MartinCam.Com Blog

The gourdcam babies have fledged recently, but there are still about half a dozen birds hanging around off and on. It seems that gourd #8 has some unfledged young getting fed in it. This is the latest in the year we have had nesting birds at this colony.

From a recent Merrit Island National Wildlife Refuge (MINWR) update:

The purple martin gourds in back of the visitor center were checked and no young were found. We believe the five young birds fledged. This is the first time the nesting site was successful. A big thank you to the Thursday volunteers and Chuck Blakey for getting the gourds up and running.

good job!

The 4 young in gourd #1 have fledged. They are hanging out in the top flimsy branches of the nearby scrub oak. There now remain one set of young in the gourds, gourd #7. Other martins are still hanging around the colony and keeping up chatter. This morning has been good bird watching weather with overcast slightly foggy conditions. Herons have flown over, and several different types of birds are also in the scrub oak tree from time to time.

Today was the first time I have seen gourd #12 (the one our camera has been monitoring closely) empty since hatching. All the birds are fledged out! A safe journey to the South when they decide to go.

We'll move the camera to the newest hatchers in a few days.

During the raising of housing after today's nest check, several
of the oldest young left their gourds. Many of them are at the age
of fledging anyway, so it is possible they had already fledged. Also
possible they freaked out a little bit and this was their first
time out.
There was also 3 new young in gourd #7. These were a day or so in
age.

Nest check numbers:
Gourd 1: 4 Young 1 Egg
Gourd 2: 6 Young
Gourd 3: 3 Young (possibly 1 already fledged?)
Gourd 4: 1 Egg
Gourd 5: 3 Young, 2 Eggs
Gourd 6: 6 Young
Gourd 7: 3 Young, 2 Eggs
Gourd 8: 6 Eggs
Gourd 9: Nest
Gourd 10: Solar Panel
Gourd 11: 4 Young, 1 Egg
Gourd 12: 6 Young