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caroline94535

Eight Purple Martin nests in progress here!

15 years ago

Since we've enjoyed three days without rain, I lowered the gourd rack today to see what the Purple Martins have been up to. I'm loving the winch system my long-suffering hubby installed on the pole. He's lovin' it too; I can raise and lower the rack "all by myself" now! LOL

I've seen a few of the martins with bits of material and going in and out of the gourds. I thought I had about four mated pairs.

Well, send me back to arithmetic class...I have at least EIGHT pairs! There were nests in eight of the 12 gourds.

I welcome my birds back with thick pre-made cedar-chip nests, so most of them don't do much nest construction. They simply add a few twigs and/or a smear of mud and call it good.

The theory behind providing pre-nests is the martins use less energy hauling nesting material, and are in better health with more body fat when they begin laying eggs.

They spend the pre-nesting time eating and recovering from their migration from Brazil.

It's all a numbers game; by actively managing a colony, I try to get the birds in the optimum condition to lay as many eggs as possible and then fledge every chick.

There are two empty gourds on the top rack. The pair building a nest in Gourd 2 are also claiming Gourd 1. Gourd 7 might be a bachelor's pad, too. I've noticed two SY (Second Year = immature) males in the mix.

Right now I have only four gourds on the lower level; two of them have nests.

The natural gourd, as always, was quickly snapped up. Gourd 2, on the top tier, was taken first, but I'm sure it's occupied, once again, by the male that successfully nested there the past two years. The natural gourd on the lower tier was the second one claimed. All the porched gourds are taken.

I hope to slowly add more natural gourds. I appreciate the convenience of the man-made ones, but the naturals are more comfortable for the martins. I can't see myself having more than 16 gourds in our small front yard; I could easily managed at least eight naturals.

I'll be posting photos when I have time to download them.

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