Purple Martin Forum

I write down what I see, 0 young.

Dave

Thanks everyone. I still would like to hear from folks that built cages for their gourd racks and how difficult it was to do. Dave

I'm thinking about taking my trendsetter 26 house down and replacing with a 12-16 gourd rack next year. I'd like to know which racks are easy to do nest checks and which ones are easy to add a cage for owl protection. I'll probably use the 2 inch ground stake in ground that was used for the trendset...

I drop my houses and gourds every 5days to check the birds and keep records. I drop until the last baby has fledged. I use the sock and string method to plug openings of birds that are almost ready to fledge. I haven't had much trouble dropping my systems throughout the season because the birds get ...

Bill, I use the dust under the nests and the liquid 7 on outside surfaces for mite control.

Dave

If you get in the habit of lowering your house every 5-7 days throughout the season, you will know what's going on and when nests are being built. We drop our houses and gourds every 5 days, weather permitting, to make sure everythings ok . The birds get used to us. We drop our houses until the last...

I have eastern kingbirds in my yard. pretty birds. Have never seen them fight with the martins. They ignore each other.

dave

I caged everything up 4-5 years ago and don't recall any problem. They zip right on thru the 2x4 inch wire like it's not there. The babies will will have some problem but will figure it out eventually.

Dave

I used a 2 inch knock 0ut punch and punched the wall twice making a 3 1/2 inch by 2 inch tall hole, basically egg shape. I would not cut two inch holes because I've seen birds stuck with wing entrapment. Cut at least three inch wide or larger holes. Since I did this 4-5 years ago to my trio castle, ...

Spiderman, the barred owls here do not carry the martins away and swallow them whole. They pluck and eat, not swallow whole, the martin on the ground below the colony, leaving a pile of feathers. I've watched them do it many times.

Dave

Very good point John.

Dave

I leave a feeding station out all season. It has pine needles, oyster shell, and meal worms. They can and well use it all summer especially when babies arrive. They mainly feed flying insects but use the station for extra food. Not all birds will use pine needles but some do. Iuse pine needles in al...

I have six poles spaced 30 feet from each other. The birds don't care and it's easy to mow around them with my lawnmower or tractor.

Dave

I use the aluminum crescent plates from PMCA for my openings on several of my houses and don't believe I've had any problems with starlings. I use them on my North Stars. I place them on top of the porches. The plate has 1/2 inch space between the bottom and the crescent bottom, plenty of space to c...

I use a 10x21x21/4 inch black plastic seed growing tray. I built a wooden frame the tray fits into. The tray is secured in the wood frame with a couple of homemade stops on each end that cover the top of the tray so it doesn't blow away. Yes, even at 21/4 inches tall I will lose stuff like meal worm...

I have a feeder station next to my houses and gourds. I supply it with dried meal worms, oyster shell, chicken egg shell, and pine straw. I usually rehydrate the meal worms so that they don't blow away. I never had to toss food in the air to attract them. They just came because they are inquisitive....

T-Bird, They do not extend to the entrances. They are made with 1/4 inch thick wood, are aprox. 5 3/4 w x 6 1/4 l. They are a wood floor and a wood front that is 1 1/4 inches tall measured from inside the tray. The sides and backs are wrapped with 3 inch tall aluminum flashing. I had a nail protrudi...

I made my nest trays for my Trendsetter 26 and place them on top of the mesh screens. I think the trays will stay drier being on the screens and not on the floors. I've done this since day one, about 8 years.

Dave

50 years since the last Superbowl. We are due. Go Chiefs!

Dave

I have trio houses and the paint I found that was close to the trio color was rustoleum hunter green spray paint.

Dave