Western Purple update from Silver Lake, WA.

[ken buker]

Hello All,

I wanted to provide an update to my colony status in Silver Lake, Washington.
I’m attaching the following note I posted August 1, 2017 (four years ago)
Since that post I reached 100+ pairs of martins during the 2018 season and have maintained 112 pairs each of the following years. I’ve now limited my cavity availability to 118 total.
This season started with a bang and the first arrivals showing up March 27th.
Martins continued increasing daily until a week long cold spell came to town April 11th dumping 10” of wet heavy snow Sunday night. The snow disappeared in about four days, but not the cold rainy weather. Fortunately it appears the martins seemed to hunker down and find something to fend off starvation for the most part. There are more birds now than I’ve seen this early for many years.
Below is the post written August 1, 2017 expressing my excitement at reaching nearly 100 pair of martins:


Hello all,
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted to the forum. Check in periodically and see what’s new, but decided I would write a short piece from the Pacific Northwest. Some forum regulars might recall my excitement, when after many years of trying I finally attracted martins to my Silver Lake back yard in 2004. It was a single pair of SY birds that arrived in mid June. They built a nest in a super gourd I had mounted on a pole primarily for tree swallows, but at the time was not occupied. The female built a nest, and there were a few green leaves but she didn’t lay a clutch of eggs. Between June and July they stayed in the area sometimes bring a half dozen other martins into visit. That summer I was ecstatic, and was on top of the word simply because I had martins in my yard. All was quiet by the end of July and I doubted they would be back the following spring. I was wrong, in 2005 I had three pair of martins fledge 15 young.

It's been my dream and mission to attract and care for 100 pair of martins. After plateauing between 81 – 86 pair, (actually declined to 81 pair in 2016) Fast forward to 2017. My Silver Lake colony is 99 pair strong this 2017 season. I put out 110 cavities, and 99 were occupied and contained nest with egg clutches and hatched over 400 young martins. A late female started incubating a four egg clutch on July 5th. If successful she should fledge young the third week of August. I have had martins fledge as late as September 9th, but it’s pretty quit by that time of year.

We banded 356 martin chicks this season during two banding sessions July10th, and July 24th and there were at least 50 additional young martins that were not banded. All and all a good season.

Must admit that there has been a fair amount of ariel predation this season. Even though I maintain a vigilant hawk patrol during fledging there is a constant threat and I’m often too late to intervene. If anyone has suggestions for hawk interference, I’m open to anything. Sometimes my site is hit two or more times a day. It use to be worse between 7:30 – 9:00 pm when birds are returning for the night, or early morning, but now it’s unpredictable. Needless to say a larger colony certainly gets chaotic and noisy during fledging periods. A certain attraction for ariel attacks.

My site consist of 7 commercial racks and a T14. Some thought I'd never get west coast martins in the T14 when I put it up six years years ago, but this season it and the 4 gourds attached below it are at 100% occupancy.

When I get a chance I will send a couple of photo's of my site.

Ken Buker - Silver Lake, Washington

2019,2020,2021 – 112 pair
2018 – 100+ pair
2017 - 99 pair
2016 - 81 pair
2012 - 65 pair
2006 - 13 pair (lost all but four pair to owl predation and feared site abandonment. Now all racks protected with owl guards)
2005 - 3 pair
2004 - one SY pair. built nest, but no eggs

[C.C.Martins]

Ken,
As far as the hawks look up three landlords who were having major issues:
Whippy
Martintown33
Brent
There's more but these folks come to mind.
They came up with some sucessful strategies, whippys go back to last year.

Tom

[C.C.Martins]

Duplicate, delete.

Tom

[C.C.Martins]

Hello All,

I wanted to provide an update to my colony status in Silver Lake, Washington.
I’m attaching the following note I posted August 1, 2017 (four years ago)
Since that post I reached 100+ pairs of martins during the 2018 season and have maintained 112 pairs each of the following years. I’ve now limited my cavity availability to 118 total.
This season started with a bang and the first arrivals showing up March 27th.
Martins continued increasing daily until a week long cold spell came to town April 11th dumping 10” of wet heavy snow Sunday night. The snow disappeared in about four days, but not the cold rainy weather. Fortunately it appears the martins seemed to hunker down and find something to fend off starvation for the most part. There are more birds now than I’ve seen this early for many years.
Below is the post written August 1, 2017 expressing my excitement at reaching nearly 100 pair of martins:


