1st time supplemental feeding notes

[G Saner]

On Tuesday (18th), the temp was 68 degrees mid-afternoon. It dropped nearly 30 degrees by sunset. This year, I decided to try supplemental feeding for the first time. My colony is not in my backyard, so I opted to add crickets and super worms inside the gourds rather than flipping. That evening, I estimated 16 martins returned to roost.

Tuesday was their last good meal. On Wednesday (19th), the low was 17 and high 32. Today (20th), the low was 15. My understanding is that martins won't accept provided food until they are hungry. So, I did not add food to the gourds until Thursday (20th).

When I lower the first set of gourds 9 martins left one gourd. They were easy to count (just like paratroopers jumping from an airplane). A total of 20 martins left the gourds so I could add crickets and worms. They could fly very well and when they returned, most of them sat on the perches and preened. I will check tomorrow to see if they are eating the food. They still have Friday and Saturday to get through before good weather on Sunday.

[Thomas Maddox]

Very similar here. Not as cold, but cold enough that the insects aren't flying. I lowered my house today and flushed 12 out. I tried flipping crickets, but no takers. I quit when they quit coming back to their house and landed on the neighbors roof and stayed. I put a bunch of crickets and superworms on the porches. I hope they'll eat them. Their wings were dropping, but they didn't seem to pitiful. I put a couple of hand warmers in. I'm hoping. Was your food alive?

[G Saner]

Thomas,

I froze and thawed the crickets and worms. Since this is my first experience with feeding, I was afraid they could crawl out or up inside the gourd where the martins couldn't reach them. I will check this afternoon to see if they are accepting the food.

[Dave Duit]

Freeze em, thaw em, soak em in pedialyte, offer on gourd porches or raised feeding platform.

[G Saner]

Dave,

Thanks. I did not soak them, so I am still learning. This afternoon, only 5 martins emerged from one gourd (yesterday 20 total). It is only mid-30s so I can't imagine they are out feeding. One of 12 gourds was empty of the crickets and super worms. Some of the other gourds looked to be picked over (especially of crickets).

So, I am not sure if this is a good sign or bad sign. I expected them to all be inside the gourds and hoped all the insects were gone.

[C.C.Martins]

Gary,
Its a good sign. That they can fly, its a good sign. It stinks when its guess work that they are eating. I flipped superworms early on, like an idiot should have gone straight crickets. Bought 150 today.
Our public site is the same as you, 7 martins, been putting crickets on the porches, wind is 30 35, blowing the damn things off. One female flushed at the sight of my pole and cup, flew ok, her mate stayed and was calling to her. Crickets on the Goliad porches stayed ok.
I'll keep at them. Day and night diffrence, 2.2 miles away...just have to walk out and they are flying overhead.

One PS: watch that gourd sir, when this crap breaks check that one first. Im dreading sunday....I do not want to find what I'm afraid ill find.

[G Saner]

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday didn't get above the high 30s. Saturday, it got up to 50 and in the mid 70s today. Late today, I checked all the gourds. No dead on the ground or inside the cavities. I stayed until dusk and 10 martins returned. Tuesday night I estimated 16 returned so I did lose some. I do not think the martins ate many of the crickets or super worms I placed inside the gourds.

In 2021, I lost about 8 martins. Later the SY pair claimed the open gourds and I still had 100% occupancy. That will probably happen again as I have an A+ site. However, I like to push the young martins out to new colonies. Bad news but not a nightmare. Weather forecast for the next 7 days is good martin weather.

[C.C.Martins]

Gary,
It wasn't near as bad as 2021 for Texas anyway...but bad enough. Good notes.
I suspect some just try to escape and end up hidden.