Okay, so I put up a Lone Star Goliad house, set up perches and a few decoys and have been playing dawn song. Still no PMs in sight. Anyway, am wondering whether its possible to still attract martins after the migration period?
Thanks all! Here's a photo of my house (it was lowered for some finishing touches).... Love your photos, it inspires some hope...
Getting discouraged
You are pretty far North.
I would give it a while as subbies just hit my colony here in Central Texas about 10 days ago.
I would give it a while as subbies just hit my colony here in Central Texas about 10 days ago.
Cheers,
Joe
2015 - 40 cavities - 37 pair - fledged 172
2016 - 40 cavities - 38 pair - fledged 192
Hosting Purple Martins since 1976...Managing since 2006.
Joe
2015 - 40 cavities - 37 pair - fledged 172
2016 - 40 cavities - 38 pair - fledged 192
Hosting Purple Martins since 1976...Managing since 2006.
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Northern migration continues through May and June. Lots of time yet.
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Craig Dyer
- Posts: 500
- Joined: Fri May 13, 2005 2:24 pm
- Location: Nevada, TX
- Martin Colony History: Area is rural. Offer 28 compartments...metal housing (Lonestar Goliad) & Supergourds all w/crescent entrance holes. Purple martins are abundant here and eager for quality, well maintained, safe housing. Expect near 100% occupancy this season.
Don't get discouraged. In my opinion you have made an excellent choice in housing. Once purple martins find your set-up they will be well served. It might take a season or two before you have breeding pairs.
I recently moved and had to leave a large purple martin colony behind. The first year in my new digs I had nothing but visiting and investigating martins. By year two I had six breeding pairs. This is my third season and the first nest check has revealed sixteen nests. It appears that I have fifteen to twenty pairs. Hang in there...perseverance will pay off.
Best of luck to you!
I recently moved and had to leave a large purple martin colony behind. The first year in my new digs I had nothing but visiting and investigating martins. By year two I had six breeding pairs. This is my third season and the first nest check has revealed sixteen nests. It appears that I have fifteen to twenty pairs. Hang in there...perseverance will pay off.
Best of luck to you!
Craig Dyer
To skw159 et al,
After waiting nearly 20 years, my colony site finally attracted martins that stayed and produced babies in 2011. So you must decide for yourself but, speaking for myself, I think it was worth the wait. It is good to see another Illinois resident interested in this hobby, and this Forum is a good place to discuss issues about purple martins among others who are as interested as you. But martin habits seem difficult to predict, so you have to decide if it is worth it to yourself. I hope you join us in this discussion group. If anything, you will learn a lot about one of the most interesting species in the bird world. Nothing is guaranteed, but i doubt you will be disappointed
Good luck!!!
By the way, you are not alone in your disappointment so far this year.
After waiting nearly 20 years, my colony site finally attracted martins that stayed and produced babies in 2011. So you must decide for yourself but, speaking for myself, I think it was worth the wait. It is good to see another Illinois resident interested in this hobby, and this Forum is a good place to discuss issues about purple martins among others who are as interested as you. But martin habits seem difficult to predict, so you have to decide if it is worth it to yourself. I hope you join us in this discussion group. If anything, you will learn a lot about one of the most interesting species in the bird world. Nothing is guaranteed, but i doubt you will be disappointed
Good luck!!!By the way, you are not alone in your disappointment so far this year.
PMCA member
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
2011 - 1 SY pair w/ 2 HY fledged
2012 - 5 breeding pairs
2013 - 14 nesting pairs and several singles
2014 - 8 nesting pairs
2015 - 5 nesting prs w/mostly ASY parents
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Henry Limpet
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:48 pm
- Location: IN./Howe, via the s/w side of Chicago
- Martin Colony History: Trendsetter-8. Set up in 2014 at my summer cottage, a beautiful natural inland lake in N.E. Indiana's Amish Country. T-8 is on cleared land behind my pole barn and adjacent to a farmer's field
2015: Had several flyovers in early June with 1 dedicated SYM visitor who visited each day for well over a month. He brought by a few PM "parades", with 8-12 PM's who would visit all at once, but soon leave. (Added 2 gourds to bottom of the T-8). We discovered a large (Amish) colony apx. 3/4 mile South of our T-8. We think this will eventually be our "feeder" colony.
2016: Put up a Trio G'Pa lakeside. Overall, not as much interest as 2015, likely because of our vacation to Gulf Shores, AL. in early June.
2017: Finally switched over to wheat straw. Success!! One nesting pair. Fledged 4!
2018: Zilch.
2019: Slow start, nothing observed by mid June. Wet, cold Spring a factor??
2020: Barely any sightings.
2021: Several observed high in the sky, eating. No interest so far!
We are both waaaay too far North to start fretting. It sounds like you are doing everything right. I'm pretty sure we have until Mid-June, maybe even late June, to attract some SY PM's. I think your proximity to the Illinois River will be your biggest asset!! Keep your chin up . . . up to the skies!!
Be careful how you wish . . for wishes can come true . . be sure that every wish you make is one that's right for you!
Sounds like your area is just now hitting its prime for SY birds. You want your housing up in Martin season. Some older housing may be full and there will be some birds searching for homes. Even then, after the clutches hatch, those FY birds will be looking around. Good luck.
2021
T14
10 Pair
49 Fledged
T14
10 Pair
49 Fledged
I just saw a pair investigating my housing . These are the first ones I've seen here .
Never surrender .
Never surrender .
2010: 5 pair - raptor attack .
2011 : nada .
2012 : 1 pair - 5 eggs / 5 fledged .
2013: zero
2014: Lots of visitors
2015 : several visitors . Seriously considering purchasing a drone to scare off raptors .
2011 : nada .
2012 : 1 pair - 5 eggs / 5 fledged .
2013: zero
2014: Lots of visitors
2015 : several visitors . Seriously considering purchasing a drone to scare off raptors .
As an FYI, I have had much better success with the "day time chatter" CD than the "dawn song". But maybe that's just my experience? As others have said it's still early up here so I would not give up yet. If possible, get a "day time chatter" CD going.
skw159 wrote:Okay, so I put up a Lone Star Goliad house, set up perches and a few decoys and have been playing dawn song. Still no PMs in sight. Anyway, am wondering whether its possible to still attract martins after the migration period?
Thanks all! Here's a photo of my house (it was lowered for some finishing touches).... Love your photos, it inspires some hope...
2022 starting new colony in Sun City Center, FL
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taxidermy lady
- Posts: 2988
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:21 am
- Location: IL/Ellis Grove
- Martin Colony History: Started trying to attract purple martins in 2012! It's finally happened in 2017! 5 years!!! ASY male and SY female came May 1st, fledged 5 babies!
Hang in there we are all waiting! Your not alone!
We read all these post about people who already have martins and it makes us inpatient! The best is yet to come! Good luck!
We read all these post about people who already have martins and it makes us inpatient! The best is yet to come! Good luck!
Sharon from southern Illinois
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DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi
hang in there.. I once had a pair arrive and start nesting on May 24th. That's way down here in SE KS.
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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terriergal
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:41 pm
- Location: MN/Hutchinson
I have had martins in past years, and had some (2 pr) last year - the first time it took I think two years for them to move in (though they would sometimes fly over during the summer and check out the house).
I have YET to even *see* or *hear* a martin this year. I'm in a smaller town and two people have filled out scout reports for my location but I have yet to see any. This week is going to be bad for them too. Cold, in the 50s for highs, windy. I am hoping they don't return until next week...
I have YET to even *see* or *hear* a martin this year. I'm in a smaller town and two people have filled out scout reports for my location but I have yet to see any. This week is going to be bad for them too. Cold, in the 50s for highs, windy. I am hoping they don't return until next week...
Paula in MN