I hope the Sharp shinned hawk stays away this year
New racks are up and open for business
-
Connie
- Posts: 441
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:05 pm
- Location: WALKER, LOUISIANA
- Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied.
Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.
Beauuuuutiful!! 
Good luck and Happy Martin Season!!
Connie
Good luck and Happy Martin Season!!Connie
Connie
-
dhjohnson
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Clayton
- Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy
Very Nice JWN!
Best of Luck in 2014!
Debbie
Best of Luck in 2014!
Debbie
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
-
DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
I'm sure they will! So exciting to add new housing. Have fun this year!
Deb
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
-
4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
JWN,
Your location looks perfect. Open space, no plantings which will spoil location in the future and overhead lines for perches behind the backyard fence.
I presume that you had not installed your predator guard at the time of the picture. I guess I worry too much about predators.
With those K series gourd racks you can advertise your site as the Ritz-Carlton Purple Martin Hotel with available luxury honeymoon suites.
Your location looks perfect. Open space, no plantings which will spoil location in the future and overhead lines for perches behind the backyard fence.
I presume that you had not installed your predator guard at the time of the picture. I guess I worry too much about predators.
With those K series gourd racks you can advertise your site as the Ritz-Carlton Purple Martin Hotel with available luxury honeymoon suites.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Thanks for the nice comments everyone!
We worry about predators too. Last year, after finding piles of feathers in the yard and seeing a hawk perched ON the rack one morning, we wrapped the entire gourd rack with chicken wire. It looked terrible, but it worked. Which predator guards do you recommend? I will order them right away. I really don' t want to go the chicken wire route again.
We worry about predators too. Last year, after finding piles of feathers in the yard and seeing a hawk perched ON the rack one morning, we wrapped the entire gourd rack with chicken wire. It looked terrible, but it worked. Which predator guards do you recommend? I will order them right away. I really don' t want to go the chicken wire route again.
-
4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
JWN,
I have been helping my sister who just erected her K-series 18 gourd rack in Seguin, TX a few weeks ago. She had a scout visit yesterday so I am jealous.
I definitely recommend a pole predator guard to make it hard for raccoons, squirrels, and a backup to snakes. I prefer the type that swings and can be removed when the gourd rack is lowered. The company that manufactures the K-series has an excellent pole predator guard but there are many other brands which are just as good. Remember that it should fit a 3" square pole. I see that PMCA Market Place has an excellent quick release pole guard for 3" square pole.
I also add the snake mesh as the first defense against snakes.
Your main concern at this time is flying predators, such as hawks and owls. I am not as familiar with these options but I believe that the Troyer horizontal gourds have the long tunnels and your S&K gourds have the attached tunnels which is already designed to help.
If your flying predator attack occurred with the S&K gourds with tunnels, then other forum members that are more knowledgeable and wise than me will have to help you.
I will be interested in forum members' answers because my sister may have add flying predator protection.
She is using the Troyer horizontal gourds so what you do will be applicable to her and many others.
I have been helping my sister who just erected her K-series 18 gourd rack in Seguin, TX a few weeks ago. She had a scout visit yesterday so I am jealous.
I definitely recommend a pole predator guard to make it hard for raccoons, squirrels, and a backup to snakes. I prefer the type that swings and can be removed when the gourd rack is lowered. The company that manufactures the K-series has an excellent pole predator guard but there are many other brands which are just as good. Remember that it should fit a 3" square pole. I see that PMCA Market Place has an excellent quick release pole guard for 3" square pole.
I also add the snake mesh as the first defense against snakes.
Your main concern at this time is flying predators, such as hawks and owls. I am not as familiar with these options but I believe that the Troyer horizontal gourds have the long tunnels and your S&K gourds have the attached tunnels which is already designed to help.
If your flying predator attack occurred with the S&K gourds with tunnels, then other forum members that are more knowledgeable and wise than me will have to help you.
I will be interested in forum members' answers because my sister may have add flying predator protection.
She is using the Troyer horizontal gourds so what you do will be applicable to her and many others.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.