Purple Martin Association of the Dakotas

Arrived at 12:01 PM very cold looking. Lowered house and opened all cavities on T-14 for him, put out mealworms on feeder. I expect more tomorrow with SE winds.

Allen

Kudos on the new arrival!
Lets hope you grow this yr. till your "Purple Cup" runneth over, into the surrounding areas.
Maybe some new sites will bloom, to grow the "Purple Tree",

Jerome

Had an ASYF show at 4:30 the same day. She wasn't from my colony because she couldn't figure out SREH holes. There should be lots of young from several years past added to the area. My colony has stabilized at about 65 pair for about 4 years. I raised about a thousand young in that time frame. Hope you have better luck this year! Even using conservative numbers that would mean about 300 returning SY's.

Al

Allen

Spose /w just 1 or 2 at the site it's like starting over for you each year, with the expectation
the Troops will soon be rollen in?

Sounds like some L.L. Dn. south are experiencing lower numbers this yr.

See Alberta/Ontario C. has reported Swallows already!

Best O nest to you, hope you meet your goal

My challenge has been rising at 4 A.M. to play/listen to Dawn Song

Jerome

Allen, where are you located? I hope you're nearby, since that would mean my birds will be zooming in soon.

Caroline

I am in Crookston on the northside, east of you on Hwy 2 in MN. I am at 3 and holding. Sparrows are trying to take over my site today. More should arrive today and tomorrow with east and south winds. Shouldn't be long.

Al

Congrats on the arrival. It is the best sound in the world to hear the returning purple beauties.

I now have 4 ASYM and 1 ASYF this evening. Noticed that the new one was trying to pull out the plug on a gourd on my rack. T-14's all were open since the 18th. He even waited for me to lower the rack and pull out the plugs. Hope everyone has good success this season. Caught 12 H S today.

Count now over 25 almost even M/F. Coopers hawks at least one adult and one Juvenal raising Cain yesterday also a Sharpshinned. Attempts on PM's and at least one Grackle killed. Hope Coopers are just passing thru. Most new PM's Came in Tuesday night and Wednesday Morning at first light. Only 1 or 2 are taking mealworms from feeder so must be some insects over river and wetlands.

Al

Hey I am still waiting here. The Purple Martins have been late here in GFK the last few years. That is okay by me it still seems so cold outside.