Photos Of A Few Of My Purple Martin Housing Systems

[Steve Kroenke]

Photos Of A Few Of My Purple Martin Housing Systems

Over the last few weeks, I have been working on all my purple martin houses and gourd racks to get them ready for the 2012 season. The violent storm that hit our colonies on April 26, 2011 damaged nearly all our martin housing so I have been repairing the systems that we were unable to fix in April. This has been quite a job! Many poles have been shortened to remove bent sections and new ground stakes concreted in to replace damaged ones. I’ve even replaced entire systems with new ones.

I have made progress. Here are a few photos of some of my lowered gourd systems.

This photo shows a new 18 gourd Deluxe rack that replaces one of my 24 gourd systems that was heavily damaged by the storm. The rack has nine Super Gourds and nine Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches. In 2011 there were 12 Super Gourds and 12 Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches on the rack. So there is still some diversity in the gourd styles. I will need to add my cane pole perches to this rack and a net trap on the pole for rat snakes. I like the alternating style of a vertical then a horizontal and so forth. This configuration may help to minimize nest domination behavior by possessive martins as martins tend to control similar shaped gourds. The 24 gourd system had 23 pairs of martins in 2011. The “old” ground stake is still there; the previous pole/rack was violently blown down though we managed to salvage the system and re-install it. I will see if Bob, my neighbor, can use his tractor to pull up the old stake. I am about worn out digging up old ground stakes!



This photo shows my new Gemini rack that replaces my old one which was beat up by the storm when the system was violently toppled to the ground; I didn’t put the damaged Gemini back up in 2011. This Gemini is different and is 14 feet tall rather than 16 to reduce issues with wind. I like this new one a lot. I also am using only 24 gourds rather than the 32 I used previously to reduce weight on the rack. The gourd styles are diverse: six Excluder Gourds with inside/outside porches; six Super Gourds; six Troyer Horizontals with cling plates; and six Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches. I used a similar configuration on my previous Gemini and the martins did not dominate as much. On the rack rings, I use an alternating suspension style with a vertical, a horizontal, a vertical, and so on. I will need to add a net trap to the pole just above the winch.



This photo shows one of my old Deluxe racks with 18 gourds. This system is diverse in gourd styles: two Troyer Verticals with tunnels/porches; four Troyer Horizontals with cling plates; four Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches; and eight Super Gourds. I used a similar configuration in 2011. I will need to install cane pole perches and a net trap. This system was 100% occupied by martins in 2011. The “old” ground stake is next to the new one and I hope to get the old one pulled up later. This system was blown down by the storm and we put the rack back up.



This photo shows one of my AAA 16 gourd racks with 16 gourds. This system is diverse in gourd styles: four Troyer Verticals with tunnels/porches; four Super Gourds; four Troyer Horizontals with cling plates; and four Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches. The gourds are suspended in different directions on the crossbars. This hanging arrangement tends to minimize nest domination issues. A net trap will be added later. This system was 100% occupied by martins in 2011 though the rack was blown down during the storm and put back up.



This photo shows one of my Round racks with 12 gourds. There is a variety of gourd styles: four Super Gourds; four Excluders with inside/outside porches; four Troyer Horizontals with cling plates; and four Troyer Horizontals with tunnels/porches. I use an alternating suspension arrangement with a vertical, a horizontal, a vertical and so on. This gourd rack was 100% occupied by martins in 2011. A net trap will be installed later on. You can see part of the bent pole that is still firmly stuck on the on old ground stake. I couldn’t dislodge the pole from the ground stake so I cut the pole at the top of the bend. Hopefully I will get the old ground stake/bent pole dug up soon.



Steve

[Dave Duit]

Very nice setup. I like what you have done. The wind is a terrible enemy to landlords.

[M.Stephens]

Steve everything looks good! I am curious, are the ground stakes on your new poles any longer than the older ones?
I know this was an issue with the older ground stakes being too short and causing the poles to break or bend at the top of the ground stake. Longer ground stakes would seem to illeviate the problem but make the pole difficult to install over such a long stake.
Did any of the manufacturers resolve the isuue and what is your opinion on any new designs they made on these new pole systems?

