Mayflower Martins Colony Update

[rognjo]

Time for an update and some observations this year so far.

Scouts arrived on April 3rd, about one week behind schedule. Saw the first SY male on May 7th, although I suspect some SY females were around earlier but I am never absolutely certain so I don't post SY reports until I've seen a male. The first SY was about a week later than normal also and there still seems to be not too many around relative to previous years.

The weather has been cool but the martins are fine and have plenty to eat with little stress. Glad I didn't have to fling crickets this year, although I have to admit it is kinda fun. No losses to cold weather as has been the case in the last 2 years. Most of the colony are ASY's and this is a good indication of survival.

This year I have the same setup, 6 wooden houses mounted to the light poles that contain a total of 30 cavities. I also have my experimental styrofoam house up that has 8 compartments and fledged 5 babies last year. I have a donated gourd rack that has 6 gourds in it for a total of 44 cavities available. I would estimate about 80% occupancy to date.

I've been busy with some other martin-related activities as well. I gave a Powerpoint presentation at the Zionsville Nature Center entitled "Beginner's Introduction To Purple Martins" which was received well. I was also involved with establishing a martin house at the Zionsville City Nature Trail which was generously donated by Dave and Kathy Williams of the local Wild Birds Unlimited store and assisted by Therese Berkhardt of the Zionsville Nature Center. No takers to date but there are still a few weeks of opportunity left.

Had something unusual occur 2 nights ago (May 20th). I was at the MFM site as usual in the evening but there were absolutely NO birds around. It started getting dark and well past the time they usually come in to roost. I lowered all the houses looking for signs of predation (feathers, snakes, raccoons, owls), human interference, thought about hawk predation but could find nothing unusual except no martins around. About 9:15 the lights on the poles the house are mounted on came on and about 5 minutes later the entire colony came swooping in (much to my relief, colony abandonment was not an exciting outcome). I have never seen them come in so late, perhaps they were out feeding when conditions were optimal. I noticed a large number of SY's with them and much vocalization when they arrived so maybe they were out "recruiting". Anyway my blood pressure came back to normal and all is well.

Nest building started over a week ago for some but has slowed due to the cool weather, should pick up this weekend as temps go into the 80's here. No eggs yet but these should come shortly.

Plan to do some banding again later on and also hold at least one open house with the help of Dave and Kathy when some eggs are laid and some babies arrive. We do it each year and is a lot of fun and well attended.

Will post more later as the season progresses.

[Terry Suchma]

Dear Roger,

When landlords tell me the scenario where their martins wait until dark, then decend upon the site to enter at dusk, I tell them that a hawk is stalking the colony. The hawk stalks and terrorizes the colony so much during the daytime hours, that the martins stay away a lot and only return in a cloud at dusk.

This is the same behavior one would see at a PM roost. The martins wait until the last minute before descending into the roost so that any lurking hawk predators are confused by the dense cloud of birds.

From the birds' point of view, coming in together at at the last minute is a defense strategy. there is safety in numbers and they have a better chance of surviving when coming in as a group.

So, perhaps, it's a hawk you have at the colony.
Terry

[Terry Suchma]

Dear Roger,

And, oh, by the way, thank you for all you are doing for the martins and martin enthusiasts in your area. You are a good martin man, Roger Lee!

Terry