Purple Martin Forum

...and explains why many of the eggs have been pushed out of nests and hatchlings completely disappearing this year at my place. You are not alone!

I thought migration would be over in Texas by now but this is great.
Excellent photos! Thanks for posting them.

This afternoon the little egg was gone, but two of the three eggs in another nest are gone as well. No signs of egg shells. Some starlings were visiting after a storm this afternoon but the house has starling resistant openings. There are sparrows but they have their own level. Its a martin mystery!

One nest has its first egg this morning but its unusually small. Has anyone else seen this happen? Will it hatch?
Richard

Yes...same here...the dive bombers have fledglings to protect. We have never felt less appreciated! Glad they are protective however.

Until now they tolerated my nest checks. Now a few more have moved into the site and suddenly I am public enemy number one when I go near the house! They seem to be emulating more group behaviour lately...perhaps its instinctive to roosting.

There has been a lot of visitor and group flyby activity at my place as well.

Three juVeniles
just fledged here and the adult birds were especially noisy calling them out in the days leading up to first flight.

My first nest of three fledged today. Waited for their return this evening and only one flyby distinguished by by the juvenile sqawking sound rather than the usual adult martin song. Can anyone verify that thet juveniles can be distinguished by their sound?

One pair of martins in my Trio house is determined to have a family. The first set of eggs, five in number, were destroyed either by sparrows or wandering second years. Today I did a nest check and after lowering the housing found the female still in the compartment while I opened it for observation...

What a way to start!

Reaching in to check for eggs this year there was something soft in the cavity unexpected this year...it was a martin! She will not leave even when touched. Now she has been laying eggs.

Yes...that hole on the trap door looks awfully small but its nice to know that no other bird will enter. Look foward to a double catch as well.

Yes...that hole on the trap door looks awfully small but its nice to know that no other bird will enter. Look foward to a double catch as well.

Within a few hours of putting up the new trap, I got to meet the male HOSP that had been plaguing the house for over a month!

I put up a circular Heath house with round holes near my cresent hole tro house. This week those nasty starlings paid a visit to the Heath. house and would not go away. Thue house is on a 15 foot pole and stationary. The trio lowers nicely on its pole. Fed. up with the starlings and concerned over t...

Cleaning out the sparrow nests and found a one inch rusty nail one of the martins brought in to the entrance to their compartment...very odd.

Ditto on changing out the entrances on the Trio. Can order them right here in the shop. Now...a starling was vising my heath house today with round holes so will try the pole and rag tehnique when he begins to build a nest.

Cannot answer your question...but isnt it amazing how fast those sparrows can lay eggs?

There are afew sparrows and the martins are holding them at bay. Those little buggers can build a thick nest in a day!