Yes, 7-9 days later than average, but martins are back home in central Kentucky.
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Set-up complete
Here's the 2010 set-up for my colony. There are five Super System 24's, with four of them modified to hold 32 gourds. There are also three Premium 24 racks. There are a total of 224 gourds broke down like this:
64 Troyer Horizontals with Conley 2 Tunnels.
64 Troyer Verticals with Conley 2 tunnels.
63 Natural Gourds with Conley 2 Tunnels
11 Super Gourds modified with Conley 2 Tunnels.
11 Super Gourds with crescent entries and metal porches.
9 Super Gourds with round holes.
2 Excluder Gourds with Conley WDC entries.
4 Nite Guard lights on CUE Light Holder
I also have two perching rod poles, and a Deluxe 12 gourd rack modified into a 'bed & breakfast'.
Colony update
The work on the colony is basically finished, offering eight racks with a total of 224 gourds. I will post multiple photos of the complete site very soon, maybe today. I want to get some photos while the sun is out.
No martins have returned yet, but there some reports nearby. Tree swallows were observed today, so spring is here.
I also have exchanged nice emails with Louise Chambers of the PMCA. We have come to a resolution and I don't plan on airing any more grievances about the PMCA. I have conceded the argument and I am trying to see issues from both sides. I have taken the steps in proving my sincerity, and even became a member of the PMCA on a "Benefactor" level. We shall see if the PMCA will cross their half of the bridge and meet me in the middle and not leave me dangling in the wind. Time will tell. If they do, I look forward to a life long relationship. I have felt sort of exiled as I have lost touch with so many people. I realize now I was achieving nothing with my actions.
We are getting closer and hopefully that first ASY will return today!
No martins have returned yet, but there some reports nearby. Tree swallows were observed today, so spring is here.
I also have exchanged nice emails with Louise Chambers of the PMCA. We have come to a resolution and I don't plan on airing any more grievances about the PMCA. I have conceded the argument and I am trying to see issues from both sides. I have taken the steps in proving my sincerity, and even became a member of the PMCA on a "Benefactor" level. We shall see if the PMCA will cross their half of the bridge and meet me in the middle and not leave me dangling in the wind. Time will tell. If they do, I look forward to a life long relationship. I have felt sort of exiled as I have lost touch with so many people. I realize now I was achieving nothing with my actions.
We are getting closer and hopefully that first ASY will return today!
Monday, March 15, 2010
Swarming martins
Last summer I was busy watching a baseball game on TV and wasn't paying attention to the weather. Right at dusk I heard the weather alarm going off on my PC alerting me of an oncoming severe thunderstorm.
I darted to the door to take a look outside and see if it was too late to lower my racks. Wow, it was a tough call, as my martins had already went into their gourds for the night, and it was almost dark and it would take me at least 7-8 minutes to lower them all. But I decided to do it.
When lowering the racks, my entire colony of martins left their gourds and were circling above waiting on me to finish. Once I did finish, I ran to the house to get out of the martins way so they could reenter their gourds. My entire colony of matins were flying in one swarm, seeming to following the leader. They kept making sweeps to the gourd racks getting closer with each swoop. I was getting nervous as I could barely see them. They darkened the sky around the racks when making their passes.
The huge swarm of martins moving as in one body started to slow in their passes as if to land, but it only took one or two martins to fly away and the entire swarm flew with them. Finally the huge dark swarm of martins swooped down and entered their gourds almost in one movement, appearing as if the swarm had merged with the gourd racks.
Wow, my nervousness subsided and I swore to myself that this would never happen again. I needed to pay better attention to the weather.
I darted to the door to take a look outside and see if it was too late to lower my racks. Wow, it was a tough call, as my martins had already went into their gourds for the night, and it was almost dark and it would take me at least 7-8 minutes to lower them all. But I decided to do it.
When lowering the racks, my entire colony of martins left their gourds and were circling above waiting on me to finish. Once I did finish, I ran to the house to get out of the martins way so they could reenter their gourds. My entire colony of matins were flying in one swarm, seeming to following the leader. They kept making sweeps to the gourd racks getting closer with each swoop. I was getting nervous as I could barely see them. They darkened the sky around the racks when making their passes.
The huge swarm of martins moving as in one body started to slow in their passes as if to land, but it only took one or two martins to fly away and the entire swarm flew with them. Finally the huge dark swarm of martins swooped down and entered their gourds almost in one movement, appearing as if the swarm had merged with the gourd racks.
