2024 Season begins

[SYmywa]

High Everyone

A PM was photoed on the campus of BSU, March 15, 2024, possibly the earliest arrival, ever in Minnesota!?

PM have been reported in Detroit Lakes, so could be in our immediate area soon!
We have cubys pre-nested & 3 open, for early Birds

I delivered system #7 to yet another Wannabe, in TRF area & helped raise it for upcoming season

Many local Avian have returned, including BB & some Tree swallows, we see an Eastern Phoebe, gathering Flys off of building walls!

Hopefully Allen, Caroline or perry will chip in with reports soon!

Later Jerome

[SYmywa]

Update 2024

April 14 first ASY-m arrived, followed by a 2nd & an ASY-f
on the 16th. (5 days earlier than 2023)
April 19th, noticing a mix of adult & young females!
April 25, twelve open cubys are occupied, most are paired, with around a 50/50 mix of SY/ASY females.
Weather has been kool, with a mix of rain, few snow flurries! PM have been foraging most days.

Allen H
Are you Crookston LL seeing many SY birds, to date

Caroline
How's the season progressing in your area

Perry
Any reports from your group

[AllenH]

First birds 04/06/24.

Fewer birds around, about 60% occupancy. Average hatch many more unhatched eggs. Hawk issues big time. Fewer jumpers this year compared to last year.

Fed 40,000 mealworms early in season.

Someone asked last year how to keep mealworms from just crawling away. Use Corning ramekins with vertical sidewalls about 1.25" high they can't crawl up the slippery sides. You can see a large one in last years picture

Was asked where I get large quantities of mealworms. I just call the Bug Company in Blaine MN. About $25 for bags of 5000 worms. They also sell live crickets in large quantities too.

[SYmywa]

After watching adults struggle to gather enough forage, with the New High temps, intent was to cut, number of cubys , for 2024 season!
I constructed & raised a new system, for a rural neighborhood business in spring 2023, so I plugged some entry's until that system was founded & filled with 5 active cubys, in may, 2024!
Once our plugged entry's were opened & filled, we saw as many as 20 visitors on site, so to reduce pressure on residents, we added some individual compartments, resulting in largest Colony in our short history!?

[SYmywa]

Regarding Predation!
Have seen some Predators near the site, over the years!
We keep a pretty close watch, day & nite, have noticed a Loud Bang, will dislodge & send either hawk or Owls heading for other hunting grounds!
Have experienced a few dislodged Nestlings over the years, most are full Feathered & were returned to a nest of same size young, to Fledge later!
We spaced out Martinminiums, so in essence there are individual Colonys, making it easier to identify were dislodged Nestling belongs!
Providing all Natural insulated wood housing /w insulated attic, vents & side SRE entry's, has kept these Special avian, Safe and Comfortable, thru various Challengs so far!