Purple Martin Forum

Another pair today, were getting them 1 step at a time. Chris M., I don't know the answer to your question, sorry guy. Kathy F., I have never been to Licking,and I'm pretty sure I ain't the only one that hasn't ever been there. JEEZ it was nice of you to give your husband an ATTABOY, it's just a sha...

Well this morning a pair landed went in and out of the house and I think they might be here to stay, YEEESSS!!!! They said they stopped at some place called Licking, Mo. for a brief rest, really liked it there,but when they got ready to leave to come home they had a hard time finding their way out o...

Gobbler, they will be there dude, don't ever give up, it will happen, they will nest there!! Remember an old saying "It's always darkest right before dawn",or, I forget, is it "It's always darkest right before a storm" I'm just kidding it's the first one! That Rdfalk wrote a nice poem didn't he? I b...

WHAT YOU NEED TO DO IS, quit gloating and release my birds, because I recognize 5 of those birds they stayed at my place last year, they are those 5 real handsome ones, but I will take any of those other ones too, beggars can't be choosy!!Don't be taking all the credit either because I am sure your ...

Way to go Candace, I have seen them at McLouth and Basehor but I haven't seen any at our place yet but I still believe they will arrive any day or at least I hope!! Have a nice day!! Jim

Tony, I put cedar shingles on the top and 3 sides of my houses this year and painted the front white, Lucky says they look good but the martins haven't arrived yet so I don't know if they will approve . I hope I didn't mess up, because they nested in 2 of those houses last year and I built 1 new one...

Siberman, YOU DA MAN DUDE,thank you for ageeing with me , and don't worry about invoking Lucky's wrath, she ain't all that tough!! Why just yesterday as I was opening up those martin houses, I was REALLY chewing on her, I'm pretty sure(actually real sure) she would have been past mad,if she would ha...

Well thank you all for responding, even though I didn't like your answers it was a super day for Lucky, she did several victory laps around the room chanting I TRIED TO TELL YA BUT YOU NEVER LISTEN TO ME!!!! So I got the ladder and went out and opened up 2 houses, just to make her happy. Other thing...

Lucky(my wifes pet name) and I live in NE Kansas, I have OUR(they became OURS after I built, painted, and installed them on the poles) martin houses up but not opened. I am trying to get the tree swallows and bluebirds to take up residence in the other 25 bluebird houses I have placed around the are...

I have 25 BB houses out. and 5 more in the basement I just built and have to put up, does this Troyer house really keep HOSP's out? If so is there any place to find plans ? My houses are all Peterson style and I do have HOSP problems in some areas. I also have Tree swallows and chickadees using some...

It's cold and snowy here in Kansas also, I am also tired as hell of it but I will probably gripe when it gets hot as hell this summer. Chuck exactly what is battle mode against starlings and HOSP in your area? I use a 12 gauge!! Hoping for spring, JIM.

Joe, I have 25 houses out, most of mine are all mounted on T- posts out in the open facing a small tree (within 50 feet.)Last year I placed 3 of them along an overgrown fence line with quite a few trees and got chickadees and wrens for tenants. I also get tree swallows and have had them take over a ...

I have been modifying and constructing on my martin houses and I read your post, heck I don't have any vents in my houses, maybe I should put some in while I have them down. I think wood is cooler than plastic but I still might need some, because it gets pretty hot here in Kansas in the summer. I ha...

I think I am going to put on the new roof, with a little more overhang and see how it works and I probably will cut the porches back to 2 1/8 inches and go with that. Thanks John and Emil for the help. Jim If the martins come in the next week or so I will probably have to install furnaces in their h...

Thanks for the input, I thought about drilling some holes in the porches, maybe 1/4 inch? or is that too small, maybe clog up with debris, droppings,etc. should I drill holes in the nest compartments also, how many and where at? The nest compartments are 7x6x12 inches, with SREH openings. I am sure ...

Is their a miniumum(that doesn't look like it is spelled right , anyway the opposite of maximum) on the width of porchs? I built a new house last year with porchs and dividers at 2 3/8 inches, but the roof overhang is also 2 3/8 inches. I think I need more overhang to keep excess water from splashin...

Hi all, anyone know of any roosts within 50 miles of Kansas City?, also how soon before sundown do they arrive at the roost?
jimnks

Hello all, We had a storm in NE Kansas on Friday night, I was looking at my birdhouses thru binoculars Saturday morning when I thought what the hell!! I have 5 peterson style houses mounted on metal T-posts in my pond for tree swallows, and 1 martin house on a wooden pole is also in the pond, both s...

Steve, thank you for sharing this story with us, it was great! I too have a bluebird/tree swallow/chickadee trail,that my grandkids and I enjoy together, 1 pair of bluebirds fledged last week and 4 nests ready to fledge this week. Do you,or anyone else know of any forums or web sites on bluebirds th...

Hello all, I have a martin house about 15' out in the pond the water is around 18" deep at the base of the wooden pole,I do not have a snake guard on it thinking that black snakes and garter snakes usually don't go in the water unless they are forced into it.I keep the grass mowed on the bank back a...