Wow, my nervousness subsided and I swore to myself that this would never happen again. I needed to pay better attention to the weather.
Starling vs Conley 2
Please excuse this bad photo, it was snapped through my patio door some distance from the site.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
I looked outside this morning and saw a bird enter one of my natural gourds with a Conley 2 entry & tunnel. I thought to myself, I may have my first scout returning.
But when I observed it leaving the gourd, I was dismayed that it was a starling that was squeezing in and out of the entry. I took a photo through my sliding patio door, and it's not of good quality.
I have many starlings checking out my site the past couple of weeks, and this is the first observation I have made that a starling has made it through a Conley 2. I am sure this is not the norm and I'll trap it today. But for some people who are wary of SREH's, if a small starling can get through, certainly a martin can.
Sunday, March 14, 2010
Me, a Martin Hog? You betcha!
A "Martin Hog" in Black Gnat!
"Martin Hog,” a term describing martin colonies that attract more year old females than they produced the year before. Martin hogs make it very difficult for new local colonies to be started as young females prefer established colonies.
I have always provided much more housing than I needed each season, as I thought this would enable me to grow my colony as quickly as possible. In years past I was under the impression the reason for my success of growing my colony very quickly was due to providing more housing then I needed, thus having less competition for housing, so less fighting between males. Although this may be a contributing factor, it may not be the main reason for my colony's growth success.
It turns out the "martin hog theory", if true, may provide additonal reasons for my colony's growth. If year old females prefer established colonies, then my colony definately fits that bill. And I could not think of a better reason for a colony to grow remarkably fast then having a large influx of new females each year. A colony abundant with females will cause less competition by males looking for females as there are more females to go around. The colony would have less single subadult males causing problems including infanticide.
Unlike humans, female martins live shorter lives than males and this causes problems when the ratio of males to females hatched are relatively equal. So female martins of breeding age die earlier than males causing more males than females looking for mates! But "martin hog" sites would have less of this an issue if they are attracting more females in ratio than other nearby sites.
Last year I had 116 nesting pairs, and this year I am providing 224 gourds. Yes, I plan on continuing my colony's growth using the "martin hog" theory and keep providing much more housing than I need.
"Martin Hog,” a term describing martin colonies that attract more year old females than they produced the year before. Martin hogs make it very difficult for new local colonies to be started as young females prefer established colonies.
I have always provided much more housing than I needed each season, as I thought this would enable me to grow my colony as quickly as possible. In years past I was under the impression the reason for my success of growing my colony very quickly was due to providing more housing then I needed, thus having less competition for housing, so less fighting between males. Although this may be a contributing factor, it may not be the main reason for my colony's growth success.
It turns out the "martin hog theory", if true, may provide additonal reasons for my colony's growth. If year old females prefer established colonies, then my colony definately fits that bill. And I could not think of a better reason for a colony to grow remarkably fast then having a large influx of new females each year. A colony abundant with females will cause less competition by males looking for females as there are more females to go around. The colony would have less single subadult males causing problems including infanticide.
Unlike humans, female martins live shorter lives than males and this causes problems when the ratio of males to females hatched are relatively equal. So female martins of breeding age die earlier than males causing more males than females looking for mates! But "martin hog" sites would have less of this an issue if they are attracting more females in ratio than other nearby sites.
Last year I had 116 nesting pairs, and this year I am providing 224 gourds. Yes, I plan on continuing my colony's growth using the "martin hog" theory and keep providing much more housing than I need.
Friday, March 12, 2010
Southern landlord?
Lincoln betrayed the state he was born in...
On the Purple Martin Universe forum, a thread named "Southern Landlords?" was asking what southern martin landlord numbers were. It gave me pause, living in central Kentucky, am I a southern landlord? Kentucky stayed neutral during the Civil War because President Lincoln allowed our commonwealth to keep our slaves if we stayed neutral, the only state allowed to do so.
Even after the Civil War, Kentucky had slaves and did not give them up until Lincoln promised the Kentucky slave owners to make it worth their while if they freed them. Kentucky then freed their slaves, but Lincoln reneged on his promise. And although Lincoln was born in Hodgensville Kentucky just 40 miles from our hometown my grandfather, who heard stories from his grandfather, was still angry at Lincoln until the day my grandfather died.
