Everyone wants early pm arrivals...

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DalenAllenTx
Posts: 1
Joined: Fri Jan 17, 2025 8:41 pm
Location: Allen Tx

Including myself, BUT I'm so thankful that my birds didn't arrive ahead of this brutally cold arctic air that is expected to last until Friday here in north Texas. I would be worried sick if they were here, and my thoughts and prayers are with those with purple martins that will be enduring these difficult days ahead. I really hope and pray that those birds make it through this difficult period of time. Been hosting martins since 98, so I understand the concerns and emotions that occur when the birds we love and invite into our backyards are faced with life and death extreme weather events. PLEASE let us know if your birds survive these very tough conditions, and if they don't, you have my sincere condolences.

Dale Hrncirik
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2442
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

.. Dale ... I hear ya.... We have the same trouble up here in the Southeastern Ohio Valley, when the Martins arrive to early in March.. Hard to keep them back when the weather is bad. We can only do what we can do, to keep them warm and fed.. A few of the landlords near me have been successful in feeding their Martins. I still do not have my Martins trained to except food,,, but I try every year.. Good Luck with your Colony...

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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mwren
Posts: 174
Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:43 pm
Location: OH/Athens
Martin Colony History: I have had my martin colony on the dam of one of my ponds for nine years. The colony has grown each year, but I am now concentrating on helping friends and acquaintances who have shown interests in martins. My colony consists of three T-14's with 8 Troyer gourds attatched to each T-14, a Troyer gourd rack with 12 gourds, and another gourd rack with 18 Troyer gourds for a total of 96 nest cavities. I am having serious predation issues with hawks and owls and am experimenting with various hawk guards and "screens". Established successful supplemental feeding the last few seasons and have had a blast flipping mostly meal worms and some crickets. Faculty from Ohio University are using my colony as a research site to study parasites that target cavity nesting birds. In exchange for access to my bird trail nest boxes and martin housing, they are banding all birds involved in their study.

Dave,

I know how hard and how long you had to work to have the success you have seen at multiple Martin Colony sites! That is why I have confidence that this is the year you will get your birds trained to understand what you are doing down there on the ground with the plastic serving spoon in your hand!! Stick with it, they will learn !!!

"Bird"
Mike "Bird" Wren
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ronniewayne58
Posts: 6
Joined: Tue Feb 26, 2019 8:15 pm
Location: texarkana, tx

I actually had 2 asy males show up yesterday morning. very cold and raining in the 20s last night with rain turning to light snow. now they are huddled on the porch of my house. i have never tried to feed them but i think i will try to throw something up. question should i go try to find mealworms? or make scrambled eggs? i have some dead honey bees i wonder if they will eat those? any thoughts would be welcome!
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flyin-lowe
Posts: 3789
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

Since you only have a couple martins, you can go to a pet store and buy some crickets. Another option, which I use now is buy "bee moths/bee larvae" from a bait shop. They are cheaper than crickets and can just be kept in a fridge. The crickets are to active as is so they have to be froze and then thawed back out a little. The bee moths don't move much so you can put them on a spoon and flip them right out of the container. For those who don't fish and aren't familiar wit a bee moth, it's actually a small worm that looks similar to a superworm, it is not a moth at this stage.
2026 HOSP 27
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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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.

I had not thought of that option of bee moth / bee larae. We just knew them as wax works. I will make my purchases soon.
ImageMite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
ImageIPMO LOGO1.jpg
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rkanderson1
Posts: 6
Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2010 3:34 pm
Location: Texas/N Richland Hills

Unfortunately I lost 3 males so far. I offered them mealworms and crickets on their porches and inside their cavities, but it appears they weren't interested . I had a couple of weak ones, but they flew off, hopefully able to get food today. I will check tomorrow .
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Thomas Maddox
Posts: 580
Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:23 pm
Location: Sulphur, Louisiana

Rk, same here. I found 4 around my yard. I've tried everything. Monday, here, is looking really good weather wise, but supposed to rain ALL day tomorrow. I'm hoping
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