Eggs due to hatch yesterday are gone today...and no babies!
-
Perry D. Vogel
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2004 2:08 pm
- Location: North Dakota/Grand Forks
I had a late starting SY pair who laid three eggs one was infertile, but the other two seemed to be progressing. They were to hatch yesterday, and today they are gone. How common is this phenomenon with SY pairs? I saw something about this, but don?t remember what to search for.
-
John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Hi Perry. I have had several instances when late in the season, when the instinct to migrate outweighs the instinct to propagate, the adult martins have destroyed or tossed eggs. I guess it is their recognition that it is getting too late to raise a brood--it's time to go home. Other martins that have fledged young, as you have probably observed, are keeping watch and urging them to depart and go on in life. I suspect what has happened to your pair is common. By the same token, if the martins allow the eggs to hatch, it has been my experience that they will remain until some of the young fledge. These late nesters, however, feed less and broods might not be as successful in fledging. Also it is doubtful that these babies will get the time to feed lazily and build strength for migration or the training to live as a martin as earlier fledglings do.
I know of nothing you can do to change this scenario--guess it's just part of nature. It seems the martins that nest too early lose many young to weather and inadequate food source. However, there is generally a peak week or two when 85-90 percent of a colony will first be established, grow and then fledge. Generally it is during that period when success is found or the elements of nature win. Most of my banding at colonies is done on a single peak weekend of primarily ASY bred nestings, followed a couple of weeks later by a peak of SY bred nestlings. Outside of that envelope the success ratio has never been anywhere near as good.
Best wishes to you in the years ahead. jb
I know of nothing you can do to change this scenario--guess it's just part of nature. It seems the martins that nest too early lose many young to weather and inadequate food source. However, there is generally a peak week or two when 85-90 percent of a colony will first be established, grow and then fledge. Generally it is during that period when success is found or the elements of nature win. Most of my banding at colonies is done on a single peak weekend of primarily ASY bred nestings, followed a couple of weeks later by a peak of SY bred nestlings. Outside of that envelope the success ratio has never been anywhere near as good.
Best wishes to you in the years ahead. jb
~~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)