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The Kitchen Table

Latest Purple Martins' update

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

As of today, June 30, I still have 12 successfully nesting pairs of Purple Martins.

In the past three days, 40 chicks have hatched. One chick died within hours of hatching, so there are 39 chicks in the gourds so far.

There are 23 eggs still being incubated.

The Tree Swallow chicks are growing by leaps and bounds. I'm still saying there are six in the nest, although I'm having a dickens of a time counting them.

I saw three teeny-tiny House Wren heads in the nest box I maintain behind a neighbor's house. These chicks' noggins were no larger than a small green pea. Teeny-Tinys for sure.

I hear young crows making a terrible racket, but I've not actually seen them. I swore after fighting Cooper's Hawks for three years I would never, ever complain about crows again. Crows keep the Coops away; crows don't eat (or can't reach) the young martins. I do everything possible to encourage the crows. Cat kibble, anyone?

There is a pair of crows nesting at the far end of the block across the road from me. Haven't seen a Cooper's all season, knock on wood!

JUNE 30, 2015
Tier #1 - 8 gourds

Gourd 1 - 5 live chicks, 1 chick dead - from original six eggs
Gourd 2 - 6 eggs
Gourd 3 - 5 chicks - from the original 7 eggs (I didn't want to move them around to find the other eggs)
Gourd 4 - 6 chicks - from the original 6 eggs
Gourd 5 - Empty
Gourd 6 - 7 chicks from the original 7 eggs - I'm so happy!
Gourd 7 - 6 chicks plus1 egg from the original 7 eggs
Gourd 8 - 2 chicks - from the original two eggs

Tier #2 - 7 gourds

Gourd 9 - 4 eggs
Gourd 10 - 3 eggs, up 1 from last check
Gourd 11 - 2 chicks, plus 4 eggs from the original six eggs
Arm 12 - No gourd hung
Gourd 14 - 5 eggs
Gourd 16 - 0 eggs
Gourd 17 - 0 eggs
Gourd 18 - 4 chicks from the original four eggs

Here are the six chicks in Gourd 4. Each season I keep one special photo to represent that year's Purple Martin adventure. This very well may be my 2015 photo.

The big guy, lower right, is just a smidge over an inch tip to tail!

Some of the Mamas and the Papas after I finished the nest checks and raised the rack back up.

Featured Answer

caroline94535
Original Author

8 years ago

last modified: 8 years ago

Here are the two chicks in Gourd 8. Having only two chicks in the nest, and two parents constantly feeding them, makes for plump and fast growing chicks.

I haven't gotten a good look at the female parent to say positively, but I think she's a Second Year, meaning she hatched last summer. Many SYs don't nest, those that do usually have smaller clutches.

The dark shadows along the outer edge of their wings are the embroyic beginings of their flight feathers.

Sleeping Beauties

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Comments (7)

socks
8 years ago
Fabulous, Caroline!! Thank you for sharing, and especially for the pictures.
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Lily, every one that enjoys any species of birds is lucky, too! I am very proud of my little PM colony though. I don't know where they're nesting, but I have a pair of catbirds that visit my nectar feeder every day. Yes; they have a sweet tooth hidden in that sharp little beak! I use an older style Opus nectar/"oriole" feeder. It has rubber plugs that function as bee guards. I took two of them off and was surprised at all the other birds that love sugar water when they can get too it. I've seen chickadees, house finches, purple finches, Hairy and Downey woodpeckers, and hummingbirds all using it, along with the expected orioles. Of course, I don't have a photo of the catbird on it, but this is the nectar feeder all the yard birds enjoy.
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What a TREAT! Thank you, Caroline. And thanks to Jemdandy for the hatching info. Amazing that the birds *know* which is the very best gourd! And that they put up defenses as needed (mud dams). I hope those paint chips are not from lead-based paint. Do you have a good population of bugs to keep these guys fed? We are on our second batch of Cardinal matings here 30 miles north of Chicago. DH says he heard an owl two nights ago. I hope the owl sticks around -- something is making 2" diameter holes in my lawn, and it must be nocturnal because I only see chipmunks during the day.
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Could Mom be up in the trees with the fledglings? Maybe she is making less trips to the nest since Pop has it handled? I have a Female Blue that refuses to feed the babies after they are 11 days old, she has done this 3 nestings in a row. She is always there for fledging but it's like she takes a week off before they go. Hope yours is OK and that the babies get off safely.
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Do the birds not mind you "messing" with their homes? What a wonderful hobby you have and how grateful your birds must be to you!
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chisue
8 years ago
Aren't we lucky to 'know' you!

Do the parents bring the leaves, or does 'the landlord' furnish those too?
dees_1
8 years ago
The parents tear off the leaves and use them to line the nest, providing a cushion for the eggs. They really like my pear and crab apple trees and will strip the upper limbs bare. I've seen them in the maple and oak trees as well.

Nice counts this year caroline! I've had a rough year, fighting off severe predation (first time in 7 years) from raccoons and owls. There's a sharp-shined hawk that has been terrorizing my colony AND the SY males have decimated nests. I may lose my colony.....and it's fairly large. I'm at about 30% of what I started with. Many of them may have abandoned and may return next year but that's to be seen.
lydia1959
8 years ago
Caroline, I love reading about your Martins! I have a question for you (or dees_1) though.. do the adults not attack you when you are messing with their nests and babies? I remember as a child getting swooped down on and being pecked on the top of my head just by playing near the Purple Martin house.
dees_1
8 years ago
Caroline's experience may differ from mine; she's so good about writing summaries on her colony.

I'm a laid back landlord and can only check a few of my poles (I have 9 poles with a total of 108 compartments). My martins don't bother me too much. They hover around but don't really complain terribly. I've had a couple females stay in the cavity during a check. They do get used to it. I get swooped more if I'm just hanging out in the yard close to the racks. I talk to them every time I'm outside so they know my voice. Some even come over just to make sure it's me, greeting me with a chirp or click.

The Barn Swallows are far worse. I have a couple nests in my front entry way and when there are babies, even going out to get the mail is an adventure. They're not going to hit but they do get close!
redtartan
8 years ago
I find it quite amazing how they are so naked when born when you compare them to say a duck or chick that can basically survive on it's on if there is food and water available. Thanks for the wonderful details.

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