Purple Martin Forum

I used to have the oversized blue bird box for trapping Starlings and created a nest in it . It kind of rotted away but I still kept the hardware .I suspect the martin probably is coming home every day at dusk which I have seen many times . The 410 full bore is a great tool for me in the country and...

Good news I saw one checking out my newly open gourd. Thanks for your good advice . It could have been the one I saw the other day .

I did open one gourd that they were in last year but I think I will open the ones that I can keep an eye on from my window . Starlings are so smart and I wait for them to make a mistake like sitting in a tree within my range . I will open up my housing (most) and good advice . The bird I saw probabl...

It has taken me years to get just a pair of martins the last couple of years in which each year they successfully raised 5 offspring each year. I have two houses one is pretty much closed up with cups .(house converted into six with 4 plastic gourds hanging. The other one is a reg house which I keep...

I shot my first starling a couple of days ago and waiting for martins to come back. There were others but when I went to the housing I could hear a bird in the unit and he took off dropped in with a 30 ft shot.I am wanting to find a way to use my 22 rifle with scope .I live in the country but a norm...

I will keep same housing and consider another house if the people who bought new house don't plan on putting up the housing .If they are going to put up the housing I will advise them on maintaining their housing. The advise is sort of what I was thinking and will be putting up my housing today and ...

I am preparing for this season and last year I finally got a couple to stay and fledged 5.(all)This year I am trying to see if I set up exact housing as before for two reasons. One is one of my neighbors sold his house and had perhaps 5-6 pair of martins. The housing last fall was taken down by new ...

Diane you and I are in the same position and I have a pr with five eggs which the first should hatch next Monday.I also have a male that has his own gourd some nesting material but it looks like for his comfort.Last couple days I have had a fourth martin which might be a female.We'll see how it goes...

I like the bucket thing and only have three Martins with one pair having 5 eggs ready to hatch next week.I am thinking about purchasing the guard but I think I can get this done with a bucket right away.Years ago I had a pair where they disappeared and when I checked their nest there were no eggs or...

Yesterday I actually figured out the prong thing and tried to solder but wouldn't work so I super glued the thing together place it in the housing.The sparrows were going in and out and weren't tripping the closure bar.I decided to place a glue trap in the compartment and with the hole already so sm...

I got my first pair this year nesting and have 5 eggs.I had a male hanging around and I think he finally found a female for there is a nest starting to form and I have spotted a fourth martin.If they lay eggs it's a bit late for the first egg was laid a couple of weeks ago in other nest.The housing ...

The sparrows need to be eliminated and if you can get the male it will help.It broke my heart a couple of years ago when I had one pair of martins and they laid eggs but I had on the other side a pr of sparrows.I was tearing nests out daily trying to get them to leave.(doesn't work)I did the stupide...

Last Sunday did nest check and it looked completely ready for egg laying.Monday PM Behavior changed and they were hanging out in he gourd so I sensed the first egg was laid Monday or Tuesday.Yesterday checked the nest and found five eggs with leaves.Exciting to say the least.Today I am ordering the ...

I bet that male is staying there for I have just three martins right now (one Pr)but that pair will come down like a rock drop and go back to back into the gourd and if I hadn't seen them I would swear they aren't staying there.The lone male has been staying in one of my gourds and gets in the gourd...

Off and one I have tried to establish a colony for many years.I have only had one successful pair raise their young but didn't come back.This year one of my neighbors had his house down and I thought it was the wind but later found out a car hit it.I ended up after a couple of days putting the house...

This year as I attempt to establish a colony it seems that the subbies are late.I usually can draw in some martins thru usuage of the chatter cd but only one on a rainy day stopped by.(believe other colony bird)I notice the other sites around me(within 2 miles)seem to have less birds.I 've been bles...

I've been trying to attract martins for years and finally had my third couple in 9 years set up shop.This morning I was reading about egg and nest checking rules and so with eggs laid last week decided to nest check and (3) found the eggs on the ground and very upset to say the least.These two birds...