Purple Martin Forum

Sounds more like tree swallows. Are you sure they were martins?

What brand of gourds? There are some small plastic gourds that they generally won’t nest in if there are better alternatives in the area.

The two males I had return have only been seen once more flying above. I haven’t seen them since. Usually they are busy in the early mornings checking out gourds or at least flying overhead.

This is the strangest season ever

Two males showed up yesterday afternoon.
25 days late compared to last year

Yes they seem late this year it’s not just you. I’m really surprised I haven’t had any show up yet.

Impressive setup

No this was a university study where they were seeking landlords to help collect dropping samples from the young to determine what insects the adults were using to raise the chicks. They were extracting insect dna from the samples to collect data from different areas. They sent a kit for collection ...

Phil01 wrote: ↑

Sun Dec 28, 2025 2:28 pm

Nope, the letter I got from them, that said they had received my samples, said the results would be sent to me this coming spring sometime.

Phil

Thank you for that info.

I participated but never got any results?
I was under the impression they would be posted.

Did I miss it somehow?

These are mine that I duplicated from Thomabear. The electric charge does not go up the pole at all. The pole guard is attached with fiberglass bolts that don’t send current to the pole at all so the only thing that will give the shock is the box around the pole. You have to make it. Thomabear gave...

Thanks everyone for the replies. What really got me was this snake isn’t even 3 feet long a rather small rat snake and he had no issues.

I think I’m going with electric next season.
Netting only works sometimes as the smaller snakes seem to bypass it and also sometimes catches fledglings.

How high is the bottom of your guard above the winch? I'm consulting with public site in Missouri where a friend chased a snake in the grass away a few days ago. They decline to try netting and risk the public finding a caught dead snake -- but they may raise guard higher. I'm suggesting to them th...

Good ideas. I have mine just on the cap and they do seem to stick in far. The birds don’t seem to care but the viewing angle isn’t the best.

Pulled back gives a much better view of the interior.

Caught a 27” yellow rat snake hanging out of a gourd tonight. Had an A frame ladder and removed him. He cleaned out the whole group nothing left. I have a troyer pole guard installed properly and it did nothing to prevent this. I even have it installed higher than the minimum height. Really irritate...

A really large predator baffle is all I can think of. May have to have it custom made and then install on top of the standard guard.

seth❤️birds wrote: ↑

Sat May 17, 2025 9:41 am

I got my sample kit last Friday, but I can’t use it yet, are Martins are only now starting to lay eggs

Awesome, let us know how it goes.

No wood nests at the moment. I have 86 gourds so have just stuck to those.

They make wifi temperature readers that send the info back to your phone with an app. Would be an easy way to remotely check your temps in various housing without much work.

I have no T14 but I have blink cameras with temp readings. I’m sure they’re not super accurate but it is 87F here and the cameras are displaying between 96-98F inside troyer vertical gourds.

Completed it today and will admit I have been putting it off. Didn’t want to let them down so got it squared away and sending it off this afternoon. Did you follow their instructions? I did it different and it worked perfectly. The martins here do not leave anything in the nests. The cameras help ke...

Had several leave this week as well. Watched a hawk snatch one when I got home today it didn’t even have a chance :/