Project Martin Watch

EGunterTX · Fri May 20, 2016 3:53 pm

I'm curious. Do many folks on this forum participate in Martin Watch?

This is my 4th year in it & I'm a little frustrated, thinking about just dropping out.
6 weeks & 6 nest checks into the season & I just got a snail mail that said there's a new new form I should be using and new codes to use.
I really don't have time to learn new codes, transfer data to a new form, etc.
Guess I may just drop it this & maybe learn the new system next year.
Seems I also recall another forum member whose 2-3 months of data was refused because he didn't do a final nest check showing every nest was empty....

On the bright side, I do have 23 babies & 12 more eggs.

Fri May 20, 2016 4:31 pm

Ed, we'd be delighted to have you complete your checks using the forms and codes you started with - the data is still good, and more people can use the new form (which we hope is easier) next season.

As to a final check, that's a needed part of the data. If a landlord does not show that nests were empty/birds fledged as a final check, sometimes that means they stopped checks too early, before all young reached fledge age. So we appreciate it when a final check is made to show empty nests.

JudyA · Sat May 21, 2016 10:27 am

Forum Admin,
I was recently out of town and went 9 days without a nest check. I am now back to regular checks. Would my data be rejected if all other data was provided? My counts were pretty consistant when I returned with my counts before.
- Judy

Sat May 21, 2016 10:31 am

No, since your gap is not at very beginning or very end, your data should be good. It is very helpful if landlords use the life size baby photos and age nestlings (biggest one in each nest is enough) on the FIRST nest check after hatch - it really increases accuracy of data. And only that once is needed.

These photos, plus the PROG wheel, are great tools for landlords: https://www.purplemartin.org/shop/produ ... in-photos/

avesrun · Sat May 21, 2016 12:20 pm

I tried to download the form on my laptop without success; will try my desktop

DebA · Sat May 21, 2016 1:56 pm

I've always wondered what the significance of 3do, 3 day old chick is? Other than aging their hatch dates etc... Is there something identifying about 3do?
Deb

avesrun · Sat May 21, 2016 3:17 pm

I've always wondered about the hole type. I can see where round would get its own code, but why does excluder and crescent get their own code but apparently Clinger, Conley II and any others apparently are all considered "Obround"

In my opinion, crescent is just as much or moreso obround as clinger and conley II. Why not have a code for each and a final code for "other" instead of obround? or make every entrance that isn't round considered obround? Or have two codes; one for round and one for sreh.
I guess I feel that for data purposes, too much love is given to crescent and excluder and conley II and clinger get the shaft!

TimG