I am sure that someone has experienced this as well. We have one nest where 5 eggs were laid. When I completed my nest check just prior to their due date to hatch, the eggs were all over the nest, and it took me awhile to locate all of them. The next time I checked the eggs were rearranged all together, and it was past their date to hatch. I did daily checks to try to figure out what was going on. I noticed that there was an additional egg each day that I checked, and now have 10 eggs in that nest. My guess is that for whatever reason the first clutch didn't hatch, and the additional eggs are a new clutch. What do you think? Would the same parents have a second clutch, or are these from another Martin couple? I don't know enough about this, and hope that someone might be able to provide me some information.
During this time of daily nest checks I observed something else that I found very odd. My understanding was that the Martin femaile lays one egg daily usually around dawn. I can't provide the source of this information, so it may not be accurate, but I'm sure that I read it somewhere. This particular compartment had no eggs one day, and 4 eggs the very next morning. I check the empty, but ready nests thoroughly, and know that this nest had no eggs. Would anyone be able to explain this to me? Thank you.
Egg oddities
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DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
Marti,
I don't have an answer to your questions but your situation fascinated me. I did a search of some key words and did come across this thread. While it doesn't answer all of your questions it does show that they will lay again in the same nest. Check it out and I hope it helps. Kathy always has good advice. I learned something new.
Good luck. By the way I've had windy conditions displace eggs around a nest, not sure if you've had any wind. I have also had eggs hatch a little later than I was expecting and others not hatch at all.
http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic ... enest+eggs
Deb
I don't have an answer to your questions but your situation fascinated me. I did a search of some key words and did come across this thread. While it doesn't answer all of your questions it does show that they will lay again in the same nest. Check it out and I hope it helps. Kathy always has good advice. I learned something new.
Good luck. By the way I've had windy conditions displace eggs around a nest, not sure if you've had any wind. I have also had eggs hatch a little later than I was expecting and others not hatch at all.
http://purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic ... enest+eggs
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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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.
Hello Marti and Deb.
I just wanted to respond to this question: "My guess is that for whatever reason the first clutch didn't hatch, and the additional eggs are a new clutch. What do you think? Would the same parents have a second clutch, or are these from another Martin couple?"
The initial clutch could have been from a different pair. Maybe that's why they didn't hatch. The female could have been killed or she and her mate may have lost a fight (and their cavity) to a tougher pair of martins.
The initial clutch may have been infertile (but not likely). One year, we had one nest that ended up with 10 or 12 eggs that never hatched... and I don't have a clue as to why. I think infertile eggs are usually limited to one or two out of a clutch rather than the entire clutch. Another year, we had one nest that had 8 - 10 eggs in it and during a late nest check I found that one of the eggs had hatched. The hatchling was already dead when I found it. Another head scratcher...
As for the cavity where 4 eggs suddenly appeared overnight... Could be Subbie females dumping their eggs in this cavity because there is no resident female to keep them out. That's a possibility. I would readily question myself. I've written down incorrect cavity numbers and written things down on the wrong line -- all kinds of stuff happens with "me". I make mistakes. If there's no chance for human error or a miracle, then egg-dumping would be the only answer.
Sounds like you're off to a great season. Have fun!!
I just wanted to respond to this question: "My guess is that for whatever reason the first clutch didn't hatch, and the additional eggs are a new clutch. What do you think? Would the same parents have a second clutch, or are these from another Martin couple?"
The initial clutch could have been from a different pair. Maybe that's why they didn't hatch. The female could have been killed or she and her mate may have lost a fight (and their cavity) to a tougher pair of martins.
The initial clutch may have been infertile (but not likely). One year, we had one nest that ended up with 10 or 12 eggs that never hatched... and I don't have a clue as to why. I think infertile eggs are usually limited to one or two out of a clutch rather than the entire clutch. Another year, we had one nest that had 8 - 10 eggs in it and during a late nest check I found that one of the eggs had hatched. The hatchling was already dead when I found it. Another head scratcher...
As for the cavity where 4 eggs suddenly appeared overnight... Could be Subbie females dumping their eggs in this cavity because there is no resident female to keep them out. That's a possibility. I would readily question myself. I've written down incorrect cavity numbers and written things down on the wrong line -- all kinds of stuff happens with "me". I make mistakes. If there's no chance for human error or a miracle, then egg-dumping would be the only answer.
Sounds like you're off to a great season. Have fun!!
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne