Purple Martin Forum

caught male and immediately reset trap but female never came back

I used to have two trio houses and recently converted to three gourd racks, two gemini with Bo 11s and a 2 inch pole with troyer horizontals. In the past a hard rain with some wind(every rain in oklahoma in reality) would completely soak the nests in trio houses. This week we had more than one night...

If I'm out of pocket for a week and have some babies that are say 6-8 days old, would I be better off to do a nest change at the 6-8 days or wait until I'm back and do them at 15 days. I've always been amazed at how I can check a nest at 8 days and see no evidence of mites then not change nest till ...

I have 146 eggs/new babies and about 4 sparrow nests. Someone suggested leaving ladder by gourd and plugging hole after dark and taking down gourd in am. Worked like a charm but only female was in box. Now I fear with female gone male might go on a killing spree. Any thoughts? Also have the tunnel t...

I'm really worried about hot and cold temp variations. seems like the nesting material is insulation against extremes. Prob a 2nd year pair?

I noticed two nests have eggs directly on the bottom of the gourd with no extra nesting material other than the small amount of wheat straw that I placed. The material has been shaped and pushed aside with the eggs on bottom of gourd.
Should I be concerned and put a couple leaves underneath?

Checked nests this am and all babies alive! Nests were not that wet. Bo11's and Troyer Hriz gourds surprisingly dry

Got hit with bad storm, wind 70-90s on TV. had houses lowered and all three standing. just starting to hatch babies. Fear death from hypothermia.
Bad form to change a wet nest of a 2 day old baby?

Also was checking sparrow nest gourd in light rain and caught the male by hand! Started wondering about dragging a ladder out at night and nabbing the sparrows. Any thoughts? I've seen people say NEVER lower a martin house at night
Ladder noise might scare them I guess

Would love to but live in the berbs. Against the law. kids all around and want to stay friendly with the neighbors.

Really just 17 years ago now that I think about it

I swear by the daytime chatter CD. 20 years ago I had one house and 4 martins one year but construction ran them off. Next year none were coming around. Was about to give up next year when thought I'd play daytime chatter. Dragged extension cord to house and set up a "booombox" and hit play. I was w...

Maybe owl or hawk attack at entrance?

I have 72 gourds with SREH and a ton of starling pressure. Occasionally the starlings will build in my troyer horizontal and the make a tunnel trap that works every time on a starling. Early in year starlings look like they are flapping wings and tryimg to dominate housing but the martins seem to ig...

So exciting. Great pics. whats your camera set up?

Have troyer hrizon and Bo-11s. Sparrows greatly prefer the Bos. trapping easy in horiz. Ordered trap tunnel for Bo 11 but not having a lot of luck. Have adapted the wire by adding piece of cardboard and narrowing tunnel. Had a couple successful trap but more where wire would actually get pushed out ...

I've had a colony here for 18 years starting with one house now expanded to 3. I have never seen so many birds landing on the ground as there are this morning. Not more than 5 at a time but dozens are landing on ground. Nest material?

thanks

I bought some crushed oyster shells at feed store. some chunks look huge. Should I crush them up more? What is an appropriate size

I went for 10 years without lowering and no problems until I lost 2 poles last year. Was a surprise last year and I was at work so wasn't able to lower.
Birds def do not seem to care at all so now I lower them all the time.
Good precaution