They took it!

[Thomas Maddox]

T-Bear, I read yesterday where 2 different people saw them eating off the ground. I've never seen nor heard of that, but maybe desperate times lead to desperate measures? I imagine that the PMs in most places are easy pickings for the hawks right now. I won't tolerate here! 24 more hours or so it's going to be better weather for them. Hoping and praying they can make it.

[Thomabear]

T-Bear, I read yesterday where 2 different people saw them eating off the ground. I've never seen nor heard of that, but maybe desperate times lead to desperate measures? I imagine that the PMs in most places are easy pickings for the hawks right now. I won't tolerate here! 24 more hours or so it's going to be better weather for them. Hoping and praying they can make it.

LOL, I haven't been called T-Bear since my oilfield days, jogs good memories. I think you're right about them doing stuff out of character during the survival process. Yep, hopefully they can start feeding soon. Weather is warming but thunderstorms are forecasted for tomorrow. We'll see... I'm with ya on not tolerating hawks.

[Martintown33]

Agree with you 2, Thomas and t bear.. amazing to see your photos of them eating on the ground like chickens! And also agree.. no hawk zone here as well …
I think all my martins will make it. They’ve been cleaning out all the crickets every time I load em up. And have been feeding yesterday and today. No feeding Sunday, so I’ll be out in the rain loading up their compartments with crickets. Then as yall say, good stretch of warm weather.
Rob

[C.C.Martins]

Oso preserve martins accepted flipped food! 200 superworms, 200 big crickets. Took a while, they finally came out and were sitting on the perches. Flipped crickets. Ignored. Flipped a few superworms and that did it! Then they took to anything.

I hid a bit, so in the picture the old guy in the maroon jacket crouching under the only dry spot is me.

After a while they figured me out so went right out.

Thank God!

[brent]

That is great. How many martins? I went through 1000 crickets and about 500+ June beetles and about 1,500 meal worms Friday. I counted 60+ martins. I fixed some eggs too. If I would have had more they would have taken it. Yesterday they took the rest of the meal worms so I went to Walmart and bought a bag of dried meal worms (hydrated them) and they took most of them. This morning they ate the rest of those so I went back to Walmart and bough another bag. They ate some more. Now they’re gone. Weather is nicer today and warmer. I figure they’re out feeding. I have an order for more crickets and live meal worms that should be in next week. This summer I plan on collecting all the June beetles I can and freeze them. They just loved those. Nice set up. Is that in a park? Brent

[Martintown33]

Great news Tom!! Man your hard work and persistence paid off!! Good job. Amazing .. just in time too!
Rob

[Thomabear]

Man-o-man, the good news just keeps rolling in. Congrats Tom! There’s nothing like seeing your hard work and determination finally pay off. Thanks to you, combating starvation just got easier for you and your Martins.

[C.C.Martins]

Thanks guys, I'm so relieved. Way way relieved.
Feared the worst. Loaded up all the porches with crickets, could hear them but they wouldn't come out. All I could do. Their poop is white and watery, yes just in time. But I probably could have thrown frenchfries at this point. They are starving.
Then saw two flying around, grabbed the spoon and started flipping. Out there today I went through 200 big crickets and 200 superworms, last few days there probably 300 crickets. took forever and ever for them to take it. They ate about 60 or 70, will go tomorrow. Mocking bird really made out like a bandit.
Brent, its our public site, a wildlife preserve and learning center...work there now. Nothing like working and hearing martins all day! There are 7 martins out there. We have 2 gold series 12 unit excluder gourd racks with excluder II and modified excluder openings, complete with owl guards, a 16 room Goliad and two 6 unit racks near the front of the park.

Black and white, 2 miles distant...my home has about 60 migrants and 20 or so residents. Gone through 4k superworms in 4 days, ordered 2k more. I just walk out and they dive down, heck just crack the door and look and they jump now. I think the migrants will move on tomorrow...still have to check houses...kinda dreading that but it is what it is.

[Phil01]

Congrats on getting the birds at the preserve to eat Tom! That’s awesome news! I’m sure you are WAY relieved! Now you know you can help them survive during lousy weather! Your persistence paid off sir!
Phil

[C.C.Martins]

Congrats on getting the birds at the preserve to eat Tom! That’s awesome news! I’m sure you are WAY relieved! Now you know you can help them survive during lousy weather! Your persistence paid off sir!
Phil

Phil,
Went today, 300 superworms down the hatch. Funny too, from 7 now in one night there are about 20. Were they in the gourds? Maybe, didnt see them come in but I do leave at 330.

I'm thinking platform feeder out there now, well see what kind of support well get. At least egg shells and nest material...dont know if they will buy 2k superworms!

[Thomabear]

Tom, I never would have thought they would have such ferocious appetites. I originally thought they would eat only 5 or 6 crickets for a meal. Boy was I wrong. When you put out the platform they will become miniature vacuum cleaners. Not so much as a cricket leg left behind.

[Phil01]

Tom, dang 300 superworms! Those things are huge! We feed them to our gecko sometimes. They are loaded in fat and I’m guessing have much more nutritional value to starving martins! Great job. I’m sure you know this already but if they are alive I would cut the heads off, those thing bite! Ouch!
Yep, I agree on the platform feeding. Will be much easier and save a lot of time. Especially for you bouncing back and forth between two colonies. I’m putting one in for next season for sure!
Phil

[C.C.Martins]

Man, agree 100%. Good lord. Now when flipping there are misses. When I threw them on the roof, not one escaped. In fact they would follow one all the way down, and when it fell they would follow it, 2 feet from me. Thought they were going to land on the ground.
Here's a picture of the preserve martins, just fed them.

Phil, I freeze them, then thaw in warm water with a bit of calcium supplement. They are tough and it takes a while to die. Yeah been bitten a few times, they cut right through their cardboard boxes...post office called me one to come get them, there were hundreds that escaped. Worms everywhere. They love me over ther.

[Phil01]

Wow, great pic and beautiful site Tom! Man, you have a bunch already! Yes, agree on the misses! I felt bad when only flipping one or two cause not everyone was getting some for their efforts, so started sending 5 or 6 up at a time… They were flying right over my shoulder…. Was wondering if they would take one out of my hand… lol Is VERY cool! But less waste with a platform for sure.

Haha! I bet the post office loves you! Come get these creatures before they eat everyone’s mail! Who is this guy??? I’m going to order some and give em a try too.. Just ordered 2000 more crickets yesterday.
Phil