Purple Martin Forum

Tell us more about this undertaking,,,,,, dick I'm helping Bo Kite of Mandeville, La with a setup of 24 PM houses spread out along Lakeshore Dr. The houses are located about 50 to 75 feet over the lake at the end of jetties. I think each house holds about 18 cavities. This is the third year it's be...

This morning, Bo Kite and I were able to get 7 PM houses up along the Lakeside Dr. Tomorrow morning Bo will put up three or four more on the opposite end. We could have done more but the wind picked up and the waves were becoming tough to deal with over the jetties. Over the next few weeks we should...

Wanted to update. We'll put up 8 or 9 houses on Sat. 22nd. starting at 11. (Jan)

So if anyone lives nearby, you're welcome to help. We'll be starting on Lakeshore Dr on the western end.

Look for a big pick-up carrying a bunch of martin houses. :-)

Also wanted to add, if you go to the street view option while in Google Maps and aim towards the lake you can see the jetties and mounting points at the end. When they took the street view images, the houses must have been down.

Where in Mandiville is this colony located...I want to go see!!! Need any help? Rick Rick- the houses are lined up along the lake (along Lakeshore Dr.) They go from Rip's Seafood Restaurant Marigny Ave @ Lakeshore Dr) towards the causeway bridge to end near Lakeshore Dr @ Corondelet St. There are 2...

CNO~La wrote:He looked very cold and not too happy . I lowered house and opened a few compartments, and he was still in area as I left for day.

Will update.

Hi-- sent you a PM.

I didn't know that such a place existed....... one without S&S problems. There is no problem putting the housing up early as long as somebody can check it from time to time and make sure some other birds are not nesting in it. We think the reason we have no Starlings or House Sparrows is because th...

David, It would probably be a good idea to get a couple of houses up within the next two weeks - here is a list of some arrival dates for Mandeville: http://www.purplemartin.org/scoutreport/search.php?C=Mandeville&S=LA After that, add the remainder at as suits you, as long as they are all up by the...

I'm helping manage a large colony in Mandeville La along the lake front. There 24, 18 hole houses set up. Last year nearly all were occupied and we hope to do nest check reports this year. Two years ago the city held a Purple Martin festival but in 2010 it was not held. Hopefully this year we can ge...

Yeah, from what I read the swallow tailed kite only eats insects, so that may be why the martins are not bothered. Even though they look like hawks, I'm not sure they are really hawks. (may explain why they are called kites rather than "swallow tailed hawk") Their bills almost look like something yo...

That might be true. I'm not exactly sure how the migration works. Does the migration get triggered all at once? Or do the very northern most martins start heading south which kind of snowballs as they move southward through the US. Being as I'm all the way in LA I'm wondering if I'll see huge flocks...

Over the past two days I have not seen any PMs flying over my neighborhood. There were about 20 or so that I was hoping would see my new setup but it appears they may have moved on. Except for the thousands I saw in nearby Mandeville La two days ago, I'm thinking they may be starting to migrate to S...

I was about a mile or so east of the causeway (Mandeville end) where all the houses have been put up. I didn't go to the end of the causeway, but I could see the causeway from where I was.

Maybe next time I'll get close to the causeway and check that out too.

DS

I visited the big Purple Martin setup in Mandeville La. last night. It's such a perfect place for the PM's. Over 20 houses are placed along the lake front at the ends of the break water. No sparrows, no starlings go out there. I noticed there aren't even SREH on the houses- none! Just the regular op...

Good to hear. You never how wild animals can about things like that. Will try it out later. I need to time it a bit better-- like when they are circling over my house. They are usually pretty high, so hopefully there's enough range. I need better external speakers too.

I know it's late-- but will playing martin calls help lure martins to my new gourd setup? I just put them up a couple days ago and wanted to play the recordings hoping the martins that circle the neighborhood might be lured to my gourds. Does it matter if I play dawnsong in the afternoon? I'm using ...

In the Slidell area I often see these Swallow Tailed Kites flying around the neighborhood. They are very pretty birds. I always thought they were hawks, but read recently they eAt insects/bugs. How are they with PMs? Just wondered if anyone ever has problems with them.

that's what I figured regarding mockingbirds. They are all over the place out here.

And yes, I hope I can attract some visitors in the meanwhile-- maybe they'll remember the sight and come back. I wanted to get the pole and gourds set up now.. In January I'll have everything ready to go.

I've put my 6 big bo gourds up today. There were a few martins circling around the house for a while around 4pm. But as of 7pm, not much anymore. I have a few mockingbirds around. One was actually perched on my gourd pole for a while. How do mockingbirds and martins get along? I never read anything ...

That's good to know. I have a nice "fan" type I could use. I'll try that too.

There are 2 big pools on either side of my house. I haven't noticed the Martins swimming- or any sign they use the inflatable rafts to lay out in