Kansas Updates...

DornCounty · Thu Apr 10, 2014 9:07 pm

counted at my house tonight.. 33 martins.. only home for 32.. so I am full up and no subbies yet.

did not get to check the public colony.

tonyg · Fri Apr 11, 2014 12:04 am

Big increase at my site today Andrew...strong southerly winds brought them home I guess!!

Dawn~KS · Fri Apr 11, 2014 9:14 pm

I had a VERY early female (Mar. 12).....at least it seemed early as far as reports were going. She took me by surprise since I had been looking at the scout report and they were all well south of me. But she was not so early compared to other years for me. She was all alone for some days and then a few more showed up. It was cool for a while and then warm and windy weather one Sunday took me from 4 birds to over 20 in one day. It was all chaos that evening when they all came in.

Right now, everything seems to be moving along. I don't have an exact count but when I look at them sitting on porches they are everywhere. My T-14 has only a couple rooms left. I would say I have at least 40-50 birds birds or so. Been so busy doing yard work I haven't stopped to count........just enjoy being serenaded while I work.

Bluebirds laid an egg today and Tree Swallows are building their nest.

DornCounty · Sat Apr 12, 2014 6:17 pm

Good News Tony.. I wonder what Parsons is like.. haven't been able to check since Wednesday. My guess is large numbers came in too. Find out in the morning.

Nice report Dawn!

art · Mon Apr 14, 2014 11:24 am

Last Saturday 04/12 we were 85 degrees in southest Kansas. My first two pair of martins arrived to share the yard with me. The T-14 had been up for two weeks. A cold nasty north wind kept them inside on Sunday and now this -- snow and freezing temperatures predicted all day! Tomorrow we might see low 60's. I just hope they've enough fuel reserves to get through this mess. My attempt at supplemental feeding in the past always met with disappointment; too windy and the birds not aware of the cricket flying past. What is the weather like in the eastern half of the state this day?

jimnks · Tue Apr 15, 2014 9:57 am

It is a lot better day today than yesterday was here in NE Kansas, temperature at 7:00 AM was 31 degrees the sun is shining now and no wind, temperature is 40 supposedly going to mid 50's, as opposed to the snow flurries and wind yesterday. I am sure the asparagus probably froze last night, but what the heck it will get warm sooner or later, then I can start griping about the heat! I counted 16 martins on the houses this morning, that's up from 10 I had on Saturday, lots of TRES on the place now fighting with the BB's over housing. I probably better open another house today as I only have 12 compartments available for the martins. Have a nice day!! jimnks

cchild03 · Tue Apr 15, 2014 1:06 pm

I think I'm now up to somewhere between 8 and 11 martins. I'm not exactly sure, and yesterday was too nasty to get any kind of a count. Today is much better--still in the 40s, but sunny and calm. I think we're supposed to get up over 50 today so they should be able to find food later this afternoon and evening.

Jim in Tonganoxie, I think it's so neat that you have tree swallows. I'm sure we have them in northern Leavenworth County, but that's one bird I look for and have never seen on my property. I live on 15 acres and have plenty of open BB boxes. Maybe one day I'll see one. I'm always looking!

DornCounty · Tue Apr 15, 2014 1:17 pm

Checked Parsons colonies at lunch... .. numbers have really increased today.. or so it seemed with the calm nice weather.. martins easy to see and count.

Also being attacked by house sparrows.

tonyg · Tue Apr 15, 2014 11:50 pm

Raised the racks this morning and flushed everyone out..must have been a 100 in the sky..more than I thought I had ..seems like a lot of males..hoping for some SY females to show up..

DottieL · Thu Apr 24, 2014 4:44 pm

Any Kansans have subbies yet?? Since my site has been inactive for the past 4 years, I have my house still closed up except for the Spar O Door trap.

tonyg · Fri Apr 25, 2014 1:03 am

Not here yet..should be any day though..

Tim Mangan-Kansas · Fri Apr 25, 2014 5:35 am

Dottie:

A SY female showed up on the 23rd.

DottieL · Fri Apr 25, 2014 8:03 am

How encouraging!!! Maybe I should open up the house and try to be diligent cleaning out the HOSP?? AND, making sure my Excluder II holes are the right size!! I had some lookers at the end of last year's season as they were migrating back, so I am hopeful.

None entered the holes though, Soo I really should check the size.

DornCounty · Fri Apr 25, 2014 9:06 am

I have not seen any SY's yet

DottieL · Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:23 am

Well I have opened up my house thinking surely those SY's will be here anytime. Good about you all in SE KS, seen any subbies yet??

DornCounty · Mon Apr 28, 2014 9:54 am

DottieL wrote:Well I have opened up my house thinking surely those SY's will be here anytime. Good about you all in SE KS, seen any subbies yet??

I will know more after lunch today.. but I have not seen a subbie male.. have not taken the time to really search for females.. but I do search for males.

DottieL · Mon Apr 28, 2014 10:18 am

Thanks Dorn... Maybe I should close my house until y'all south of me spots them?

DornCounty · Mon Apr 28, 2014 2:23 pm

DottieL wrote:Thanks Dorn... Maybe I should close my house until y'all south of me spots them?

I'd leave it open at this point if you can watch it at all.

DottieL · Mon Apr 28, 2014 4:39 pm

On yes..... Can see it perfectly from my easy chair in the house! I'll leave it open and work at keeping the HOSP removed.

DottieL · Mon Apr 28, 2014 4:53 pm

I checked the scout report for SY males and found the first KS report today in Harper KS just south and west of me. So here's hoping!!!