New to forum 1st year landlord

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
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Ironcity1776
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:56 pm
Location: Hookstown Pa
Martin Colony History: 2017 Installed S&K Easy Lift Pole, 16 Bo Eleven w/Ultimate Tunnel - Clinger Entrance & Cooling Cap Kit plus 6 decoys.

Hello to all members & thank you for accepting me to the forum. My wife and I are excited about being new landlords, we Installed S&K Easy Lift Pole, 16 Bo Eleven w/Ultimate Tunnel - Clinger Entrance & Cooling Cap Kit & 6 decoys. The information on this forum is priceless. I am in contact with mentor in my area and can't wait to talk with him. Any advice from the current successful landlords in SW PA. Would be awesome. I know we have to be very patient but with help from a mentor & the members, hopefully we can get residents sooner than later. Good luck to all Martins & landlords this year.

Thanks in advance
Ironcity1776
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LOUISIANA88
Posts: 20
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 12:53 pm
Location: Lecompte, LA

Welcome! I am new to the forum also... and you're right, tons of great info on here. Good luck on starting your colony!
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Okie
Posts: 541
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:26 pm
Location: Claremore, OK
Martin Colony History: 2016 Informed landlord now Have 2 pair returning from 2015 That is a miracle. Hoping for a very successful year, sparrow population on decline.
First house was plastic with crescent holes Had martins within a few days. Ignorant landlord gradually lost them
Then got Trio House and still lost most of them. Lots of sparrows

Welcome to both of you & much luck this year.
I agree about this forum being a valuable resource for information & encouragement. I too have learned a lot & truly enjoyed my martins last year since I understood what all was going on with them. It is so much fun to watch them doing what you just read about. Without the forum I would never have known to do nest checks. And I truly enjoyed following those chicks growing so fast.
Last year PMCA posted a live feed in a gourd so we could follow the chicks growing & the parents feeding them. Hopefully they will do that again. HINT HINT So keep an eye out for that.
Incorporate everything you are learning & you will be successful. Especially the part about trees!!! Good luck & keep posting.
Okie
PMCA member
2016 Started with 2 pair, 1 pair abandoned after HOSP destroyed eggs
1 pair= 6 eggs, 6 fledged
2017 1 pair so far, But they abandoned before nest complete for ?reason? Now Bridless and joined the Wannabes
2018 One pair ASY male SY female 5 eggs, 5 fledged
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Okie
Posts: 541
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:26 pm
Location: Claremore, OK
Martin Colony History: 2016 Informed landlord now Have 2 pair returning from 2015 That is a miracle. Hoping for a very successful year, sparrow population on decline.
First house was plastic with crescent holes Had martins within a few days. Ignorant landlord gradually lost them
Then got Trio House and still lost most of them. Lots of sparrows

BTW I just received PMCA's laminated posters of pics of chicks growing & how to ID ASY & SY males & females. I highly recommend them. Also the prognosticator to predict when they will hatch & fledge. Very valuable info.
Okie
PMCA member
2016 Started with 2 pair, 1 pair abandoned after HOSP destroyed eggs
1 pair= 6 eggs, 6 fledged
2017 1 pair so far, But they abandoned before nest complete for ?reason? Now Bridless and joined the Wannabes
2018 One pair ASY male SY female 5 eggs, 5 fledged
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Carlton
Posts: 1959
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.

I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.


At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.

At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.

WELCOME! I know you will get hooked on this "hobby"/passion.

Carl
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Ironcity1776
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:56 pm
Location: Hookstown Pa
Martin Colony History: 2017 Installed S&K Easy Lift Pole, 16 Bo Eleven w/Ultimate Tunnel - Clinger Entrance & Cooling Cap Kit plus 6 decoys.

Thanks for the reply all

Carlton, already hooked on reading the forum and getting info and watching the migration map.

Okie, I will checkout the laminate posters.

Louisiana88, good luck to you also. I contacted the mentor in my area and was very helpful & very knowledgeable on PM. Maybe check and see if there is a mentor in your area.
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Hanover Bill
Posts: 656
Joined: Thu May 14, 2009 3:10 pm
Location: Pennsylvania/Hanover Township
Martin Colony History: 2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72

Welcome Iron City 1776. Good to have another Purple Martin enthusiast in Beaver County. Hopefully you will have success quickly. Last year was a great year for fledges in this area so there is a good chance for you.

Hanover Bill.
2009 & 10 - 0
2011 & 12 - Visitors
2013 - 2 pr. fledged 9
2014 - 3 pr. fledged 13
2015 - 7 pr. fledged 27
2016 - 15 pr. fledged 72
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Ironcity1776
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:56 pm
Location: Hookstown Pa
Martin Colony History: 2017 Installed S&K Easy Lift Pole, 16 Bo Eleven w/Ultimate Tunnel - Clinger Entrance & Cooling Cap Kit plus 6 decoys.