Hello all,
It’s been awhile since I’ve posted to the forum. Check in periodically and see what’s new, but decided I would write a short piece from the Pacific Northwest. Some forum regulars might recall my excitement, when after many years of trying I finally attracted martins to my Silver Lake back yard in 2004. It was a single pair of SY birds that arrived in mid June. They built a nest in a super gourd I had mounted on a pole primarily for tree swallows, but at the time was not occupied. The female built a nest, and there were a few green leaves but she didn’t lay a clutch of eggs. Between June and July they stayed in the area sometimes bring a half dozen other martins into visit. That summer I was ecstatic, and was on top of the word simply because I had martins in my yard. All was quiet by the end of July and I doubted they would be back the following spring. I was wrong, in 2005 I had three pair of martins fledge 15 young.

It's been my dream and mission to attract and care for 100 pair of martins. After plateauing between 81 – 86 pair, (actually declined to 81 pair in 2016) Fast forward to 2017. My Silver Lake colony is 99 pair strong this 2017 season. I put out 110 cavities, and 99 were occupied and contained nest with egg clutches and hatched over 400 young martins. A late female started incubating a four egg clutch on July 5th. If successful she should fledge young the third week of August. I have had martins fledge as late as September 9th, but it’s pretty quit by that time of year.

We banded 356 martin chicks this season during two banding sessions July10th, and July 24th and there were at least 50 additional young martins that were not banded. All and all a good season.

Must admit that there has been a fair amount of ariel predation this season. Even though I maintain a vigilant hawk patrol during fledging there is a constant threat and I’m often too late to intervene. If anyone has suggestions for hawk interference, I’m open to anything. Sometimes my site is hit two or more times a day. It use to be worse between 7:30 – 9:00 pm when birds are returning for the night, or early morning, but now it’s unpredictable. Needless to say a larger colony certainly gets chaotic and noisy during fledging periods. A certain attraction for ariel attacks.

My site consist of 7 commercial racks and a T14. Some thought I'd never get west coast martins in the T14 when I put it up six years years ago, but this season it and the 4 gourds attached below it are at 100% occupancy.

When I get a chance I will send a couple of photo's of my site.

Ken Buker - Silver Lake, Washington

2019,2020,2021 – 112 pair
2018 – 100+ pair
2017 - 99 pair
2016 - 81 pair
2012 - 65 pair
2006 - 13 pair (lost all but four pair to owl predation and feared site abandonment. Now all racks protected with owl guards)
2005 - 3 pair
2004 - one SY pair. built nest, but no eggs

Ken,
How did your season go? La Nina year again here in Texas, brutal heat and no rain took its toll on many martins.
Honestly, I'm hoping for a drout busting hurricane. Hate to say it, but its true.

You mentioned hawks, how did you fare?
Tom

[ken buker]

Tom,
Sorry for the late response. I haven't checked the forum for awhile. My season is in full force as I write this. After a late start due to a wet cool spring things are currently going well. One noticeable difference this season is that nest building was late and nest appear a little smaller meaning less material collected due to the wet weather. ASY bird egg clutches also are smaller with more 5 egg clutches and fewer 6 egg clutches. My first fledglings are about a week away now and fewer pair are fledging in July. Most will be in August and it looks like a hand full could even be early September.

Out of 118 available cavities, there are 112 occupied this season but it looks like there will be fewer fledglings than the last couple of seasons.
Weather here now is more typical and food seems plentiful so hopefully it ends on a good note.

Hawks and owls are still a threat. Thank goodness I have a owl protection system that works quite well. The hawk issue I haven't solved, but there seem to be fewer this season than last. That might change once fledgling is in full swing.

When I watch the weather reports for other parts of the country, I wonder how our poor martins manage with the extremes they encounter.
I will provide a final report for all to view mid September. I realize that's late for many forum readers, but our season doesn't end until late August early September.

Ken Buker

[C.C.Martins]

Ken,
112 pairs is fantastic! Im glad the weather and hawks have cooperated for you. Glad for that, I hope your colony stays healthy. The birds seem to know what they can support as far as nestlings, Louisiana land lord Brent reported many 6+ clutches, here we experienced brood reduction. All weather dependent i suppose. I find it interesting that they adjust.
Been a hard year, looks to be another challenging 2023 season if La Nina persists late into winter.

I wonder if the western martins have likes and dislikes/preferences when it comes to entrances? Seems like those born in round holes prefer round and balk at anything else. Takes them a while to adust when they return anyway. Whats been your experience?
Here's to wishing you a great season sir.
Thanks for the reply and update.
Tom