Purple Martin Forum

I have baby Martin’s. For the first time in 22 years I have more than 1 pair. 2 pairs laid 11 eggs and all of them hatched this weekend. I want to do everything I can to protect the youngsters and we’re forecasted for 90+ degrees for the next ten days here in west Michigan. Wasn’t sure if that could...

That was cool

Really enjoy your videos, thanks for posting them!

Nice, u should be very proud. That is a beautiful colony. I spent some time in se ia in the month of March a couple years ago and was amazed at the number of active colonies around the keosauqua area. A lot of the ones I saw were on Amish farms. It is hard for me to fathom starting a colony out in t...

Hey Pete

Whats the latest update with the asy male and his girl?
Best of luck to you, it's not easy starting a colony in Michigan but having an asy male is a big bonus, imo.

Jim

I'd say it is.
Maybe partially leucistic?

Zag

What part of MI are you in?
Good luck with your new location.

I had meant to attach these in the first post, might make a little more sense now. Hard to attach photos from a phone that is definitely smarter than the user!

Emil, you're right, these gourds are not that easy to hang straight. Definitely need 2 wires each.

Well it's been a long winter up here in west Michigan so I've had some spare time to work on gourds. There has been a lot of conversation about how gourds could be better housing to attract Martin's and deter s&s. We all know that bigger is better so I wanted to make some deep horizontal gourds for ...

Thanks, ladies. I'm really excited about having them again.

Ma B, congrats on your first nesting pair and babies, very exciting!

Deb, congrats on a nice increase in numbers this year, you'll be full up before you know it!

Matt

Well, I'm back to being a landlord again, this nest is at a satellite colony i started last year but the tree swallows got in one of the gourds and ran off most visitors. I waited a little longer to put up the housing this year and didn't add gourds until June. The pair is an asy male, not sure on t...

nbaum Is there any way to install a permanent pole next to where the pier goes? If you could set a dock post or something that could stay in the water you might be able to attach the T-14 pole directly to that, and still access it from your pier. I also saw a landlord that had several gourds just a ...

Oh, and Starling Shooter, going to have to change to Starling AND Sparrow shooter.
Good luck with your lake site.

Thanks, everyone for the replies. Patrick, my understanding is that the property is owned by the state and the city leases it, so I may have to go through both to get permission. Avesrun, good luck with your home site and satelite site when you get the chance to do it. Louise, thanks for the info. I...

... join em'? I've been trying hard for 4 years to establish a colony here in west MI. I had some luck in 2011, fledging 5 babies. Last year I had a SY pair build a nest and stay for a month but never layed eggs. This year I have hardly had any visitors at all at my house and shop. I have a lonely A...

Just thought I'd bump this up if anyone is willing or able to try to get a recording of fledglings at their site. Still trying to establish a colony here and willing to try pretty much anything different. Apparently you need more than open flyways and good housing here in MI to attract and keep Mart...

Sweet, you are an inspiration. Now what was that country song you were playing again?

G T
The same thing happened to me last year. A pair stayed for a month. They spent 2 weeks just bulldog a mud dam and never laid eggs.
I hope that doesn't happen for you, its a real bummer. Hopefully they're just waiting on warm weather to stay.

Fly catchers do nest in cavities, i don't know about western king birds but eastern do not nest in cavities. Great crested are yellowish on the breast. Deb a, I guess you'll have to catch up on the good book during winter time when there aren't so many birds around. Lord knows we have enough winter ...

Bob

That is really cool, congrats!

Hi Neal I have been seeing some Martins around. Along the lake Michigan shoreline near grand haven there have been quite a few. Today i went and put some housing up at a satellite colony I'm trying to get started and there were a few flying around that area, right on Mona lake. Nothing at my housing...