Search found 250 matches
- Mon May 07, 2012 10:41 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Underwater escape!!
- Replies: 2
- Views: 1410
Underwater escape!!
The other evening at about 6:30 PM I was checking a few gourds when a hen martin slashed into the water about 10 feet offshore. A Sharp Shinned hawk landed on the rocks close by at the water's edge waiting for the martin to surface. I was able to shoo the hark away and a few moments later the hen po...
- Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:58 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Lost 3 more chicks :(
- Replies: 13
- Views: 3930
Toy, I had a similiar die of to the north of you (Oneida Lake NY). It had to be the cold weather because I have not used Sevin and I had not done a nest change out. You most likely saved a few of your chicks by having done the nest change. Outwardly my colony looks like it is thriving. Nest checks a...
- Sun Jul 11, 2010 12:37 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: 17 dead chicks
- Replies: 7
- Views: 2520
Cold Spell
Cransy, we got hit hard too. Found 69 dead young out of 191 on our July 3 nest check. Have 39 pairs, 213 eggs and 191 hatched. Found 4 more dead birds today. 40 have fledged as of today, can't wait for the rest to make it. Scout arrival, nesting, egg laying and hatching was all about 1 week early th...
- Fri Jul 10, 2009 8:24 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Dead Nestlings by the Handfuls
- Replies: 31
- Views: 25143
Hello everyone I had a great start on Oneida Lake, population of nesting pairs was up 20% from 37 to 45. Lost numerous eggs to sparrows that I was able to pick off one by one and now the weather. We just had a record June for rain and it has taken it's toll with my Hatch-year young. Counted about 12...
- Thu Aug 28, 2008 3:13 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Last nest fledged yesterday (8-25)
- Replies: 2
- Views: 4183
Did my last nest check yesterday (8/27/08). My last 2 HY birds had fledged. Same story, renest of 4 eggs on top of 4 buried eggs. All four eggs hatched but only two made it (one disappeared and one dead in the nest). This is the latest I've had martins fledge since I took over the colony in 1979. It...
- Tue Jul 22, 2008 7:26 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: All Night Diner
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3292
SUSANH, I share your concerns. Whenever those bad actors show up I send a message delivered at 1,200 feet per second. At 30 yards the issue is seldom in doubt. I occassionally give purple martin seminars to bird groups and garden clubs. do you think I could include your pictures to help convince som...
- Mon Jul 21, 2008 9:17 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: All Night Diner
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3292
All Night Diner
Two young raccoons by the poles yesterday late in the afternoon, a great horned owl (GHO) at dusk tonight. 75 HY fledged to date, about 75 left to fly, only 3 lost to date to Mr. Owl. Gotta hang on for a only a few more weeks to get the younger birds out of the nests. Can't leave nothing to chance, ...
- Wed Jun 18, 2008 1:13 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Capped Eggs
- Replies: 15
- Views: 13420
- Tue Jun 17, 2008 11:16 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Natureline gourds
- Replies: 7
- Views: 9429
- Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:02 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Capped Eggs
- Replies: 15
- Views: 13420
Harley, your advise was right the on mark. Removing the hemisphere is the correct thing to do. You just were not expecting a topic form left field. I was just floating out a thought for PM Landlord Grad School which I suppose I should not have done. Doing what I suggested above should only be done i...
- Mon Jun 16, 2008 11:43 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Capped Eggs
- Replies: 15
- Views: 13420
- Mon Jun 16, 2008 8:20 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Capped Eggs
- Replies: 15
- Views: 13420
Harley, I guess I didn't clearly state my question. when I found the capped eggs in the past I removed the cap but unfortunately, the eggs never hatched. I hate to lose eggs so I am wondering if the cap or mucus from the cap can cause the egg to sufficate. If so it might be best to crack open the eg...
- Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:27 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Looking like a record year in Central New York
- Replies: 2
- Views: 4149
- Sun Jun 15, 2008 8:25 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Capped Eggs
- Replies: 15
- Views: 13420
Capped Eggs
I've lost two eggs over the years when the hemisphere of a hatched egg inadvertently covers the top of an unhatched neighboring egg creating what's called a "Capped Egg". When this happened I pulled the hemisphere off of the unhatched egg and hoped for the best. Unfortunately, in each case the cappe...
- Sun Jun 15, 2008 7:24 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Looking like a record year in Central New York
- Replies: 2
- Views: 4149
Looking like a record year in Central New York
2008 is shaping up to our best year ever in Central New York. A few weeks ago I was concerned that numbers appeared to be down as I was only seeing 15 to 20 martins at a time and only a handful of SY birds. While I still never see more than 20 martins at a time, nest checks to date are proving me to...
- Tue Jun 10, 2008 7:26 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Nesting Status of SY birds - Great Lakes area
- Replies: 6
- Views: 5613
- Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:52 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Need Easier Natureline Gourd Access
- Replies: 9
- Views: 11774
Need Easier Natureline Gourd Access
I added 8 Natureline Gourds to my setup and am finding removing the entrance/access ports to be rather difficult. Is there a trick or tool out there to make lifting the tabs easier? The openings are oblong. I've fitted a few with porches. I've also found that my martins are yet to access the oblong ...
- Sun Jun 08, 2008 8:28 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Gave talk on martins to birding group -- worked out great
- Replies: 8
- Views: 8207
This year's talk for me was with the Betsy Baldwin Chapter of the Daughter's of the American Revolution (DAR) in Baldwinsville, New York. As always the talk went longer than planned due to the excellent questions posed by the audience. I encourage all martin landlords to consider giving talks in the...
- Wed Feb 27, 2008 8:37 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Advice sought on raising/lowering a trio castle
- Replies: 14
- Views: 10336
- Tue Feb 26, 2008 7:10 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Advice sought on raising/lowering a trio castle
- Replies: 14
- Views: 10336
mike, third picture from the bottom shows the safety latch (or what ever its called). Slide it up the pole to a position above your head and pull the handle out to lock it in place. This way if the cable breaks the safety latch will break the fall. The winch is operated as follows, (second picture f...