Self made Troyer T-14 (14 compartments with 4 additional hanging "Super-gourds") and a 12 unit gourd rack for a total of 30 available nest compartments.
grd 1
10
grd 2
9
8
14
13
12
11
4
5
6
7
1
2
grd 3
3
grd 4
NORTH
Housing type:
12 unit "Super-gourd" rack.
Top rack
gourd 4
gourd 3
gourd 5
gourd 2
gourd 6
gourd 1
Bottom rack
gourd 10
gourd 9
gourd 11
gourd 8
gourd 12
gourd 7
NORTH
Arrival date April 10, 2006
First serious nest check on 6/4 revealed 29 eggs in 7 boxes and two gourds for a total of nine families to date. Although the partial nest and green leave stages were skipped this year do to organizational difficulties, all looks good on the Martin side of getting the job done :-)
6-12 Wow, what a change from the last nest check on 6/4! Now we have 76 eggs in 11 boxes and 7 gourds for a total of 18 families. Found 3 eggs on the ground, one pecked, one empty and one full- I put the full egg into the nest with the cam. Should be interesting to see if Momma throws out a "strange one".
6-18 There are now 9 hatchlings and 77 eggs (one gained) from 18 families. The full egg I put into the nest with the cam last week remains viable.
6-27 The colony has lost four eggs, one hatchling and one nest box has been abandoned. There are now 17 working families with 47 hatchlings (38 new) and 25 eggs yet to hatch for a possible 72 fledglings.
On 7/3 the colony has now lost about 20 more eggs, one hatchling and 2 more nest boxes have been abandoned. There are now 14 working families with 52 hatchlings (5 new) and no more eggs to hatch for a possible 52 fledglings. This was the last nest check, the older nestlings might fledge early if I bother them anymore.
We end the 2006 season towards the end of July and first part of August with 14 out of 19 adult pairs having fledged 52 hatchlings from 86 eggs. A very good year.
Hatching should begin on: 6/18
Earliest Fledging: 7/14, Nestling age: 26 days
Latest Fledging: 7/23 , Nestling age: 35 days
