Purple Martin Forum

Hello, Everybody. Season's coming along fine here on the Eastern Shore of Maryland; fledging started a few days back now. The one-who-tolerates-the-insanity asked me a question...of course I don't know the answer. So, here I am coming to the experts: Are there are "features" or "attra...

You could always come chat with "us" over on Facebook if the forum is down and you need company. Gotta have the Facebook!

So glad to hear this! I know it doesn't mean I get to be any less diligent about keeping the pests away but helps to know that they are defending themselves! Thanks for sharing your experiences; and look forward to hearing about your colony in the future, avesrun!

Glad to hear the colony survived, Ray! Hope your land dries out fast!

Hello, Everybody. Maybe it's just my region; maybe it's just my creek; maybe it's just my colony. Whatever the explanation, the purple martins around here recognize a starling as an enemy. So far, I've seen the PUMA protect their perches and their compartments but this morning's observations were wa...

DebA wrote:I loved it too! What a fun read. As far as I am concerned you have my permission to not do much else in your retirement. That works for me!!
Deb

+1 If only I could get Mother Nature to agree to the farming schedule I want to follow...

Then in late winter/early spring, the house sparrows bunch up on the ground under my bird feeder. I use a small pile of mixed bird seed to attract them into a tight group. Using a shotgun out the kitchen window, I can take out 5 or 6 with one shot from a 20-gauge (#7 steel shot). Love, L.O.V.E., lo...

What folks persistently fail to recognise is that almost ALL purple martins are breeding under those conditions. I can attest to the conditions of housing in my area. I know of only four places where the martin housing appears to be managed; and there is a martin house at every third property, easi...

I thought for sure you were going to show us a cat, and, I thought, "Oh boy, two controversial posts in a week, how exciting!"

I'll be sure to keep this one in mind when helping my sister pick out traps!

Thank you, ladies! Brother-in-law will have to be in charge of extermination duties until he and I can convince she is being ridiculous! There are times I wonder how it is possible our DNA is so different! They'll have to have a substantial set-up. Her property is at one of the highest spots in the ...

Hello, Everybody! I had no idea that I could spark her interest. I thought for sure she would remind me of the impossibility of her killing any creature. But she is and she didn't. My sister (my big sister, my only sister!) might be interested in starting a colony! Okay...must stay calm...because......

Got the next generation lined up! Had to explain the purpose of not only the outside "gear" but the pellet rifle,too (out of reach, but not wholly out of sight apparently) to a three year old. She also had mice traps explained when she kicked one out at the barn. And the golf club for snak...

Those are really cool shots, Ray! Are you using a DLSR camera, one with an interchangeable lens? If so, then me thinks it is time for a sensor cleaning on it. If not, then Wow! your site has some great bug selection.

I referred to the established colony that was here when I moved here as "my shy martins". That house got hit in the Derecho last year and so was replaced. Don't know how many of that colony is still here, but this year's group is a lot less shy. They're even tolerating the Dachshund chasin...

"there will be a female sitting on the nest." This may very well happen during today's nest check. There's one female who seems to be incubating far more than the others; can't say that I've spotted her outside her compartment for perhaps three, four days now. Sure hope she's calm and can ...

The sub-adults seem to get most confused. They've spooked at Osprey and Buzzards/Vultures. Fortunately, haven't spotted any hawks.

Thank you, Louise, for the link! I'm going to need to be all kinds of brave before this day comes! Heck, I'm nervous now worried that I'll disturb their little nests too much! I'll start my chanting practice now "I can do it; I CAN do it!"

Looks like a great day with the grandkids! Great that there was lots of activity for them to see. Thanks for sharing!

On the ones that have just a few twigs, I mark a "?" on my sheet so I know for the next check to see if there was progress on that questionable compartment. Poop don't count.

Louise Chambers wrote:You'll have their earliest possible fledge date, so you know when to start using plug & string during late nest checks.

This sentence is what has me scratching my head over this whole process. How do I do plug & string? It was sooooo much easier when I had just the one pair to monitor!