Purple Martin Association of the Dakotas

1st birds today @ 6:45 AM. 7 by evening most ever on 1st day. Put last T14 up yesterday total of 108 compartments including the 52 gourds this year. Replaced all brake winches with worm gear winches. Much easier on my bad shoulders. Birds went straight to meal worm feeders.

First birds 04/06/24.

Fewer birds around, about 60% occupancy. Average hatch many more unhatched eggs. Hawk issues big time. Fewer jumpers this year compared to last year.

Fed 40,000 mealworms early in season.

Someone asked last year how to keep mealworms from just crawling away. Use Corning ...

Picture of mealworm / eggshell feeder. I have two.

I now have about 52 PM's back today. My first ones survived at least 2 snowstorms and were snowed in for at least a day both times. It was about a week after the first ones appeared before they began to trickle in.
I started feeding years ago by flipping crickets but quit when sharp shinned hawks ...

First ASYF arrived about 6:30 PM and did a fly by. Returned a few minutes later and landed on House #2 and acted like it owned the compartment that was opened up yesterday. It would be the same compartment the first returning pair claimed last year. Wish it waited for a week before coming back. I ...

My first arrivals were 2 very hungry males and headed straight to platform feeders. I put out several hundred meal worms. Worms cleaned up in no time. Birds have been trickling in ever since. males at least 3 to 1 over females. Have just over 50 birds back now. Have had several dead on ground ...

As of 1835 5 males and 1female. Of course they all wanted holes opened in all 4 T-14's.

First arrivals were a pair m & f together at 0830 today. Had one hole open on each side of all T-14's but each one wanted a different hole on opposite sides of house #2. Put out some meal worms right away. Year has started.

1ST ASYM arrived at 12:15 4/8/17. Hope everyone has a good year. I have a pair of Sharpshinned Hawks Nesting about 1/2 block north of colony. Hope that doesn't spell disaster for me.
Al

Not likely to affect returns as most unhatched eggs were scattered around in nests that fledged other young. Only one nest had about 13 unhatched eggs laid in it over the season, apparent retries as many times the number went down and more infertile eggs were laid.