Purple Martin Forum

Hey Gary, That’s Cool.! Sounds like you’re well on your way to becoming a successful Landlord. Yeah, Concord is just eight miles from my home and we do a lot of shopping etc. in Concord. When you get up this way to visit your son sometime stop in and we’ll talk Martin’s. Just send me a private E-Mai...

Gary, Way to go my man. And congratulations. You’re on you way to a great life as a Purple Martin landlord.! Some people go years and years and never do get Martin’s. So you can count yourself very lucky indeed. Used to come through Rockingham all the time when I worked down in SC and Georgia. I liv...

Cchild03, There’s nothing more traumatizing than to find one of your Martin’s with it’s head pecked and or damaged or killed from a run in with a Starling. I’ve had pretty good luck with my Conley II entrances so far, and I do use some Crescent entrances. Ridding my property of Starlings is a consta...

Flyin-Lowe, I too have the same AAA pole I bought from S&K Mfg. I’ve mounted 24 Gourd’s on it and hardly ever take the Rack down in wind storms unless they are very extreme. It’s still as straight as the day when I installed it. In fact none of my 7 pole systems ever sway or swing that much and we h...

Ryan, Pole movement or swaying shouldn’t matter very much as long as it’s not excessive. The Martin’s actually love to sway or swing a little on and in their gourds. My Dad’s gourd’s were all hung with #4 copper grounding wire bent in the form of an “S”. He always said he thought his bird’s liked to...

That’s similar to the one’s I built out of 10” SDR. I glued an ultimate tunnel from S&K for the entrance and bought my clean out ports from U-Line Plastics. Should be a great gourd and last a long time .!
Rodger

Hey Brad, My Bird’s are the same way. They just don’t like an Aluminum house.! I know some folks can’t believe it but it’s true. Like I said I’ve got a brand new Sun Set Inn Aluminum house setting on a shelf that I’ll sell pretty darn cheap. - LOL.! :!: That’s no problem Brad we get flooded with so ...

Brad, I have about 25 or 30 of those still in a mailing box down in my Block Shop. I remember back about 2015 I decided to go with some Aluminum housing. I bought a Sun Set Inn and a Coates 8 Room. All had crescent entrances. I couldn’t get a single Martin to nest in those Aluminum houses, just Spar...

Brad,

Yea man please do . I’d like to see a close up of what you have. I have a lot of Conley II entrances and I don’t think I’ve ever had a Starling breach through them.

Rodger

Whoa hold on a sec. I think I’m missing out on something. Just exactly what is the Lewis Modification.??

Rodger

Brad,

Job well done my man.!!

Rodger

Steve, As always Great Photo’s Steve. Went out yesterday morning and my Martin’s were having a field day on the ground. Looked like they were picking up nesting material or grit to me. In the 31 years I’ve been keeping Martin’s I’ve never seen or witnessed a Mud Nest. And that would be with or witho...

Sorry, I accidentally posted this thread two times.

LoisG, You have to use very small wire to tie it up as you wrap it around the pole. Be sure to wrap the bird netting “loosely” so the snake has a chance to get entangled in the netting. I’m thinking that wire size is something like .030. Like bailing twine wire or even smaller. I use 3/4” bird netti...

Yea, I checked in with my electrician buddy and he agreed with what I said. The bird or snake would have to make contact with the ground to complete the circuit. Years ago I would not ever kill a black snake. I knew they were instrumental in keeping the rodent population under control. Then I discov...

TerryW, Looks a lot like Brazing. Thanks for sharing this info. No more welding than I do now I’ll just let that Miller-Matic and my Buzz Box take care of everything I need. I have 2 great neighbors that already have Aluminum setups so no more Aluminum fabrication that I need done I’ll just refer to...

I may be wrong but I thought that something had to be grounded before it would make complete connection. I got a buddy that’s been an Electrician all his life I’ll ask him. I know that Stockmaster Charger that I have will knock the fool outta you if you touch it while grounded. I have to say that oc...

Dave, The first pole systems I built were made out of 1/4” x 2” x 2”, 1040 cold rolled steel. They’re still standing just like the day I put them up, and that’s been 31 years ago. Even Hurricane winds of 165 mph from Hurricane Hugo couldn’t take them down. Hugo did blow down and or twist off 72 tree...

Hey Brad,

I’m still trying... I think my I-Pad needs to be charged. I may have to wait over night..

Rodger

Sure Brad, I’d love to give it a try. I’m using my I-Pad Air instead of our LapTop. Does that make a difference.?
Rodger