by Jack Gulvin
Project notes
All housing was cleaned out and stored by the end of September. Mites were found at a few nests. The natural gourds were peeling badly and repainted. The T14s were repaired and the trim repainted. All housing was put up on March 28th.
House sparrows were back this year but none survived to produce young. The first martin egg was laid on May 18. Nests were checked every five or six days until the young fledged. To control blowfly parasites, only a few nests were replaced. As in years past, the detailed data sheets will be sent to the Purple Martin Conservation Association for inclusion in their Project Martinwatch.
A – Sports Club T14 with 18 compartments, 5 occupied
B – Coyle (Sailing Center) T14 with 18 compartments, 10 occupied
C – Coyle (Sailing Center) rack with 24 gourds, 17 occupied
D -- Golf Course T14 with 18 compartments, 2 occupied
E – Soccer Field rack with 24 gourds, 15 occupied
Production summary
Occupancy rate: 49/102=48%
Hatch rate: 192/256=75%
Fledge rate: 101/192=53%
The occupancy rate continues to decline despite good housing well located and managed. The number of eggs laid was down by 32 from last year. The hatch rate dropped from 80% to only 75%. The fledge rate dropped to only 53% despite another year of mostly good weather. Merlins were present on the grounds.
Chautauqua’s martins are suffering a serious decline. Two causes are likely. First, a lack of flying insects. This would explain the mortality of young following poor weather lasting only one day in early July. Second, raptors taking female martins. This would explain the many nests that never got eggs, the clutches of eggs that never hatched, and the nests where all the young died at the same time due to starvation. No remedy is available for either cause of decline.
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