY birds for the most part.
Our first egg in 2020 was 27th. Next week will tell alot. I do pre nest, almost always they bring something in and make elaborate additions but not this year.
Most of the cavities i looked into yesterday and day before that had developed nest bowles, only a few had dried leaves. No green leaves...may just be the oaks are a tough leaf to rip off? The last few years they grab ucalyptus leaves but freeze took care of that tree.
Iv got ASY and SY birds for the most part.
Our first egg in 2020 was 27th. Next week will tell alot. I do pre nest, almost always they bring something in and make elaborate additions but not this year.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23