Purple Martin Forum

Dave Reynolds.Good info. I'm guessing you're a record keeper. Are the subbies a bit late at your site? Our adults were a bit early up here.Really have been going through the meal worms keeping them going. Good luck on your season.

Hi, I'm working with a couple groups trying to establish their first colonies. I expected SY birds in our area by now but there are no reports. Anybody have any yet (May 9) ? Both groups are playing the dawn song but I want to give them the heads up that we have potentials in our neck of the woods s...

I am looking for an internet supplier of oyster shells that I don't have to crush or that contains coral (like Tractor Supply). The stuff I've bought in the past were fairly large. IMO too large for Martins. Old posts mention "oyster shell meal". Does anyone have a good sources that can be...

Some landlords also warm their birds at night. I plan on putting hand warmers in two of my compartments late this afternoon. Temperature is expected to be below freezing tonight. So far only 4 have returned here so it's an easy task. I have to wonder if the supplemental feeding early in the season o...

Good to hear. I'll recommend we give it a try. Thanks all for the input.

I am trying to help our local Audubon locate and move a housing set-up to a better location. Unfortunately, the only open space within 100 of occupied dwelling (the visitor center) is a parking lot...with bright LED lights on all night. My gut feeling is that this would bother the PM's. Does anybody...

I guess I was thinking about turtle eggs where apparently orientation is important. Too many critters...no enough brains.

Egg orientation?. Probably worthy of a new thread but if you move an egg, aren't you supposed to be careful to maintain the egg orientation?

Barb, I'm gonna bet the female will disappear now that you've got the male. I've had good luck w/ the tunnel trap but w/ PM's in the mix you will have to be very attentive in case you accidentally catch one . I've found that when using the tunnel trap, hanging some of the HOSP nesting material on th...

FYI, the house has mysteriously moved about 125' farther out. I've done the moving in small increments and made sure they were accepting until the next move. The feeder has moved right along with them. The BB's young are doing fine. The weather is changing for the good. So no need to supplement feed...

I've learned a good lesson during this cold weather we've been having. DON"T LET BB NEST NEAR YOUR PM if you supplement feed. I have an active BB nest w/ 3 young within 100 yards of my PM feeding trays. The male BB chases off any PM that tries to feed here. I placed a second tray flush with mea...

We are going through the same cold in NW Pa. I had to be persistant over several years with meal worms until they took to my trays. I never did have luck flipping crickets, though I did try. You might try placing meal worms on the housing porches as well. I did this using a long pole and a small cup...

Nice science based reply.

Good suggestions. I use plastic dove decoys and move them around. I think the hawks think they're better tasting :wink: . I buy the fiber glass posts at Tractor Supply and the decoys on NO Smiles Amazon. I don't fasten them tight so there's some give if the hawk does strike. One on the ground if you...

Disagree in part. Put up a BB house close by instead as your alternate housing choice. Not a gourd. IMO you are perpetuating the problem by familiarizing the TS that a gourd is a good "home". Once they take up to the BB house, the returning pair will defend against all comers...likely for ...

Folks, let's start a rumor here: Amazon is doing away with their Amazon Smile program where a portion of purchases $$$ were donated to a non-profit (PMCA). Anyone care to to dispell? If true, and you were satisfied w/ monies donated through this program, you should consider alternate ways to give su...

Seems like folks are still recommending a "gourd" be hung on a shepards hook adjacent to their housing so TS won't occupy your main housing. IMO all good except shouldn't you use a BB house or similar instead of a gourd? Why teach the TS that gourds are a prefered housing? I have yet to ha...

Another topic maybe worthy of a new thread: How to measure temperature inside gourds/housing?

Nice. You ought to put your idea to work on a gourd and see how it fares.

Anyone have an update on this study? It was mentioned in a 2018 post.