Maybe Lincoln was killed before he could fulfill his promise to Kentucky and Andrew Johnson refused to honor the promise, who knows. But the question remains, living in Kentucky, am I a southern landlord?
It probably doesn't matter, I have no scouts that have returned yet. But I am now definitely in that window of time where they start to return.
On the Purple Martin Universe forum, a thread named "Southern Landlords?" was asking what southern martin landlord numbers were. It gave me pause, living in central Kentucky, am I a southern landlord? Kentucky stayed neutral during the Civil War because President Lincoln allowed our commonwealth to keep our slaves if we stayed neutral, the only state allowed to do so.
Even after the Civil War, Kentucky had slaves and did not give them up until Lincoln promised the Kentucky slave owners to make it worth their while if they freed them. Kentucky then freed their slaves, but Lincoln reneged on his promise. And although Lincoln was born in Hodgensville Kentucky just 40 miles from our hometown my grandfather, who heard stories from his grandfather, was still angry at Lincoln until the day my grandfather died.
Maybe Lincoln was killed before he could fulfill his promise to Kentucky and Andrew Johnson refused to honor the promise, who knows. But the question remains, living in Kentucky, am I a southern landlord?
It probably doesn't matter, I have no scouts that have returned yet. But I am now definitely in that window of time where they start to return.
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Go Big Blue!
Still waiting on martins to return to my site any day also means it is time for March Madness. And I am one of the biggest fans of the best college basketball program in the history of the sport, the University of Kentucky Wildcats.
University of Kentucky, is the winningest program in the history of college basketball, both in all-time wins and all time winning percentage. Kentucky's all time record currently stands at 2017-637-1 (.760). Kentucky also leads the NCAA in NCAA tournament appearances, NCAA tournament games, ranks second to UCLA in NCAA championships with 7. But UCLA had two freaks playing for them in a short period named Lew Alcinder and Bill Walton. So UCLA's history was recorded in a mere eight years, hardly more than a short dynasty and not ongoing domination like Kentucky's. And if anyone thinks John Wooden could hold a candle to Adolph Rupp, they are insane!
Pictured is the actual official Kentucky license plate that is resgistered to me, and it says it all. UK WINS!
Monday, March 8, 2010
The Big Red Machine
Dan Driessen of the Cincinnati Reds
While sitting at my dining room table this morning having coffee, while watching starlings check out the gourds that they cannot enter because of SREH's, I was reminiscing about some of the places I have lived, and remembered an episode while living in Jacksonville Florida.
I grew up in Kentucky a huge Cincinnati Reds fan. I was 15 & 16 years old when the Big Red Machine won World Championships in 1975 & 1976. My family would go to a dozen to twenty games a year, or at least it seemed like that many, not bad for it being a three hour drive one way.
Jump to 1988, I was 28, and I was at a Greyhound race track in Jacksonville, FL. A guy was hanging out near where I was and after some time, we made eye contact and I recognized him immediately. It was Dan Driessen, a first/third baseman for the Reds back in the 1970's. I could tell from the look on his face that he recognized that I had recognized him.
Now Dan Driessen was no huge baseball star, although he did have a long career with 153 HR, .267 BA, and 763 career RBI's. So Driessen could go about his business without any or very little interference. I wanted to say something to him, but I didn't. I have never been star struck. While in the military I had pulled a security detail for President Jimmy Carter, a duty I tried to get out of so I could sleep late. True, Jimmy Carter was not an impressive man and a horrible president, but he was President of the United States. But I digress.
After a hour or so, Driessen sat down at a table that was in front of one of the many track closed circuit TV's, the same table I was sitting at. He attempted some small talk, but finally I asked if he was Dan Driessen. He acknowledged that he was and admitted that hardly anyone recognizes him outside the Cincinnati area. He introduced me to his brother, and during our conversation he talked about trying to sign with the San Francisco Giants, or maybe going to Japan to play ball. He was obviously late in his career and trying to prolong it.
After the last dog race, we walked together to the parking lot and he invited me to hang with him and his brother again the next night at the track. I responded I would try if I could find the free time. You bet I found the time!
While sitting at my dining room table this morning having coffee, while watching starlings check out the gourds that they cannot enter because of SREH's, I was reminiscing about some of the places I have lived, and remembered an episode while living in Jacksonville Florida.