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Steve:

You have been busy replacing your damaged housing and getting ready for the 2012 season. You have done a great job and I know you will be happy when it is all completed and you can once again sit back and watch that first martin land at your site next Feb. Look forward to seeing your set-up next year.

Tim

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Dave,

After the terrible storm, I have become "paranoid" any time bad weather is forecasted! Several weeks ago we had ANOTHER tornado pass within a mile or two of us though this one was not as destructive as the one in April 2011. We didn't get any wind though we got some most welcomed rain.

I am keeping my martin housing lower down to reduce chances of wind damage. The martins readily accepted the lower housing after the bad storm and our location is open. We don't need to have housing real high up. I am trying to keep my housing between 9 and 14 feet in height.

Steve

Hey Malcom,

The new ground stakes were not longer, but I did add a metal extension to them to add at least another foot in the ground. I like to have a least 3 feet of metal in the ground and at least 2 feet out.

This arrangement has worked well, but when extremely violent winds hit like we had in April 2011, then the pole or ground stake may still bend/break.

I have been filling my ground stakes with concrete and this can help. But I did find several ground stakes with concrete inside that were slightly bent.

Several of the gourd poles systems for large racks will be offered with 14 and 16 foot heights; previously these were only available in 16 foot versions. I got a new Gemini with the 14 foot version. I prefer the shorter poles and they do not sway as much and may be less vulnerable to violent winds.

I had several poles/ground stakes where both bent; the ground stake then became stuck inside the pole. These were the hardest to deal with.

I still have to deal with my 24 gourd Super System where the bottom section of the 3 inch pole is bent just above the ground stake; it's a bad bend and is vulnerable to going down if another bad wind hits. Once I get the pole off the ground stake, I will either cut off the bent section or replace that section with another. Either way, this system will be shortened from a 16 foot pole to a 14 foot one.

Steve

Hey Tim,

Yes, I have been working hard! I am ready for all this repairing stuff to end!

I am looking forward to our martin banding project in 2012! I just hope we get enough rain to help eliminate some of this terrible drought. The poor martins suffered terribly in 2011 due to a lack of flying insects to feed their young in May, June and July. Though we have had some rain lately, our area is still in the grips of a drought. I don't know what this is going to mean later when the martins have young to feed. Time will tell.

I sure hope you attract martins in 2012.

Steve

[Bob Fraser]

I wondered about the ground stakes. I filled mine with concrete too, but wondered whether it would be better if the ground stake was solid aluminum or steel rather than hollow and then filled with concrete.

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Bob,

I noticed that all my ground stakes for the three inch square poles held up just fine during the violent storm. I had filled them with concrete.

Several of my old iron ground stakes for the two inch square poles were either bent or they actually broke off during the storm. At least one of these was filled with concrete but the stake still bent a little. Possibly these older iron ground stakes had rusted/corroded too much and had weakened. I had several new aluminum ground stakes in use and they "weathered" the storm; they had concrete inside.

While a solid steel/aluminum ground stake would be strong, these may be too heavy or costly to manufacture and sell by martin businesses.

I believe under most weather conditions using ground stakes filled with concrete would probably be sufficient.

Steve

[Bob Fraser]

Steve thanks.... Mine is 3in square as you know and filled with concrete, so your experience with them is reassuring.

I just didn't know how much additional expense it would be to have solid ground stakes.

And, the weather conditions you experienced would have most likely wreaked havoc regardless how strong the ground stake was - (as it did in the case of your 3in square stakes).

[Dave Duit]

I guess you could say I went bananas and over did it with my poles for wind. In fact they aren't poles; I have two 24 goard racks that with a 1,000 pound wench. The racks slide up and down a 3X5 inch 1/2 inch steel enclosed 230 pound beam which is cemented 6 feet in the ground in a 4X4X4 square. The top of the beam only moves about 1/4 inch in 70 mph wind. I got so sick and tired of schedule 40 steel pipe bending in high winds, that I fix the problem permanently.

[Penny Briscoe]

Hi from Michigan. I see you have no owl guards? Is that not a problem in your area. Last year for the first time I installed them and am glad I did. We are getting more owls in the area as our lake habitat in southwest Michigan becomes more inviting to birds in general.

[Steve Kroenke]

Yes, we have both barred and great horned owls. Because of the large number of systems in my colony, I have not installed owl guards on these gourd racks.

