Strange goings on around here

[Gobbler T]

Hi all,
Haven't been around much this season. Work is killing me! But I thought I'd take the time to share this. Not really sure whats going on here with my martins but I love it! I had 4 pair this year, and tickled to have them. One pair has raised their young and gone. The others should fledge on the 15th 16th & 19th.
Yesterday morning before work I was sitting on my porch watching the birds as I always do. My 6 martins went to 18! It was a beautiful sight, and amazing to watch. So many martins at one time in my back yard. I never thought I'd see it.
Well, this morning my 18 has gone to 35! And still more coming in! My yard is so full of martins, I don't know witch way to look.
The only thing I could figure was maybe they are stopping off on their way back south. Either that or there's going to be a roost in my back yard!
I have plenty of power lines for thousands to sit, so if they do your all invited to stop by!

[avesrun]

Hey Gobbler same thing here with my two pair "colony". Yesterday counted 13 martins on site. It was great to watch. I was asking myself if the extras are migrants or local birds. Either way, I hope it means more nesters in 2016!
TimG

[jedin]

A couple of weeks ago we had a mass visit too. Isn't it thrilling! I still hope to one day visit an active roost. Enjoy!

[John & Linda - KY]

jedin - There has been a massive roost on the river bank at Louisville the last several years. There are videos on YouTube. -- John

[scottfreidhof]

jedin - in addition to Louisville, there is usually a roost in Lexington every year. Last year the roost was at the Hamburg Pavilion shopping center on the east side of town. We should know in a few weeks if a roost forms in Lexington again. Early August is a good time to visit a roost.

[DebA]

Boy I remember when and now...GT counting his purple martins:
[img][img]http://i1071.photobucket.com/albums/u50 ... %20CBC.jpg[/img][/img]

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

You are seeing visitors. Martins love to visit nearby places that still have martin babies, and continue to do that until the nesting season starts and ends. You may have a roost nearby. We have a roost nearby, and get about 35 to 40 martins that visit every morning.

[Gobbler T]

Boy I remember when and now...GT counting his purple martins:

That's funny!!! I remember when too!
Emil, There is a roost, or was last year, about 15 miles away to the north. The numbers here have stopped growing, but there are form 20 to 30 extras every day. I love it!
My wife witnessed a baby get knocked off of a gourd porch yesterday, but he flew like a champ. They are sced. to fledge day after tomorrow, so I guess their ready to go, at least that one is!

[James Rieman]

Martins are attracted to housing with large nestlings in it. They are attracted by the calls of the nestlings and the activity of the parents. This is likely how they evaluate prospective sites for next year. There was once a suggestion that this happens on the day of fledging, but I have found that there are lots of visitors to my colony whenever there are older or loud nestlings in the nest.

[BW Fowler]

James, I agree completely.

Gobbler, let the good times roll...

BW

[sg45]

Hey Gobbler T
According to biologist with pmca, there is an active roost down your way near Columbus. So glad you are seeing lots of martins at your place. Guess some of them could be mine that have already headed southward.
Birdy girl

[Chuck4]

The local population in my area has thinned out substantially with only a few martins left. Morning visitations are over now at my site. I occasionally hear a high altitude chortle or two now and then, but that is it.

Does anyone here know if they roost at lake Arkabutla in N. M.S. ?

[birdy girl]

Chuck
I don't know about lake Arkabutla , but the sticky post at top of page says there is active roost at Memphis Tn, Shelby county. Needing someone to locate roost. Isn't this fairly close to you?

[Chuck4]

Chuck
I don't know about lake Arkabutla , but the sticky post at top of page says there is active roost at Memphis Tn, Shelby county. Needing someone to locate roost. Isn't this fairly close to you?

I doubt I'll be able to look for the Memphis Roost. I was wondering about Arkabutla, since I spend more time down there.

Last year I drove out in Arkansas once late in the season through a very large area of farmland. I saw thousands of Martins and Barnies. They were feeding and perching on the power lines.

[Chris B]

I had about 100 PMs on the power lines yesterday evening. This morning very few were around. The season is drawing to a close. Almost time to be looking for the roost.

Edit 7/23: They're gone. Buh Bye birdies! I used my PU truck bed to get high enough to see into the gourds and they are all empty. Did find a dead ASY male in one of the larger SREH gourds. Maybe old age or scared to death from fireworks. It was a good season despite the cold wet start and hot dry June / July. I will improve on some things next year, especially treating the pre nests with DE to keep mites down. May also add another rack with 8 more gourds, possibly horiz plastic ones.

Anybody see radar images of a Huntsville (Rocket City) roost? I will go into town to check if someone sees anything.

[Dave Reynolds]

Gobbler T --- Sounds wonderful.... You are one of many successful stories..

Dave