MartinCam.Com Blog

Today was tear down day on the gourds/housing. We found 3 eggs left in gourd 8 (which had had 6 eggs almost all season). The 3 that hatched in this gourd were the last of the season. All the gourds were rinsed and scrubbed and the nesting material used as mulch around two young atamoya trees.

Final 2005 tallies:

Gourd 1: 5 eggs, 4 young/fledged
Gourd 2: 6 eggs, 6 young/fledged
Gourd 3: 6 eggs, 4 young/fledged
Gourd 4: 1 egg, 0 young/fledged
Gourd 5: 5 eggs, 3 young/fledged
Gourd 6: 6 eggs, 6 young/fledged
Gourd 7: 5 eggs, 3 young/fledged
Gourd 8: 6 eggs, 3 young/fledged
Gourd 9: 3 eggs, 2 young/fledged
Gourd 10: solar panel position
Gourd 11: 6 eggs, 4 young/fledged
Gourd 12: 6 eggs, 6 young/fledged
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55 eggs 41 young/fledged

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.

I think there's only one parent (maybe a mom, if dad met up with the local hawk for an unscheduled lunch!) in the gourd-cam. I've only seen 2 babies -- there could be three because I haven't seen the other egg -- so it should be ok. A local landlord friend, Mike, has had a single parent martin raise and fledge six young alone IIRC when half of a pair got killed, so it happens...
JMR

A surprise appearance during nest check today. Expecting to find only the three 2 1/2 week old babies in gourd #7 - brand new babies and at least one egg were found in gourd #9. This gourd has had a nest only in it for just about every previous nest check. Having skipped 2 weeks since last check, we missed the entire appearance of eggs. The babies looked to be brand new hatchlings. We've moved the gourdcam over to gourd #9 now so everyone can see these new birds mature.

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.