My high-rise Blaine's repeating trap

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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Once upon a time (2 years ago) I bought a Blaine's with high hope of trapping HOSP until they were all gone. I live on a farm and had one problem. This is it:
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Barn kitties which I love too. If I had a HOSP in the trap the cats would harass it and even though it will be a goner I didn't want them tortured so I never used the Blaine's. I trap in the house and shoot with some success but not big scale like I want/need. This year my husband, Mark, did this:
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Using my old tri-tel pole which hadn't been used for 3 years, he welded it onto a metal grid plate and fastened that to the house. We are able to raise it up. I didn't like the location he chose, no doubt by that stump so he doesn't have to mow around it, but it is right near where I feed the cats in the old lean-to. I trapped two pairs from the houses (woohoo) and put them in the Blaine's. They drew 6+ more in! I still want to move it a little closer to my martin house area and run the pole in our fence line.
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I struggle with eliminating in my hand. I feel their heart beat and well I just struggle. Although I have done it with the squeeze method. With this I am not off of the hook but I can house trap, move to Blaine's, and Mark will take care of that part for me! Winning.

Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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Kyler
Posts: 893
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 10:15 pm
Location: Colby, Kansas
Martin Colony History: PMCA Member - Project MartinWatch - Enlarged Compartments - SREH - S&S Control - Mite Control - Predator Guards - Heat Control ( Vents and Insulation ) - Supplemental Feeding -

Manage 8 Colonies that consist of 250 Cavities in Colby Kansas.

Offer 78 Cavities Main Site
Offer 12 Cavities Golf Course
Offer 30 Cavities Grandpa’s Public Site
Offer 28 Cavities Grandpa’s Site
Offer 12 Cavities Homeowners Site
Offer 48 Cavities Homeowners Site
Offer 6 Cavities Home Site
Offer 36 Cavties Homeowners Site

Great idea putting it higher on a pole! I want to get one of those traps. I have tried to build one but it never came out right!

Kyler,
Purple Martin Landlords of Northwest KS
https://m.youtube.com/channel/UC9HDLGlbCmSYcSExIySwUQA

2013 & 2015 - 0 Pair -
2014 - 1 Pair - 4 Eggs - 3 Hatched - 3 Fledged -
2016 - 5 Pair - 27 Eggs - 24 Hatched - 13 Fledged -
2017 - 18 Pair - 102 Eggs - 78 Hatched - 69 Fledged -
2018 - 22 Pair - 115 Eggs - 92 Hatched - 86 Fledged -
2019 - 28 Pair - 144 Eggs - 131 Hatched - 125 Fledged -
2020 - 40 Pair - 190 Eggs - 133 Hatched - 111 Fledged So Far - (Bad Year! To Many Single SY Males)
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John & Linda - KY
Posts: 599
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:19 pm
Location: Kentucky/Hawesville

Remember to adjust the balance weight for wet/dry conditions. After a rain it takes several days for the balance weight position to settle out for a dry balance arm. -- John
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BrendaVR
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon May 12, 2014 12:44 pm
Location: Ontario/Burlington

May be no need to worry about wet vs dry. Depends on when you bought the trap. The one I bought a few years ago had a non-wood arm and it is not affected by rain at all. I think only the much older ones have the wooden arm that is affected by rain, the newer models he solved that by making the arm out of a non absorbent material so no need to worry about it getting wet.
And for dispatching I use c02 canister+plastic bag (less hands on).
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MamaBruff
Posts: 1466
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:21 pm
Location: SW Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.

I keep hearing "green acres" music intro... "I just adore a penthouse view"! :lol: Love how inventive country folk can be. Go Deb! Go Mark!
~Mary B~

Lifelong PM Admirer and Nature Enthusiast.
Ruthless trapper of S&S year round.
2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.
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John & Linda - KY
Posts: 599
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:19 pm
Location: Kentucky/Hawesville

I'm going to check to see if he sells retrofit arms for older traps. -- John
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tlragsdale
Posts: 218
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:22 pm
Location: Wisconsin/New Richmond

Deb….I'm sure everyone else appreciates your comment/feelings on dispatching a sparrow. Another VERY quick/humane method (Brenda mentioned CO2/plastic bag) is to have the sparrow/starling exit the trap into a plastic bag….one quick spray of starting fluid (ether) will do the trick.
Terry & Michelle
New Richmond, WI

2005 - 2014 Hard luck stories
2015 - 2 pair, 12 eggs/12 fledglings
2016 - 6 pair, 35 eggs/35 fledged
2017 - 18 pair, 88 eggs / 85 fledged.
2018 - 23 pair, 119 eggs/115 fledged.
2019 - 31 pair, 137 eggs/133 fledged
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Last night I was faced with this. We were in the western edge of the severe zone for weather. My husband was furiously mowing after work. A male and female were in the Blaine's all day without attracting more. I could see a stirm coming and even with good covering I didn't want them to go through that. So I put my winter leather farm glove on and did the squeeze method. Very quick. I did feel her heart flutter. She was first. Then him. I squeezed way hard from git go and felt nothing. So, I did it. Can do it. And so far we've elimated about (Mark didn't count. Sigh.) 12 Hosp. I finally feel way more in control of my colony snd already see the lessening of sparrow pressure on my housing. Landlord of the Year will finally be mine. Bawhahaha.

Btw, my weight bar is a waterproof made one.

Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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John & Linda - KY
Posts: 599
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:19 pm
Location: Kentucky/Hawesville

I found Uncle Blaine's web site and e-mailed an inquiry about the waterproof elevators yesterday, haven't heard anything back yet. They've chosen to not publicize a phone number. Deb - what is your waterproof one made out of? -- John
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Okie
Posts: 541
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:26 pm
Location: Claremore, OK
Martin Colony History: 2016 Informed landlord now Have 2 pair returning from 2015 That is a miracle. Hoping for a very successful year, sparrow population on decline.
First house was plastic with crescent holes Had martins within a few days. Ignorant landlord gradually lost them
Then got Trio House and still lost most of them. Lots of sparrows

John Mine is made of metal of some sort. Black metal bar & works beautifully. I have to check to make sure the hardware cloth arch is not catching the side as it has a wee bit of prong left where it was cut.
Deb I agree, much more control. I caught 22 of the original HOSP I had allowed to accumulate over the last few years. And for 2 days it was totally HOSP FREE Zone. But of course the neighborhood Sp sensed the void & came to fill it. 4 of them down including one male who was DETERMINED to inhabit a compartment already chosen by a PM pair. So glad to have finally protected future PM eggs from him. Now it is HOSP Free Zone again. Probably not for long. But enjoyed while it lasts. So total to date is 26 sp 3 starlings. Never ending endeavor.
Okie
Okie
PMCA member
2016 Started with 2 pair, 1 pair abandoned after HOSP destroyed eggs
1 pair= 6 eggs, 6 fledged
2017 1 pair so far, But they abandoned before nest complete for ?reason? Now Bridless and joined the Wannabes
2018 One pair ASY male SY female 5 eggs, 5 fledged
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John & Linda - KY
Posts: 599
Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:19 pm
Location: Kentucky/Hawesville

I haven't received an answer from the website, so I may be trying to make my own. Maybe aluminum bar stock might work. -- John
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

I was going to take a picture but then forgot. I'm away from home. Will try and remember Monday.
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