Search found 411 matches
- Sun Jun 29, 2014 6:11 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: PM/Swallows in DE
- Replies: 2
- Views: 888
I have encountered the same thing this year in regards to the tree swallows. Every year I would have occasional second nests after the first broods fledged, but it was only a few here and there. This year, all boxes which fledged young have second nests. However, these are from new pairs. Many of th...
- Sat May 03, 2014 10:07 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: SY's headed your way
- Replies: 9
- Views: 2220
I noticed my first SY male this morning. He is a resident bird, having already claimed "bragging rights" on a Troyer horizontal w/ Conley 2 entrance. I suspect he's been around a day or two since he already occupied the gourd at sunrise this morning. It's still early up here in my opinion. I still h...
- Wed Apr 09, 2014 6:37 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: What's the sign of an owl attack ???
- Replies: 26
- Views: 8656
Owl feather under rack is what alerted me.... This is what alerted me. Over time I found more martin body parts and owl feathers. The owl was taking juveniles which perched out on the racks at night. Eventually it discovered the gourds (two bent porches) but I don't know if it was successful at att...
- Tue Mar 18, 2014 6:06 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Martins in Illinois!!!
- Replies: 32
- Views: 9534
Well, if the forecast holds true, they'll need more supplemental feeding early next week. Supposed to start cooling off here Sunday and continue till at least Wednesday or Thursday with highs in upper 30s and lower 40s. I can't believe these birds are showing up like this. I go from one bird on the ...
- Sat Mar 01, 2014 9:50 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Martins in Illinois!!!
- Replies: 32
- Views: 9534
Frank, as always I'm envious. I'll never get my martins to feed like this. I hope they stay away for weeks. I fear we're in for a nasty start to spring. It's crazy your birds showed up so soon, but they are certainly in good hands. I remember your stories from a year or couple years ago about the ma...
- Tue Jun 19, 2012 8:55 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Meet Rufus ..MR owl shaker
- Replies: 6
- Views: 2383
- Mon Jun 18, 2012 7:35 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Bloody mystery
- Replies: 13
- Views: 4130
Last year, I saw a bloody fierce fight between an ASY female who returned to find an SY male messing with her babies. When I realized what was going on, the SY male was screaming and trying to escape out of the entrance, but the female wouldn't let go. She'd pull him back in, or he'd wiggle back in ...
- Sat Jun 16, 2012 12:33 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Banding in Illinois - Results & Article in Local Paper!
- Replies: 5
- Views: 2010
- Tue May 22, 2012 8:06 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Are we producing too many tree swallows?
- Replies: 16
- Views: 7785
I'll never stop enjoying tree swallows. I know they can be troublesome with establishing martin colonies (as I've had experience in that situation years ago). But I don't care how many tree swallows have monopolized my bluebird boxes, I'm still able to get 2-3 pairs of bluebirds in the boxes my dad ...
- Fri May 18, 2012 4:46 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Whole Martin colony harmony vocalization
- Replies: 5
- Views: 1425
I've had martins (the entire colony) do this before in the evening AND when an aerial predator is too close for comfort. They give this strange chortling sound every time the resident red-tailed hawk is hunting too close for comfort, but the martins dont' fly away, they just watch. In the evening, I...
- Fri Mar 16, 2012 11:26 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Photos Of April’s Owl Guards
- Replies: 41
- Views: 29020
Hey Glen , How bad was your season last year ? Hope you have a better one this year ! To be honest, it was hard to tell for sure. I found one owl feather in late May/early June. It was definitely a great horned owl. Dad had been losing ducks and went from almost 30 down to 8 current ducks. All the ...
- Thu Mar 15, 2012 6:05 am
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Photos Of April’s Owl Guards
- Replies: 41
- Views: 29020
- Fri May 13, 2011 5:16 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: hawks got to eat to
- Replies: 20
- Views: 7568
Northern harriers cannot catch an adult martin. I watched once as a beautiful male harrier flew about 30 feet past my martin colony several years ago. It was only about 4-5 ft above the ground and the martins didn't even fuss. They quieted real fast and gave that weird chirring girgle when something...
- Tue May 10, 2011 6:26 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: HELP HELP HELP!!!!!!
- Replies: 16
- Views: 4571
I bought a small hunting blind on Amazon for this spring and it has worked wonders. No more hiding in my vehicle and the birds are quick to learn what I'm doing. I had the blind up and folded back in less than 20 minutes this past weekend. Got the starling that was nosing around and within ten minut...
- Wed Apr 06, 2011 8:36 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Another BIG wave for the weekend.
- Replies: 9
- Views: 3136
I went from 1 on Friday to 4 on Saturday and then approximately 12-15 on Sunday. Today there are almost 40. Man oh man, they must really ride those strong south winds. I figured I'd have nearly all my surviving birds back before midweek next week. Subbies will start showing up here in about two-thre...
- Mon Apr 04, 2011 7:44 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Starling lover
- Replies: 13
- Views: 4028
- Sun Apr 03, 2011 8:53 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Martins pouring into St. Louis
- Replies: 14
- Views: 5024
Yeah, John was right. Pouring in couldn't have said it better. Mine started pouring in today. I went from the one lonely hungry guy who braved all that cold to four yesterday evening. Have over 12 today. I was literally watching them come in. Those birds couldn't have been happier or louder. Oh they...
- Fri Mar 25, 2011 4:22 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: The need to feed.
- Replies: 3
- Views: 1364
There are also those of us who simply can't afford and/or don't have the time to offer supplemental feeding. I would if I could, but the odds are against me. I see my colony on the weekend and one or two week days when I can drive up to my "country" home to see them and tend to them and my yard. But...
- Sat Mar 19, 2011 7:41 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Tree Swallows are Home
- Replies: 4
- Views: 1781
- Fri Mar 11, 2011 5:40 pm
- Forum: Purple Martin Forum
- Topic: Friday Humor! New Owl/Hawk Guard.
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1254