Purple Martin Association of the Dakotas

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 will put out meal worms tomorrow AM, many of my PM's use my platform feeders with ramekins filled with worms.

Wow, seems early, considering what weather's doin up here!
Friday April 22 an ASY-m arrived, just north of TRF, Saturday 2 more arrived, Sunday an ASY-f arrived.
Are those dried meal worms & did you flip insects to get them started taking Supplimentle feeding

Jerome

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 were attacking while I was feeding. They attacked while there was a lot of wheeling around by the birds and hawks were successful.
I started flipping them unto the roof of the platform feeder. I had a shallow dish with crickets up on the platform and under the roof. Eventually I switched from crickets to live meal worms in the dish. Platforms were originally for eggshell pieces.
Not all birds will use the feeder. Most watch and learn from the ones that do eat them. I get a few birds every year that are passing thru and can't negotiate the Conley entrances, so they aren't from my site. A few are very large and just sit on the porch all night. I now put out a few Gourds with large round holes. They usually move on in a couple of days. Two have remained here and now have mates.
I found a male dead on the ground two days ago and it was emaciated.
I have fed 40,000 meal worms already this year. They will stop using the feeders when they can find sufficient insects flying around. Meal worms aren't their favorite food. I also feed in summer if they have young and it rains several days in a row.

Hello
Congrats, AllenH
Nice report, be good to hear how Season progresses!
Have a good year.

There are 16 pairs, at our site, bidding they're time.
They hunt forage most days, even during rain showers.
Tryed feeding scrambled egg, on coldest days, but most was Flipped off they're porch, by them. Lost 1 ASY-m!

Sounds as temps may moderate, starting the 22nd, would be much appreciated by all

Been keeping some Cubys plugged, after watching birds struggle to gather enough Forage, in 2021!

Planning to reopen some as SY make an appearance, primarily to maintain diverse Colony. Am also hoping some of last years young reach, the other 5 Colonys I helped start in the area Four sites got a start in 2020 & the 5th one in 2021!

Note! One site grew from 1 to 6 pair, in 2nd Season & another grew from 1 to 7 pairs!

Good Luck Martineers

Hope Notifications, comes back up!

Picture of mealworm / eggshell feeder. I have two.

Allen
Nice feeders setup, what stops meal worms from crawling away?
Where do you purchase live worms from? 🪱
Are you feeding, spring 23 season?

Allen
Nice feeders setup, what stops meal worms from crawling away?
Where do you purchase live worms from? 🪱
Are you feeding, spring 23 season?

Allen
Nice feeders setup, what stops meal worms from crawling away?
Where do you purchase live worms from? 🪱
Are you feeding, spring 23 season?