[birdky] RPT: BBS Route - Martin Decline
- From: "Scott Freidhof" <sialia67@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- To: <birdky@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2008 22:43:04 -0500
I was able to run a BBS route in NE Kentucky this morning. The 50 stops
include parts of Greenup, Carter and Boyd counties (mostly Greenup). Two of
the 50 stops have been close to established purple martin colonies. But
just in the past 4 years since I started running this survey, both colonies
have failed. I talked to one of the landowners today and last year as well.
Both years he said he got his housing up late, as in mid to late April. I
told him today that mid March was the best time to set up housing at
established sites. I can't imagine that his returning adult martins would
wait around for 4 to 6 weeks for the housing to go up, but I don't know
specifics about his site. He said some martins showed up in the past few
days and have been flying around. It is probably not too late for some to
nest though. Three new nests have started in my gourds since I put up a
third pole with 8 gourds on May 21. The other site has been unmanaged for a
long time. Only 4 plastic jugs hang from the pole and house sparrows and
starlings have taken over or so it appears from the road.
Scott Freidhof
Rowan County
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