Some photos to pass the wait time. . .
-
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!
So, I dusted off my photobucket account tonight. Attached are some photos, mainly from 2015, but the very first photo is from installation day/Spring 2014. Almost all were taken by my (then) 10 year old son. He is just as eager as I about PM's. I threw a photo of him in there, too. I hope these help pass the time for those who are within a couple of weeks of new arrivals. Comments are always welcome. Everyone likes looking at pictures, right? We hope you enjoy.
Be careful how you wish . . for wishes can come true . . be sure that every wish you make is one that's right for you!
-
MichaelH
- Posts: 586
- Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:10 am
- Location: IL/Gillespie
- Martin Colony History: 2015 28 cavities 2 pairs
2016 big upgrade 56cavities 16 pairs great year
2017. 76 cavities 36 pairs
2018. 146 cavities
Thanks for the pics your right everyone likes seeing pictures hope you have a good year this year Henry,great that your sons involved to good times
Mick
Mick
2018 146 cavities.
-
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!
Thanks for sharing your photos! Nice with my coffee! Good luck 
Sharon from southern Illinois
Hi Henry...I'm not an expert at all but I noticed that the sreh on your house look to be quite high off the porch floor...most of what I've read and been told indicate lower ones..P.M. catalogue pictures of entrances seem to me to be as low as possible...not sure if this is for the P.M.'s sake or to repel Starlings better...I built a Bob Buskas Northern Sky's house, positioned the sreh like your's and as soon as he saw the pics of it he suggested lowering the holes...I did have visitors year before last with the holes higher but none entered the compartments..last year I had two pairs and they zipped in and out like nobody's business from day one on.Henry Limpet wrote:So, I dusted off my photobucket account tonight. Attached are some photos, mainly from 2015, but the very first photo is from installation day/Spring 2014. Almost all were taken by my (then) 10 year old son. He is just as eager as I about PM's. I threw a photo of him in there, too. I hope these help pass the time for those who are within a couple of weeks of new arrivals. Comments are always welcome. Everyone likes looking at pictures, right? We hope you enjoy.
Just a quick question, what are those round shapes on the roof?
-
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!
Thanks for all the nice comments..
To Matt: That is his old baseball team hat which doubles as his 'blaze orange' hat for the fall. Lol
To Grant: The roof cirles are adhesive roofing paper, cut out to resemble entrance holes from up above. Vertical advertising as I call it. I think you are right about the height of the holes. Our SYM always seemed reluctant to enter, though he did a few times. The few females never seemed impressed, as if they were house hunting and the place next door had an old Chevy in the front yard up on milk crates.
I might call my Amish seller back and see if he can make new pvc cutouts that are lower to the porch, or I might take a Dremel to half of them. Maybe I can convert a few back to round holes? I will have to look up the correct measurements. Not too many ES in our area but I have witnessed them in the past. Great heads up. I think you are on to something. Glad I posted them. Great constructive criticism to be garnered here.
To Matt: That is his old baseball team hat which doubles as his 'blaze orange' hat for the fall. Lol
To Grant: The roof cirles are adhesive roofing paper, cut out to resemble entrance holes from up above. Vertical advertising as I call it. I think you are right about the height of the holes. Our SYM always seemed reluctant to enter, though he did a few times. The few females never seemed impressed, as if they were house hunting and the place next door had an old Chevy in the front yard up on milk crates.
I might call my Amish seller back and see if he can make new pvc cutouts that are lower to the porch, or I might take a Dremel to half of them. Maybe I can convert a few back to round holes? I will have to look up the correct measurements. Not too many ES in our area but I have witnessed them in the past. Great heads up. I think you are on to something. Glad I posted them. Great constructive criticism to be garnered here.
Be careful how you wish . . for wishes can come true . . be sure that every wish you make is one that's right for you!
-
Mhoover
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:30 am
- Location: Indiana/Monticello - White County
- Martin Colony History: Started with 2 pair in 2014 - 7 eggs -7 fledged
Henry
You might be able to attach some 3x4 inch pieces of cedar boards to the porch outside and inside the entrance holes to raise the access to within an eight of an inch of the bottom of the entrance. That would make it easier for the martins to enter and exit the house.
I like how open your site is. That should really help to interest them in your location.
You might be able to attach some 3x4 inch pieces of cedar boards to the porch outside and inside the entrance holes to raise the access to within an eight of an inch of the bottom of the entrance. That would make it easier for the martins to enter and exit the house.
I like how open your site is. That should really help to interest them in your location.
2017-5 pair
2016-4 pair- 18 hatched-18 fledged
2015-1 pair -Both ASY- 6 eggs-5 fledged
2014-2 pair- 1 ASY-M/SY-F-1 ASY pair - 7 eggs-7 fledged
PMCA Member
2016-4 pair- 18 hatched-18 fledged
2015-1 pair -Both ASY- 6 eggs-5 fledged
2014-2 pair- 1 ASY-M/SY-F-1 ASY pair - 7 eggs-7 fledged
PMCA Member