Purple Martin Forum

Dave,
I will place the universal trays on top of wire sub floors that come with trendsetter (they are thin probably sentra board that John is talking about) but I think the wooden ones which are thicker might be to high with the crescent entrance.
Yvonne

One more question. Could you use some sort of water seal with out harming the birds. If rain is coming in, then the top of the tray is getting wet as well as the bottom.

Thanks John, Ray and Dave, John I do have 6 universal nesting trays that you glue together, I drilled 4 holes in each tray nest area. I thought about placing these on top of the sub floors that come with the trendsetter because I don't know what would happen if they get wet, or if they would be stab...

I have the trendsetter wooden nest trays. 2 of them have warped when rain has gotten in the compartment. Is there anything to put on the wood to prevent this , that would be non toxic for the birds ?

Evan I use excluder gourds underneath both of my aluminum houses. Like John said the porches should be placed higher up than where the pre drilled holes are. The gourds are very sturdy and attaching the inside and outside porch is not a big deal. I live in BR, if you want to come by and see them pri...

How high up from porch floor do you mount these plates ?
And can the plastic plates you get from PMCA be mounted on an aluminum house ?
Thanks
Yvonne

Awesome Tony. I'm so happy for you. The remaining pairs I have should be hatching out today and tomorrow.
Keep us posted on their progress.
And Happy Fathers day early!!!!!!!!!!
Yvonne

Tony,
I thought you were going to remove that turkey. Remember we thought it might be scarring them ?
You site looks great.
Yvonne

So happy for you. I had only one pair last year. Couldn't get anything done in the mornings just watching them.

I might not have lost my other pair after all. I got home from work tonight at 7:45, and there was activity in their hole. I saw one enter for sure. I'll have to wait until thursday when I'm off all day to see the comings and goings.
I'll let you know.
Yvonne

John,
Does entrapment happen only during fights, or can it happen with a single bird trying to exit the opening ?
Thanks,
Yvonne

John, I know what wing entrapment is but I was interested in what you know specifically about the trensetters. What's happening in those.
Yvonne

Well, One of the females was brutally attacked this am by males. She was trying to get in holes, but couldn't make it in. I went outside a couple of times to break things up. At least she didn't go to the ground, because it was very wet and she would have not been able to fly. (Steve's story of Mart...

Steve,
So sorry to hear that news. You sure have not had much luck with weather.
Hope they will renest
Yvonne

John,
Can you elaborate on what's happening with the trendsetter. I have not heard about this before.
Yvonne

The males both have females. I'm talking about 2 pairs here (4 birds). I only saw one pair last night, and they still have not made in it. They are going from hole to hole trying, but have not managed it yet. I'm not sure of the other pair, I did not see them last night. And yes I did measure all th...

Emil, I have not seen a starling in my yard since Jan. The ones I do see, I shoot. As well as the sparrows. I don't get them all, but most of them. No starling has tried to nest in my house since one breeched a cresent gourd I had up. That was 2011. The starling came out of no where. I'm not making ...

Way to go Tony.
I bet you get 6 or 7. I'm so happy for you.
Keep us updated
Yvonne

I changed to SREH today because last week a starling raided a SY pairs nest with a possibility of 6 young. This happened Sat. I had done a nest check Thursday and had one HD old and 5 eggs. I have an 8 room house with 2 SY pairs at present. The pair that got raided are still together and using their...