Purple Martin Forum

Thanks, everyone, for the encouragement…..and Tim, I'm already thinking "gee, if I moved that house, or whacked that tree, or……".

Wonderful "sport", these PM's are

Finishing up 2015 with (finally) some good news. Had 2 pair nest, each produced 6 eggs, and all 12 hatched and fledged. Sat out on the lawn tonight, taking in what will likely be the last fews days of watching/listening to the martins. Now, if they'll just come back next year and bring several frien...

Louise, the shades look great. What did you fabricate them from, and how are they secured?

And, to think our nestlings haven't even ventured out on to the porch of their respective gourds yet

Wish it was closer, AND we didn't have to work.

Maybe next year!!

Congrats, Daryl. Not sure what your previous site looked like, but this wide-open-beauty will likely do wonders for multiplying the size of your just-started-colony.

Again, congratulations.

Sounds like quite-a-year. Congrats!!

Tim….we did a partial nest change in both gourds this morning, due to the honkin' rain storm from yesterday. Entrance tunnel and a bit of the nest was wet (it's not wet now) :grin: Checked over all the gourds/no signs of anyone else setting-up shop. Had 4 or 5 more martins flying/landing/checking ou...

Thanks for the note, Tim. All eggs hatched (each pair had six); we did check the other gourds, as we've had some other visitors. We did find some with green leaves, but no eggs.

Best of luck/hope they all hatch & fledge!!

Terry

Keeping our fingers crossed; have two pair that have each hatched 6 eggs. First pairs eggs hatched 10 days ago, and the second bunch is 7 days old. Both pair have been busy carrying bugs in (the size of some of the dragon-flies seem larger than the hatchlings). No sign of mites/weather is cooperatin...

Have all kinds of unpleasantries planned for the starlings this fall/winter

I second what Emil suggested. I ordered several different types of pellets, and found one particular type shot more accurately than the others. Good luck with your new rig. My experience has been really odd; after whacking a dozen-or-so starlings, it seems the others quickly figure out where not to ...

Nice job, Ed! Your note, however, is a little concerning. After quite-a-few years of experiencing the high's and low's of trying to establish a viable colony, we have two pair nesting in the Gemini rack. Both pair are sitting on 6 eggs, and the projected hatch date for the first pair is today (day a...

Yep, Mary, we are really tickled. The fact PM's actually came & stayed was really cool. First pair was comprised of obviously ASY birds; the second pair's female is a SY Martin. The fact they stayed, and she layed six eggs, was a wonderful surprise. 4 or 5 days away from projected hatch- date. Keepi...

Hey, Mike---

We have 24 Troyer gourds on our Gemini. You let me know how much $$, and where to mail it----I would run (OK, drive at the top-end of the speed limit) to the post-office.

What a kind and generous act.....

2 pair, 12 eggs….first pair's first egg was May 30th, and the second pair laid their first two days later. If Murphy doesn't intervene, hatching should begin in about a week.

Sign us….hopeful in WI.

Hey Mike….interesting reading. Of a different note, did you fashion (or purchase) the owl guard-arms, seen on your Gemini rack? Don't currently have any such protection on our Gemini, and need to add something.

Henry….it's very encouraging to have PM's checking out your place. Even if they are from a neighboring colony, if you provide a more attractive home, they may relocate.

Stay positive, keep the pests away, and hopefully your efforts will soon reap dividends .

Congrats, Mike, on a wonderful journey. Have any close-calls with vehicles? My better-half wants to ride cross-country (you know, the old "dip your rear wheel in the Pacific, then dip the front in the Atlantic at the end of the adventure"). We enjoy biking, but I am borderline paranoid of vehicular ...

What a great aerial show it is! Best wishes on some of those visitors setting up a permanent residence!