I grew up in Kentucky a huge Cincinnati Reds fan. I was 15 & 16 years old when the Big Red Machine won World Championships in 1975 & 1976. My family would go to a dozen to twenty games a year, or at least it seemed like that many, not bad for it being a three hour drive one way.
Jump to 1988, I was 28, and I was at a Greyhound race track in Jacksonville, FL. A guy was hanging out near where I was and after some time, we made eye contact and I recognized him immediately. It was Dan Driessen, a first/third baseman for the Reds back in the 1970's. I could tell from the look on his face that he recognized that I had recognized him.
Now Dan Driessen was no huge baseball star, although he did have a long career with 153 HR, .267 BA, and 763 career RBI's. So Driessen could go about his business without any or very little interference. I wanted to say something to him, but I didn't. I have never been star struck. While in the military I had pulled a security detail for President Jimmy Carter, a duty I tried to get out of so I could sleep late. True, Jimmy Carter was not an impressive man and a horrible president, but he was President of the United States. But I digress.
After a hour or so, Driessen sat down at a table that was in front of one of the many track closed circuit TV's, the same table I was sitting at. He attempted some small talk, but finally I asked if he was Dan Driessen. He acknowledged that he was and admitted that hardly anyone recognizes him outside the Cincinnati area. He introduced me to his brother, and during our conversation he talked about trying to sign with the San Francisco Giants, or maybe going to Japan to play ball. He was obviously late in his career and trying to prolong it.
After the last dog race, we walked together to the parking lot and he invited me to hang with him and his brother again the next night at the track. I responded I would try if I could find the free time. You bet I found the time!
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Glorious Times
Who looks better to America?
Another cold, dark and dreary day here in central Kentucky, so instead of working on my colony site, I am left to bask in these glorious times of being a conservative, because the liberal experiment has failed.
Obama's disapproval rating is higher than his approval rating, the GOP is set to take back both the House and Senate, Charles Rangal has been forced to step down as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Harry Reid is going to go down in Nevada just as Tom Daschle flamed out a few years ago, and Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will complete the total destruction of the democratic party by pulling the "nuclear option" trigger on Obama-care with by-passing senate procedures and attempting to sneak it through by Congressional reconciliation.
Barry Obama, the worse president since Jimmy Carter, and surely will go down being worse than Carter is bringing the cream to the top in the Republican party, that is bringing real conservatives to the surface.
Another thing the GOP has going for it the next few election cycles is that the ignorant youth of America that helped elect Obama won't bother to vote again for at least a decade. By then, hopefully, a large percentage of them will have their own responsibilities and families to support and will be more conservative. Usually, the older and wiser one gets, the more conservative one gets.
I have to admit having a small school child like crush on Sarah Palin. Her old fashion, commonsense approach is like a breath of fresh air. I can't speak for anyone else, but the louder the shrill protests of the liberal media gets against Sarah Palin, the better Palin looks to me and I bet the better she looks to America.
Another cold, dark and dreary day here in central Kentucky, so instead of working on my colony site, I am left to bask in these glorious times of being a conservative, because the liberal experiment has failed.
Obama's disapproval rating is higher than his approval rating, the GOP is set to take back both the House and Senate, Charles Rangal has been forced to step down as chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, Harry Reid is going to go down in Nevada just as Tom Daschle flamed out a few years ago, and Obama, Harry Reid and Nancy Pelosi will complete the total destruction of the democratic party by pulling the "nuclear option" trigger on Obama-care with by-passing senate procedures and attempting to sneak it through by Congressional reconciliation.
Barry Obama, the worse president since Jimmy Carter, and surely will go down being worse than Carter is bringing the cream to the top in the Republican party, that is bringing real conservatives to the surface.
Another thing the GOP has going for it the next few election cycles is that the ignorant youth of America that helped elect Obama won't bother to vote again for at least a decade. By then, hopefully, a large percentage of them will have their own responsibilities and families to support and will be more conservative. Usually, the older and wiser one gets, the more conservative one gets.
I have to admit having a small school child like crush on Sarah Palin. Her old fashion, commonsense approach is like a breath of fresh air. I can't speak for anyone else, but the louder the shrill protests of the liberal media gets against Sarah Palin, the better Palin looks to me and I bet the better she looks to America.
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Age-Old Question...
T'Pol or Hoshi?
