I will never underestimate martins again. What a hardy swallow we have in our backyards.
'Course I guess I'm obligated to stand by my previous statement? Don't know if I can stomach kissing the tail feathers of the next sparrows I trap!
Martins survived the horrible weather
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Glen Webb Jr
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:03 pm
- Location: Illinois/Stewardson
I can't believe my martins survived. After repeated attempts at flinging crickets and mealworms in vain I wished them the best of luck and just knew they would be dead by Thursday evening. Cold weather from Sunday-Friday with temperatures barely pushing 40 degrees most of those days, not to mention 5" of snow on Tuesday and more snow/rain showers yesterday. I saw the martins on Wednesday evening coming in after trying to feed in the afternoon. Temperature was only 40 degrees for a high. They looked horrible...all ragged and droopy winged, but they were at least chirping and girgling, making me think they must've had some energy left in them. I put a cup full of mealworms in the gourd they were communally roosting in but haven't been able to check to see if they ate them or not. That was on Wednesday afternoon that I did that. Thursday and Friday, not a sign of any martin and I hated to lower the gourds and find 3 dead birds all huddled together. But this morning I decided I must and as I lowered one rack, all 3 martins came out of another gourd cluster and sat just a few feet away watching me. I was absolutely excited. I truly thought they were dead. They bursted out of that gourd singing and chirpingly loudly. Still a little droopy winged but I think with today's forcast of mid-upper 40's and warmer tomorrow, the birds will make it.
I will never underestimate martins again. What a hardy swallow we have in our backyards.
'Course I guess I'm obligated to stand by my previous statement? Don't know if I can stomach kissing the tail feathers of the next sparrows I trap!
I will never underestimate martins again. What a hardy swallow we have in our backyards.
'Course I guess I'm obligated to stand by my previous statement? Don't know if I can stomach kissing the tail feathers of the next sparrows I trap!
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Thanks for telling us, good news to cheer us up!
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Jewel
- Posts: 21
- Joined: Fri Feb 13, 2004 8:05 pm
- Location: IL/Payson 10 mi SE Quincy,IL.
- Martin Colony History: Active
Glen,
I know you said that you tried flinging food for them, but just from our experience here in Payson,IL. it took us five dozen crickets before one of our females finally flew out and caught one, once she did the feeding frenzy was on. Luckily they had all or mostly landed in our driveway so we scrambled to pick them up and they ate all we could pitch. Two more trips to town with a total of about 15 doz. or so they quit feeding and sat and chirped and preened. I remember it was sooo cold that day and a NW wind that burned bare skin, I had on two coats and our plastic spoons kept snapping off from the cold. That was several years ago, they catch on pretty quick now. They will not feed on them at other times (when they can catch their own, or are full) they just watch you like your an idiot that they must put up with. and are slightly amused by.
We haven't seen any yet, ours usually show between the 20 march-1 april. The 7+" of snow and cold hasn't helped but sun is shinning and the weather is calling for 50's on Sunday, warming up all week to the 60's by next weekend.
I know you said that you tried flinging food for them, but just from our experience here in Payson,IL. it took us five dozen crickets before one of our females finally flew out and caught one, once she did the feeding frenzy was on. Luckily they had all or mostly landed in our driveway so we scrambled to pick them up and they ate all we could pitch. Two more trips to town with a total of about 15 doz. or so they quit feeding and sat and chirped and preened. I remember it was sooo cold that day and a NW wind that burned bare skin, I had on two coats and our plastic spoons kept snapping off from the cold. That was several years ago, they catch on pretty quick now. They will not feed on them at other times (when they can catch their own, or are full) they just watch you like your an idiot that they must put up with.
and are slightly amused by. We haven't seen any yet, ours usually show between the 20 march-1 april. The 7+" of snow and cold hasn't helped but sun is shinning and the weather is calling for 50's on Sunday, warming up all week to the 60's by next weekend.
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Glen Webb Jr
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2004 1:03 pm
- Location: Illinois/Stewardson
I checked the gourds yesterday afternoon to see if the mealworms had been eaten. Out pops the 3 martins. But they are so tame right now it's almost scary. It's like they know I'm only doing them a favor and sit on a low perch and watch. Anyway, I'd say about half of the mealworms were gone and I gave the rest to the bluebirds this morning. It was a deep cup and I don't think the larvae crawled out. So that was good news.
Today is a much better day. Supposed to be low-mid 50's and plenty of sunshine and boy is it exciting today. All of a sudden I have tree swallows everywhere. It was like they were holding off till the weather broke but man they all came in chirping and darting everywhere like a squadron of fighters about 8am this morning. It was instant excitement. Bugs are flying everywhere especially the midges and things I call craneflies...not sure what those things are, they look like giant mosquitoes. But regardless, the martins are hanging close to the colony and are feeding heavy. It's such a wonderful sight to see the tree swallows and martins feeding like this. The skies are filled with wonderful chirps again!
Forecast says upper 50's through the mid 60's this week with plenty of rain and sunshine. Finally, I hope the cold weather is gone.
Today is a much better day. Supposed to be low-mid 50's and plenty of sunshine and boy is it exciting today. All of a sudden I have tree swallows everywhere. It was like they were holding off till the weather broke but man they all came in chirping and darting everywhere like a squadron of fighters about 8am this morning. It was instant excitement. Bugs are flying everywhere especially the midges and things I call craneflies...not sure what those things are, they look like giant mosquitoes. But regardless, the martins are hanging close to the colony and are feeding heavy. It's such a wonderful sight to see the tree swallows and martins feeding like this. The skies are filled with wonderful chirps again!
Forecast says upper 50's through the mid 60's this week with plenty of rain and sunshine. Finally, I hope the cold weather is gone.