Purple Martin Forum

Found the first eggs of this season yesterday while checking nests. Four nice looking eggs.

I do early nest checks for the reasons others have stated above. Unless I see something requiring immediate attention I try to do all my checks in the afternoon between 2 & 4 when they're out feeding.

Question: Is private messaging not available on the forum? How do you contact another member, without posting your personal information for all the world to see?

Hi Shipoke and welcome to the forum. I'm probably about 40 or so miles to the East of you. Your soil is probably like mine - sandy. I had some where in my notes what fertilizer mineral to add to make the gourds thicker, but couldn't find it. If I find it, I'll post later. What I did find in my notes...

Right on Bird Brain.
Like your signature line. To me facebook is certainly not a forum, it's like opening your office door, taking your files and just throwing them in. I don't post often, but often check in, this is the place to go.

For those of us who now have had a little time since their first arrivals.....
I have observed fewer PMs so far as compared to previous years... Are you observing the same thing??

Don't like facebook. Too hard to follow/find individual threads (maybe I just don't know how to refine). Forum format such as this is so much better. Very seldom visit facebook. If I really want to find info, its here not facebook.

What's the "bird barrier audio" ?

Wish I had a "manny" that would work here when the hawks show. I've been out walking in clear sight within 30/40 ft of my racks and had them fly in and light on top of the racks as bold as you please. Tried yelling, clapping my hands together, clapping 2 X 4's together.... They must be dea...

Thats Cool

Would be interested in hearing from other landlords in the Southern region that was impacted by the Feb "Freeze". Based on my last nest check believe my pair numbers at this point have reached its peak. Down 26%. Currently 80 pair, had 108 pair last season total. Don't get me wrong, thankf...

HI DLN. In answer to some of your questions. Housing is all gourds. Big Bo's, BO9's, BO11's, Troyer Horizontals, Troyer Verticals, & Super Gourds. Gourds are 4 or 8 to the pole at about 14 ft high and are equally faced to North, South, East, & West. All were pre-nested with pine straw. The t...

Forum Admin: Question/Suggestion: Given the wide spread extent and devastation of this weather event, has any consideration been given to creating a reporting mechanism for landlords to report related male and female deaths to study the impact on martin numbers this and next season? Thanks. Reportin...

Have a question that others may have also...
If you have never had any martins banded at your site and may like to consider having banding done,
and you do not know any authorized banders...... How do you go about finding / contacting someone
near your location that does banding?

Will this work with Open Office? Thanks.

Sorry to report that my first (very early) arrival did not survive. :-( Don't know if it was the cold last night or she was weak from her trip North, or a combination of the two. Found her on the ground this morning. Hope my next arrivals will be more in line with my normal arrival times when the we...

Amazing.... My earliest prior arrivals in the past was Jan 30th. At a little after 10 AM this morning was amazed to see an ASY female sitting on the entrance porch of a Troyer Horizontal. Eventually flew around the area for a while, came back and landed on the gourd, finally flying away. Will be kee...

Mike, home-made racks, variety of gourds: BO9's, BO11's, Big BO, Troyer verticals & horizontals, & super gourds. The martins like the gourds with tunnels. Since we're in the same area of the country, I'll make one recommendation, predator guard for snakes. I didn't realize there were so many...

Hi Mike. Congrats on your year. Looks like I'm located just to the East of you. Your idea of a gourd rack is good. After adding a lot of gourds here at my site the martins just used them even though the houses had enlarged cavities. My season is coming to an end, I only have two gourds with young re...

Put up my first housing in 2010. Lookers till 2012 when I had 8 pair.