Purple Martin Forum

I to started out with telescoping poles and they can be very frustrating. I now have 2 multi-purpose poles with two houses on each and 4 gourds under each. In my opinion the multipurpose pole is the only way to go.

Here are the results of our nest check today. Multi-purpose Pole #1: 11 housing compartments and 4 gourds. 13 of 15 occupied, 34 eggs total, 21 babies hatched. 2 nest have 6 eggs each and 2 nest have 6 babies each. 1 compartment mom wouldn't leave so unknown amount of eggs. This is my oldest set up....

Good day today got 3 Hosp today and 2 yesterday so maybe now that the martins are really coming in to all the units my problems are eliminated.

How are you doing Steve I haven't seen any updates from you in a while.

I use them for Hawks also, I have one wooden decoy that has deep grooves in it from Hawks hitting it. Last year I witnessed a hawk swoop in and the martins escaped as the hawk grabbed one of my decoys. Thankfully I usually only have about a 3 week period that I deal with the hawk attacks generally t...

I was checking my martin housing today for sparrow nest and while doing so checked one of my bluebird houses and found 4 eggs. I do not recall ever having bluebirds laying this early in the year but I guess with the warm weather everything may be early. Had first martin here on Feb. 1 that is two we...

I went from 2 to 5 today so they are definitely on the move.

My birds were 5 days later than last year in arriving so if you haven't seen or heard one this year don't give up. I think due to the ice, snow, and prolonged cold in February and March last year we probably lost some of the oldest birds that are usually the first birds to arrive at our colonies.

I was successful in posting scout report but it used my first name (Kenneth) so now this report is not connected to my previous years reports which were posted under Todd Wright. Does anyone know if there is a way to correct this?

I had a male and a female come in this afternoon. Looks like she is a gourd bird and he is a house bird. I guess you can add me to the list of not being able to submit a scout report list- why 2 different passwords one for the forum and one to submit scout report? Where do I get password to submit s...

Looking good. If I remember correctly I used a lot of pop rivets when I converted mine it seemed to make it sturdier. Its the first house to get birds every year.

If I remember correctly you can order a blank door for those.

Morning Update: Well good news here I went out to the garage and walked up to where the martin was perched he made three circles flying inside the garage and he looked strong. I opened up the garage and he sat for a few seconds looking out and then he took off and rejoined the rest of the Martins. I...

I just went out to the garage to check on the martin, we had him in a box with a heating pad covered with a towel and turned some crickets lose in the box with some meal worms and scrambled egg. Last check we gave him water as the rehabber told me to do with water on the finger. Over the top of the ...

Johnny,
I talked to Beverly and she rehabs raptors, she told me about Karen.

Louise, I just talked to Karen Montalvo who is a songbird rehabber in New Summerfield Texas. I am going to try to get it through the night and she has another lady in Henderson Texas that helps her that I will take the bird to tomorrow.

Steve, I made it through the cold and ice/snow for two weeks without any losses that I know of but this steady rain yesterday and today is taking its toll. I found 2 dead martins yesterday and came home today to find a grounded martin sitting in the rain. I got it and have it in a box put food in bu...

I came home from work and found a grounded Martin sitting in the rain. I got it and put it in the a box and have tried to feed it crickets, eggs, and meal worms but so far it just sits in the corner of the box. If I remember from a post years back there is a rehabber in Lindale Tx- does anyone have ...

Kathy, I hope it is the end to. I was pretty excited that they survived all the cold and snow that we had and was caught off guard when I found the one on the porch today dead then the other in a gourd. I'm lucky that mine took to flipping last year during a March ice storm and they took to feeding ...

I must have the same neighbor behind me.