However, I have managed to keep most owls from attacking by staying outside around the colony at roosting time and getting up early in the mornings when the male martins are dawn singing around the housing. The owls mainly attack at these times. As long as I am out in the colony, the owls tend to stay away.

I will continue to monitor this situation to determine if my current strategy still keeps the owls at bay. I have used guards in the past at one of old Florida colonies. These guards can minimize owl predation by preventing owls from swooping up to the gourd entrances/porches.

I am glad you are using the owl guards and hope they keep the barred and great horned owls away.

Good luck in 2012.

Steve

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Steve, you probably are one of a very few that stays out with the martins for parts of the night, and I applaud you for doing that. I have noticed that the owls show up early in the night, or right before daylight, but that is not true all of the time. I have had them come often between midnight and 4 in the morning. They get smart, so if you sit out there part of the night, they learn to come when you are not there, maybe that is why they are called the wise old owl...smile...

I can see all of my racks from the back end of our house, so its quite easy for me to see the owls at night. There sure are a lot of owls where we live. I used to try to chase them away, but decided to try to change my housing so that they would not catch so many martins. I just wish that I could weld to make cages for the gourd racks.

[Bob Fraser]

Hey Steve - I've got my Gemini all set up. As I think you know, mine's on a 16 ft pole. Based on your experience, would you recommend I keep the top ring at 14ft (the lower ring is 2 ft lower so that would put it at 12).

thanks..

Bob.

[Steve Kroenke]

Hey Bob,

After what happened to all my 16 foot big gourd racks on 3 inch square poles during the storm, I am a little "paranoid" about strong winds and tall poles with large racks!

I believe under the vast majority of situations your Gemini will be just fine raised to the top of the 16 foot pole. The high tensile aluminum 3 inch square pole will withstand most winds and only a violent storm such as a tornado or intense thunderstorm may topple the system.

I do like my 14 foot Gemini system a lot. My area is open and there are no trees nearby. So height is not an issue with my martin colony. When I raised the Gemini rack on my 14 foot pole, the rack looks just fine at that height and it appears to sway less than on the 16 foot pole.

When you lower a rack farther down on a tall pole, the distance between the top of the pole and top of the rack is of course increased. This may not "look as good" as the rack raised to the top.

Based on what happened to my system, I would probably keep the rack at the 14 foot level to help reduce the stress level on the pole just in case a violent storm did strike. But you may not like the look of the rack lower down on the pole.

I hope you will post some photos of your Gemini on the Forum! I know folks would like to see the system.

Good luck in 2012.

Steve

[Bob Fraser]

Thanks for the quick response Steve.

I guess I'll do a little pondering. It does look better all the way up, but I'm sure in heavy winds there would be less strain on the pole if it were a little lower. Then again, in the case of a tornado, it probably wouldn't matter where the rack was.

It's one thing if you're at home and heavy winds are forecast - you can always go out and lower it some. But, if you're away and it's all the way up and you get the high winds, well, it's on it's own!

Like I said, have a little pondering to do. And I'll get some pics posted when I get the chance - still have a couple of months to go before any pics that include our feathered friends.

thanks again Steve.

[KathyF]

Bob, I kept mine lowered by 2' most of last year and I got used to it. It's amazing how much less stress is on the pole by just lowering 2'.

I do work from home and when I hear of winds coming in excess of 60mph, I lower my gourd racks and Trendsetter house down to about 4-5'.

It didn't look bad at all with the martins covering it up!

[KathyF]

Steve - looks like you're rising from the ashes!

Glad you're recovering and your new systems look great! Lots of digging & pouring, eh?

Kathy

[Bob Fraser]

Thanks for your input Kathy...

I'm more concerned, I think, of not being around if severe weather comes thru and it's at 16 ft and I'm not there to lower it.

I'd be a lot less worried if I wasn't around in that situation if it was at 14ft or so -- it just stands to reason there would be a lot less stress on the pole (and my head too)

Thanks again.

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Speaking of ground stakes, I wonder if the stakes would be stronger by inserting a piece of rebar inside the stake and down into the base concrete. Maybe 3 1/2 ft piece with 1 1/2 ft into the base concrete with the rebar surrounded by concrete up the stake?