Purple Martin Forum

Thanks guys . Definitely got a good feeling after doing it!

Hello everyone. Every year is different isn’t it! I’m having an excellent year. I’ve come up with something that maybe others have done in the past but I found that it’s working pretty well. There’s no way I can lower my houses now with all the projected fledge dates. I found three fledglings on the...

Congratulations! There is nothing like getting your first pair. Enjoy every moment

Hi Brent. We had similar issues last year and it even got worse. We were finding Nests with Young and that were pecked and pulled out . I lost over 40 Young last year this way. I thought it was a rogue sparrow, but there were none around. It was determined through my mentor, it was an SY bird. Maybe...

Thanks everyone for all the positive replies. Yes all birds and animals seem to key in on each other when it comes to danger. As was mentioned, the more eyes the better. And Dave, thanks for that in depth solution to some of these attacks. Hopefully it won’t be too bad. Again hope we all have a grea...

Hello everyone. Hope the year is going well. I have a thought regarding hawk attacks. As I’m waiting for my Martin to trickle in, I have noticed a large influx of tree swallows. I normally host one or two pairs every year since I’ve got an established colony, it has not been a problem. It was a prob...

Cool ! Congratulations on your special bond . There’s nothing like interacting with nature.

Hi. I had my first pair in 2017. I lost all for babies. One was due to wing and Trapman. A horrible ending. The male returned in 2018 And went back to the same gourd. He found a sy female and they raised four Young. The male returned in2019, but disappeared a week or two later. I suspect a hawk got ...

Great information, Randy. Thanks. If the 17 year locusts come out as predicted, I will grab a bunch of them.

I feel your pain. We had a pair of sharp- shinned hawks nest in a neighbor’s white pine tree. They did a real number on all of our songbirds. I did not have an active Purple Martin colony at the time. Thank God! I don’t know how I could have handled that. Hang in there. One suggestion. Talk to your ...

SY

I'm here in North central Ohio waiting my turn to get a shot at martins. I'm in my 3rd (or 4th) year trying in a decent location to get something started. I see that I can use the scout study to check subbies coming to Ohio from last year, and see that they should start showing up any day, but pati...

I tried for 34 years to attract my first pair. What I decided to do on one warm night with a slight South wind, was to let the dawn song play into the evening and overnight. I thought about attracting owls, but I didn’t have any Martin’s there anyway. The next morning when I got up, there was a pair...

Funny stuff. I might add, If you sit around the house and play the dawn song cd

My ASY male that has been hanging around for a while now has got me thinking. I kept wondering if it was the same male from last year but after the way the season ended and the fact that he came in so late, I didn’t think it was him till yesterday. He has white markings on his shoulders and I rememb...

Wow Sharon. That’s amazing! I have been on this forum for many years and I have never heard of anyone increasing like you did. I am so excited for you. You are doing a great job with the Martin’s. Enjoy them every minute.

That’s great! Looks real good. Will say a prayer for you. Hope she comes back with a mate!

That’s a good sign. Theyre interested. In my experience, limited as it is, when they come back a couple times a day, they are definitely looking to hang around. Best of luck! Rob

Thanks everyone. Things are looking pretty good over here. I think it might be the male that I had last year. I remember him having white on his shoulders as an SY male, and this ASY male also has white on his shoulders. I’m quite sure it’s the same bird. Tom, I know what you mean about the anxiety....

I think my ASY mail finally found the girl he was looking for. Just got home from work and they are settled in nicely on the gourd rack. Might be too soon to say, but I feel good about it. Thank you all for your good well wishes and prayers. I sure hope they get going and start having babies soon. G...