Thanks Bill
Looking forward to the start of our season, I think we have everything thing ready just waiting on the right time to open up gourds. Spoke with Bill W. from Carnegie the other day, he passed a lot of info.to me. I think I am between you and the one Bill W. put up at Raccoon park swimming area.

Hope all well for the colony's & Martins this year.

Thanks
Ironcity1776
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Doug Martin - PA
Posts: 1988
Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.

Welcome as well from Northern Beaver County,

I guess I was the pioneer in Beaver County PA back in 2009 with my colony start. I took me 28 years but now our colonies there in Fombell are overflowing with Purple Martins and other active sites are beginning to spring up. So It's not near as tough as it used to be.

If you need any help send me an email. We are all here to lend a hand.

Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Ironcity1776
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:56 pm
Location: Hookstown Pa
Martin Colony History: 2017 Installed S&K Easy Lift Pole, 16 Bo Eleven w/Ultimate Tunnel - Clinger Entrance & Cooling Cap Kit plus 6 decoys.

Thanks Doug, for the commitment to bring Martins back. I see your crickets arrived today I am guessing there's no place local to get them. Since this is my first year and there being a chance I may get some Martins to stay, any idea how many and where I could get crickets.

Thanks
Ironcity1776
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Robert Richerson
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:08 am
Location: Campbellsville, KY

Sounds like you have a good starter system to attract martins. My advice for you attracting for the first time is insure your system is a good distance from trees, and keep HOSP's at bay by trapping or shooting. They cannot co-exist.
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tor
Posts: 279
Joined: Wed Feb 25, 2009 4:35 pm
Location: Marlboro County, SC
Martin Colony History: 2025 Capacity: 96
72 Hor / Vert Troyers on 3 X Super-24's.
24 Hor Troyers on Gemini-24.

2026: We'll see.
2025: 92 pair - Fledge: 405
2024: 72 pair - Fledge: 356
2023: 72 pair - Fledge: 342
2022: 72 pair - Fledge: 322
2021: 71 pair - Fledge: 325
2020: 72 pair - Fledge: 336
2019: 70 pair - Fledge: 320
2018: 60 pair - Fledge: 297
2017: 36 pair - Fledge: 189
2016: 16 pair - Fledge: 79
2015: 4 pair - Fledge: 21

Welcome to the forum. Hope you get birds on your first year trying. Be patient.
Tor
Marlboro County
South Carolina

Purple Martins Of South Carolina
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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!

A very warm welcome! I would have given up before now if it wasn't for this forum and all the friends that give me support to keep at it! If you build it they will come!!! That's what they tell me! Good luck :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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

Yes welcome to both and hoping you are lucky enough to get martins at your site the first year once you do you will be hooked wishing you the best keep us posted on your progress
Mick
2018 146 cavities.
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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

Oh I forgot to say Ironsides I get my crickets from fluckers "they do different size crickets I get the large ones and this time got 3000 of them if you are goin to be a new landlord and need to supplement you may waste a bunch unless you use a b x b I tried the bed and breakfast but the robins and grackles and starlings figured it out pretty quick were to get a free meal so I flip them instead took about a week to get them catching them and they only did it when there were real hungry hope this helps
Mick
2018 146 cavities.
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Robert Richerson
Posts: 211
Joined: Fri Jan 29, 2010 9:08 am
Location: Campbellsville, KY

As long as you are a decent distance from any trees, 35 feet in my case, and keep HOSP's away, you should attract martins. That is if you are in the sweet spot and Kentucky certainly is, and Pennsylvania should be no different.
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Ironcity1776
Posts: 8
Joined: Mon Feb 27, 2017 1:56 pm
Location: Hookstown Pa
Martin Colony History: 2017 Installed S&K Easy Lift Pole, 16 Bo Eleven w/Ultimate Tunnel - Clinger Entrance & Cooling Cap Kit plus 6 decoys.

Hi Robert Richerson, I am a least 60 feet from any trees, mainly open fields and I am ready to defend my new colony.

Hi taxidermy lady, I build it they will come will see.

Hi Tor, patients is a must I keep hearing, I am in for the long haul.

Hi MichaelH, Thanks for the info I ordered crickets from fluckers.

My Bird-X Songbird Magnet is being delivered today, have a bucket of white pine needles, crickets ordered & 760 pump master ( defense ). Keeping eye on Scout-Arrival Study & the forum waiting for the right time to raise gourd rack.

Thanks for all the reply's & info.
Ironcity1776
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