3rd house placement

HarlieJ1999 · Sun Jul 31, 2016 3:53 pm

We have currently have 2 houses - a 12 apartment standard aluminum house and an 18 'castle-style' aluminum house. We've run out of room! Seems like every apartment was full this year. We want to put up a 3rd pole next year. The current poles are about 20 feet apart. Any suggestions where to put the 3rd pole - all in a straight line, a triangle pattern, or does it even matter? We have an aluminum house that was my grandmother's and are going to repurpose it was some gourds for the new housing. Thank you.

Ravens5281 · Sun Jul 31, 2016 5:14 pm

I perfer the straight line if u can! But I had to do the triangular position bc I wanted to be able to see my gourds!! The top pic is my site & the bottom 2 pics is my friend Larry Peters site! That will give u a couple ideas to decide from!! The distance between is personal preference.

HarlieJ1999 · Sun Jul 31, 2016 6:18 pm

Thanks - those look great! You also me some other ideas! Great appreciated

Kuemic · Sun Jul 31, 2016 7:54 pm

Welcome to a fellow Topekan! Sounds like you have a thriving colony! We hope you send some of your babies our way next year, will be watching this post for advice from all the experts as we will be adding a pole. -- Michelle

HarlieJ1999 · Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:23 pm

Thanks Michelle! We live west of Topeka - have lived here for about 12 years, have had martins for 10-11 years. Seems like there were more this year. We attracted them by playing dawnsown. We hadn't had any luck until playing that CD.

Ravens5281 · Sun Jul 31, 2016 10:52 pm

HarlieJ1999, your welcome & I'm glad I could help just let me know if u have any other ?'s. I've learned a lot from all the ppl on the form so thank them for any info I pass along to u bc more than likely I learned it from here, YouTube, or my friend Larry Peters!!

Stu III

Kyler · Sun Jul 31, 2016 11:48 pm

I really like your friend Larry's site! I have always loved gourds but I just don't have much room!

Kyler,

Ravens5281 · Mon Aug 01, 2016 4:40 pm

Thanks Kyler, I will tell Larry u like it when I see or talk to him next! I love how his site is very clean & organized. He wants to add more but his wife won't let him lol. He could bc he's got an awesome location & it has a lot of room. Kyler what does ur site look like. U will have to take a picture. & I will be some what limited at my new house where I plan on building in the near future but will put as many gourds/houses up as I can. It will be in the front yard of my house & a main rd runs in the front but I don't care bc some ppl thought it might look bad in the front but I don't care as long as I can have my martins!

Ravens5281 · Mon Aug 01, 2016 4:55 pm

The red X's r the trees I'm cutting down & some I can only cut back those r the ones with the red lines & Xes. The green x is where I'm probably going to put up the martins gourds!! The blue box is where the house I'm going to build @ once I get the old house down & save up some more money. What do you think Kyler can I attract martins in this location once I get it opened up!!! The one pic of the trees r the ones in the front that are blocking a lot of open area & my neighbor said she wants them down bc she wants me to attract martins & she is tired of the causing a mess!

Ravens5281 · Mon Aug 01, 2016 5:15 pm

Also look what came in the mail today!!!! Thanks PMCA!!!

Kyler · Mon Aug 01, 2016 9:44 pm

The first picture is of where I had my houses in 2015! As you can see it is so thick you cant see back into the trees! Never attracted any but had some visitors!

So I decided to buy two M12Ks and put them in my front yard! The this is the picture now!

Also I think that would be a great spot! Sometimes you just got to moved the houses to different locations because they might like another place better than the other! Just like mine! I had all my houses in my backyard and never attracted any! I moved them to my front yard and got 5 pair this year! Good luck!! I will try to get better pictures tomorrow to show you the whole site!

Kyler,

Ravens5281 · Mon Aug 01, 2016 10:07 pm

Ah man Kyler the 1st pic of ur back yard is beautiful man. I can't believe they wouldn't like that but maybe someday they will! Yes please take some more pics so I can see a big view. I will also try here in the next few days to get a wider shot of my lot where I plan to build. But at least u got some birds & had success!
Stu III

Kyler · Tue Aug 02, 2016 10:56 am

Hope this helps a lot more!

Kyler,

Kyler · Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:01 am

The plastic house is getting replaced with the trio mini castle. Got it all cleaned up yesterday so think its ready to go!

Kyler,

Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:28 am

Kyler, nice open site, but missing pole guards on your systems! Raccoons can zip right up those metal poles, so please make or buy guards for next season.

Ravens, that's a lot of trees to come down - is the rest of the area as heavily treed? Attracting martins to an open area surrounded by trees may be more difficult, it will depend in part of local martin population and perhaps nearness to water.

Ravens5281 · Tue Aug 02, 2016 11:40 am

Kyler, very nice man yes that gives me an idea of what u have thanks! I guess u will just have to enjoy them in the front yard like me!!

& Forum Admin, I'm going to do whatever it takes to get them at my new house. I am just a lil over a 1/2 of a mile away from my parents house where I'm trying to get a colony started there. It has water & im hoping since it's close that I will be able to attract them to the place with the trees but I know there is a place about 10miles from me that has them with trees around it so I'm hopeful. But will be very persistent in trying to get them!! Now the pic shows the gourds in the center of the yard so u can see how there r trees around it. I know it's still pretty wide open but Still has trees around it.
Stu III

Kyler · Tue Aug 02, 2016 1:13 pm

Admin,
Can you give me some tips on some guards? I'm planning on using 5 gallon buckets but I need to know how high to mount them on the pole?

Kyler,

Tue Aug 02, 2016 1:20 pm

Here are plans for a stovepipe baffle: https://www.purplemartin.org/uploads/me ... es-496.pdf
If you use a 5 gallon bucket, mount it so top of bucket is at least 4 ft above ground, or large raccoons might bypass it. Cut off any rings, rims, or edges that a raccoon or snake could use to get a grip on the bucket.
The guards in Raven's photos look to be a bit too low, vulnerable to raccoons and large snakes.

Ravens5281 · Tue Aug 02, 2016 6:14 pm

Forum admin, I plan on getting rid of the buckets & putting quick release predator guards on next yr

Kyler · Thu Aug 04, 2016 1:47 pm

Admin,
Thanks for the tips!

Kyler,