Purple Martins are here in Sugar Land, TX

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JeanS
Posts: 115
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:08 pm
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Martin Colony History: 2002 -Coates metal houses- about 18 pairs
2005 - Added a gourd rack- many more pairs
2007 - Added another gourd rack, gave the Coates houses away
2008-2015 - Experimented with many gourds & a few racks (its a sickness) fledged over 200 chicks/year. Hubby keeps records, not me. :-)
2016 - 64 gourds and expect most will be occupied

I was out having coffee with a friend when hubby texted me the great news that the Purple Martins are back. It is cold and rainy here, but tomorrow will be sunny and warm enough for them to feed. I wish today were a more welcoming day for the two ASY-M that visited our yard. At least they have clean dry nesting material to snuggle in the gourds. If I knew which gourd they would go into tonight, I'd put some air activated hand warmers in there too!
Jean S
2002 - Coates metal houses- about 18 pairs
2005-2007 - added a gourd rack, then another gourd rack = many more pairs
2008-2015 - Experimented with many gourds & a few racks (its a sickness) fledged over 200 chicks/year
2016 - 64 gourds and expect most will be occupied
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Emil Pampell-Tx
Posts: 6743
Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas

That is great news, I went out and watched for a while but could not see any here. Congratulations for being the first to get some in Texas
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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pmartinlover2
Posts: 521
Joined: Mon Mar 24, 2014 6:37 pm
Location: IL/Hillsboro
Martin Colony History: 2011 Home site--1 SY pair--2 fledged
2016 Satellite Site---4 pair--19 eggs laid--17 hatched--16 fledged
2017 Satellite Site--8 pair--37 eggs laid--34 hatched--34 fledged
2018 11 pair--fledged 60
2019 20 pair-fledged 94
2020 23pair-fledged 108

Congrats, JeanS! Your 2016 martin season has begun at your beautiful site. Texas is on the map!
______
Jody
Jody in Central Illinois
Landlord in 2016
2016—4 pr fledged 16
2017—8 pr fledged 34
2018—11 pr fledged 60
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Stephen Cruse
Posts: 168
Joined: Thu May 03, 2007 12:17 pm
Location: Texas, Hitchcock and Rocksprings

Congrats on the arrival. Did they stay the night? I thought I saw a Martin yesterday but it did not come down or make any sounds. Definitely a swallow but not 100% on the Martin ID.
2014 - 72 pairs
2015 - 127 pairs
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JeanS
Posts: 115
Joined: Sun Jan 14, 2007 9:08 pm
Location: Sugar Land, TX
Martin Colony History: 2002 -Coates metal houses- about 18 pairs
2005 - Added a gourd rack- many more pairs
2007 - Added another gourd rack, gave the Coates houses away
2008-2015 - Experimented with many gourds & a few racks (its a sickness) fledged over 200 chicks/year. Hubby keeps records, not me. :-)
2016 - 64 gourds and expect most will be occupied

We didn't have time to stay outside to watch the gourd racks, so we don't know if they came back. I spent a little time outside this afternoon and have not seen any PMs today yet. The yard is silent and the sky is Purple Martinless at the moment.
Jean S
2002 - Coates metal houses- about 18 pairs
2005-2007 - added a gourd rack, then another gourd rack = many more pairs
2008-2015 - Experimented with many gourds & a few racks (its a sickness) fledged over 200 chicks/year
2016 - 64 gourds and expect most will be occupied
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