I cannot find pictures showing the various ages of the baby martins. I thought PMCA had that in one of their issues, but cannot find it here. If I am just missing it, please help. I am trying to determine the age of my babies. Don't want to make them fledge prematurely while trying to get rid of blowflies.
thanks
Sharon K.
Do we have pics showing age of martin babies?
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Al Denton
- Posts: 1468
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:31 pm
- Location: Carolina Shores NC
- Martin Colony History: New site and housing for 2018...Trendsetter 12. 1 pair of subs. Fledged 5...2019...11 pairs
Sharon, I've seen them somewhere 
Maybe in the Stokes book(which I can't find) or an Update. They were great photos of early development....I'll keep looking. Al
Maybe in the Stokes book(which I can't find) or an Update. They were great photos of early development....I'll keep looking. Al2018-new site...1 pair
2019-11 pairs
2020-15 pairs
2019-11 pairs
2020-15 pairs
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Guest
I am not organized....so don't know if I still have issues of PMCA. I think I remember throwing them out last year....was giving up on getting martins after trying for 18 years....only to get them this year!!!!
thanks for trying to help
Sharon K
thanks for trying to help
Sharon K
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Hi Sharon and Al.
If you go to the PMCA Home Page and click on Martin Biology, the first page that comes up is "Attracting and Managing...". Go down to Species Profile and in the third paragraph you will find a link that is very good. The main thing I watch for is the length of their wings.
Sharon, I checked back through the Forum Posts and found the one when you first announced your hatchlings. That was on June 29th - so that would make your nestlings 15-16 days old. Does that help?
You should be safe with your nest checks and changes for at least another week.
If you go to the PMCA Home Page and click on Martin Biology, the first page that comes up is "Attracting and Managing...". Go down to Species Profile and in the third paragraph you will find a link that is very good. The main thing I watch for is the length of their wings.
Sharon, I checked back through the Forum Posts and found the one when you first announced your hatchlings. That was on June 29th - so that would make your nestlings 15-16 days old. Does that help?
You should be safe with your nest checks and changes for at least another week.
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Guest
Laverne.
you are so good....
I just wasn't sure the first day I saw them that they were 1 day old or 5 days old....they had no feathers....
I have an opportunity to go the University of Minnesota for a week long fun class. I would leave Sunday. Have to decide today. Boy....is there anything I should be doing that would make me stay home??? According to my calculations the babies would be 25 days old the day I get home. But they could be older if I am off on the actual day they hatched.
Well it is good that at least I am in the position of making choices.....a fun week away, or monitoring the babies.....if I knew I would be doing something to save them, I would stay home. But I know most of this is out of my control, and I can do a nest change on Sat or Sun still.
Oh what fun....do you all have any free time with all the pairs you have???? must be doing something all the time....but maybe it is easier when you are not spending the night trying to search the net for ways to get rid of blow flys.
I did find a site that said to use rotenone. But I used that on guinea pigs once in the lab....we way over used it, but the guinea pigs and the humans got sick.....so don't want to use that. I think the nest changes are the way to go it seems.
Sharon K
you are so good....
I just wasn't sure the first day I saw them that they were 1 day old or 5 days old....they had no feathers....
I have an opportunity to go the University of Minnesota for a week long fun class. I would leave Sunday. Have to decide today. Boy....is there anything I should be doing that would make me stay home??? According to my calculations the babies would be 25 days old the day I get home. But they could be older if I am off on the actual day they hatched.
Well it is good that at least I am in the position of making choices.....a fun week away, or monitoring the babies.....if I knew I would be doing something to save them, I would stay home. But I know most of this is out of my control, and I can do a nest change on Sat or Sun still.
Oh what fun....do you all have any free time with all the pairs you have???? must be doing something all the time....but maybe it is easier when you are not spending the night trying to search the net for ways to get rid of blow flys.
I did find a site that said to use rotenone. But I used that on guinea pigs once in the lab....we way over used it, but the guinea pigs and the humans got sick.....so don't want to use that. I think the nest changes are the way to go it seems.
Sharon K
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Guest
Just looked at pics....from seeing these, I think the babies were hatched on June 29th when I first saw them.
so thanks for helping.
Sharon K.
so thanks for helping.
Sharon K.
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Sharon,
I couldn't find any reference to when you discovered eggs in your PM nest. Oh well, it doesn't really matter. Even if you are 4-5 days off, your nestlings could be fledglings - but, should be still returning at night to roost in the nest.
I'd hate for you to lose them at this stage of the game - and it would be pretty sad if you come back to a vacant colony because they have fledged and left.
Did you read my response to your other post regarding the blowflies?
I couldn't find any reference to when you discovered eggs in your PM nest. Oh well, it doesn't really matter. Even if you are 4-5 days off, your nestlings could be fledglings - but, should be still returning at night to roost in the nest.
I'd hate for you to lose them at this stage of the game - and it would be pretty sad if you come back to a vacant colony because they have fledged and left.
Did you read my response to your other post regarding the blowflies?
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
You will find those pictures in the PMCA Update 10th Anniversary issue--it's one of the vol 8 series, I believe 8-4. In my opinion that issue is a must have issue for all landlords. It is one that I give away frequently and has been reprinted with copies available from PMCA.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
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Guest
Sharon, Although the following website is about bluebirds, I think you might like to read about blowflies there; it might be helpful:
http://www.sialis.org/forumlinks.htm#blow
Also, here's a website specifically about bird blowflies:
http://www.birdblowfly.com/
http://www.sialis.org/forumlinks.htm#blow
Also, here's a website specifically about bird blowflies:
http://www.birdblowfly.com/
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Guest
Sharon:
It won't help for this season, but before next year, I suggest you invest in the laminated baby pictures and the Prognosticator available from the PMCA shop at the top of this page. The laminated sheets have life-sized photos of babies from 1 day old to about 25 days old. When doing your nest checks, you can actually hold the baby against the picture and tell his age within 1 day.
The Prognosticator lets you enter day of first egg and number of eggs in a clutch, then it gives you predicted hatching and fledging dates. Very helpful, especially for us newbies and those who have trouble with math!
Cost is reasonable, and you can use both year after year.
It won't help for this season, but before next year, I suggest you invest in the laminated baby pictures and the Prognosticator available from the PMCA shop at the top of this page. The laminated sheets have life-sized photos of babies from 1 day old to about 25 days old. When doing your nest checks, you can actually hold the baby against the picture and tell his age within 1 day.
The Prognosticator lets you enter day of first egg and number of eggs in a clutch, then it gives you predicted hatching and fledging dates. Very helpful, especially for us newbies and those who have trouble with math!
Cost is reasonable, and you can use both year after year.
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Al Denton
- Posts: 1468
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 7:31 pm
- Location: Carolina Shores NC
- Martin Colony History: New site and housing for 2018...Trendsetter 12. 1 pair of subs. Fledged 5...2019...11 pairs
So that's where I found those photos once upon a time 
...Thanks Laverne...Al
...Thanks Laverne...Al2018-new site...1 pair
2019-11 pairs
2020-15 pairs
2019-11 pairs
2020-15 pairs