PMCA Colony Update 2019: Our Martins have arrived
The spring is an exciting time here at the PMCA. We share the anticipation with our fellow Purple Martin landlords for the arrival of our Purple Martins to our colonies. We follow along with the Scout-Arrival map and look to the skies when the arrival time approaches. That day arrived for us this year on […]
PMCA Colony Update 2019: The Martins are on Their Way
After a long winter, the news of the return of Purple Martins in the southern US is a welcoming sign that spring is on the way. As the Purple Martins continue to venture further north in their migration, it is important to stay updated and know when they will return to your area so you […]
PMCA Colony Update 2018: GPS Deployment
Twelve GPS data loggers were deployed on the backs of adult Purple Martins this month to collect data on their journey to the amazon rainforest and back. These GPS data loggers will collect data five times throughout the day (every day) and can pinpoint the bird’s location as accurate as a few meters. In order to […]
PMCA COLONY UPDATE: Fledglings – Plug and String Method
Over the last few days our first nests of the season have fledged and with each nest check we are finding more cavities empty. It’s bittersweet to see the young successfully leave the nest, knowing it’s a sign that our summer with the Purple Martins is coming to an end. Performing nest checks near the […]
pmca colony update 2018: Banding week
It was a busy week here at the PMCA as we banded nearly 300 nestlings for our long-term banding research. Every Purple Martin nestling at the PMCA is banded after they reach eleven days old. They are fitted with 2 bands; a silver federal band on the left leg and a purple auxiliary band on […]
PMCA Colony Update 2018: Hatching has begun
Over the weekend, our first eggs of the season hatched. We had three nests at Sommerheim with little pink babies and expect nests at our other locations to begin hatching by the end of the week. We are almost at full capacity, with active nests in nearly every compartment. What an exciting time of year! […]
PMCA Colony Update 2018: We have Eggs
Our first egg of the season was laid on May 22 in a gourd at our Sommerheim location. Although our martins arrived later than they have in recent years, they took no time waiting to lay eggs, with our first egg appearing a week earlier than last year. With each nest check, we are finding […]
PMCA Colony Update: Nest Building is Underway
As June approaches, our colonies are filling up with martins. The adult birds have been busy building nests for a couple weeks now and have begun to bring in green leaves, indicating that they are getting close to laying eggs. The first sub-adults arrived last week and are slow to the game of nest building, […]
PMCA COLONY UPDATE 2018 – OUR MARTINS ARE HERE
Last week, Erie had a glimpse of spring, the sun was shining and the temperature reached 70 degrees. It was the perfect weather for the martins to finish their journey home to the PMCA. The next morning I went out to our colony sites to look for scouts. Within seconds of getting out of the […]
PMCA Colony Update 2018 – Ready for Martins
Martin season has finally arrived! Here at the PMCA, we have been busy preparing our research colonies for their arrival. This has involved repairs on the housing from the harsh winter months (Erie, PA has received a record 192 inches of snow this winter), blocking entrances to prevent other species from nesting, and providing fresh […]