Today is another dreary, cold, windy day in Kentucky and the weather is once again hindering me from continuing to prepare my colony site for the coming season. So with ample time on my hands, I am pondering an age-old question; T'Pol or Hoshi?
As a child I enjoyed watching the series 'Star Trek'. As a young adult, I enjoyed 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. There have been other spin offs, but I assumed that these series were not as good as the first two. Recently, I found out that I was wrong.
I was channel surfing a few weeks ago, and run across 'Star Trek: Enterprise'. This series premiered in 2001 as a prequel to all the other Star Trek series. The Enterprise is commanded by Capt. Jonathan Archer (played by Scott Bakula, formerly the lead actor of the sci-fi TV show "Quantum Leap". Other characters include Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley), the Vulcan Subcommander T'Pol (Jolene Blalok), Lieutenant Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating), Ensign Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery), Ensign Hoshi Sato (Linda Park) and Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III (Connor Trinneer). As a member of Netflix, I watched the entire series (four seasons) on DVD in just a few weeks and thoroughly enjoyed it.
But concerning this series, the question is, T'Pol or Hoshi? Most guys may choose T'Pol the Vulcan Subcommander as their favorite female character, but I would choose Hoshi the Communications Officer. I admit, I do have a thing for Asian women.
Today is another dreary, cold, windy day in Kentucky and the weather is once again hindering me from continuing to prepare my colony site for the coming season. So with ample time on my hands, I am pondering an age-old question; T'Pol or Hoshi?
As a child I enjoyed watching the series 'Star Trek'. As a young adult, I enjoyed 'Star Trek: The Next Generation'. There have been other spin offs, but I assumed that these series were not as good as the first two. Recently, I found out that I was wrong.
I was channel surfing a few weeks ago, and run across 'Star Trek: Enterprise'. This series premiered in 2001 as a prequel to all the other Star Trek series. The Enterprise is commanded by Capt. Jonathan Archer (played by Scott Bakula, formerly the lead actor of the sci-fi TV show "Quantum Leap". Other characters include Dr. Phlox (John Billingsley), the Vulcan Subcommander T'Pol (Jolene Blalok), Lieutenant Malcolm Reed (Dominic Keating), Ensign Travis Mayweather (Anthony Montgomery), Ensign Hoshi Sato (Linda Park) and Commander Charles 'Trip' Tucker III (Connor Trinneer). As a member of Netflix, I watched the entire series (four seasons) on DVD in just a few weeks and thoroughly enjoyed it.
But concerning this series, the question is, T'Pol or Hoshi? Most guys may choose T'Pol the Vulcan Subcommander as their favorite female character, but I would choose Hoshi the Communications Officer. I admit, I do have a thing for Asian women.
Suicide Watch...
Survivor: The seven-month-old baby girl is recovering in hospital after she was shot by her parents
Suicide Watch
My family now has me on a suicide watch. I am so depressed about Global Warming, it is consuming me. Why go on? We are all going to die anyway, probably drowning when all the glaciers melt.
I don't know if I want to continue the misery of my purple martins as they will only continue to struggle and suffer from climate change. And to watch the polar bears and penguins die is more than I can take.
I can see that I am not alone. Below is a story about parents shooting their own children before turning the gun on themselves, all because of global warming.
And it's all Geore Bush's fault, just ask Barry Obama.
Seven-month-old baby survives shot to chest in parents' murder-suicide pact blamed on global warming
BY Ethan Sacks
DAILY NEWS STAFF WRITER
Monday, March 1st 2010, 10:03 AM
Seven-month-old girl miraculously survived alone for three days after one of her parents shot her in the chest - apparently as part of a bizarre murder-suicide pact blamed on global warming.
The baby was discovered with a bullet casing in her chest and covered with blood by police in the Argentinean city of Goya, near the bodies of her parents and 2-year-old brother, the Latin American Herald reported Saturday.
Police broke into the home after neighbors complained of a stench coming from the house. The boy was found with a gunshot wound in his back, while his parents died from gunshot wounds to the chest.
The parents, 56-year-old Francisco Lotero and 23-year-old Miriam Coletti, are believed to have been spurred by their fears about global climate change, London's Telegraph reported.
A letter was found on a table expressing the couple's anger at the government for not responding to the environmental crisis.
Doctors said the baby's condition has been improving every day, the Herald Tribune reported.
With News Wire Services
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