March 05, 2018

The Martins are Back and They Are Not Happy

A pair of birds sat on top of the Martin house which was lowered to the middle of the pole.  Every once in awhile, one of them would fly around the house and look through the bird holes, then come back to the top of the house.  The only time I can truly identify a purple martin is when they are flying, with their wings silhouetted against the light blue sky.  These were staying too close to the house.  They could be martins, or they could be starlings.  Starlings are evil.  They are the Captain Hook to Peter Pan and Tinkerbell.

With binoculars, I finally saw that they were martins, and they didn't look happy.  We haven't been watching the Purple Martin Scout Arrival Study, and weren't prepared for their arrival.  Our martin house is still down and not in shape for their unexpected arrival. The winter wind had pushed a couple of the doors in, sparrows had started making nests in the other nesting boxes, but mainly, the martins were upset because the house wasn't at the top of the pole. 

When I went out to see if I could pull it up, they whisled an alarm and flew a safe distance away watching me. I couldn't get the house up, the ropes twisting around the pole all winter until they are knotted above the house. So now the pair is gone. The wind is blowing 20-25mph right now but is supposed to calm this evening. I hope we can get the house cleaned out and up the pole by dark and see martins in the morning.

Update:  The house is up and the martins are back.  Apparently they have forgiven us for not being ready for them.

4 comments:

  1. I hope so too. How fun.

    Have a fabulous day. ♥

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. They did a fly by when Hubby raised the house, but didn't stick around. Maybe tomorrow.

      Delete
  2. Oh, no! I hope they came back!

    ReplyDelete
  3. I love seeing how the Martins shop for the place they lived in the year before, its fun to watch them, the ones that nest here are not afraid of us anymore after 15 years they tolerate us when we mow the lawn.

    Blessings
    Catherine

    ReplyDelete

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