So.......what has happened here?

[Lizzie]

As mentioned in another thread, I was a member here a few years ago (thinking it was 9-10 years ago now).. and learned a huge volume from being here. There was a core group of exceptionally friendly and helpful members, and it was a very active forum. I went about building new and improved martin houses, put predator guards on my poles, and made improvements to the site, after a devastating loss of a small colony.
I waited.....and waited.....and waited.....and never had another pair of breeding martins until last summer....BUT it happened at last!
At some point during the time I was gone, something major seems to have happened here. I essentially drifted away because I had nothing to add...nothing to tell...no good news, and I certainly was not enough of an expert to help anyone else much.
Well, I was excited to have the pair breed and fledge 5 babies last year, and was looking forward to this year (still AM looking forward), and had a question last week about site fidelity.
I had one response to my question - THANKS ED! -
and other than that, nothing. It's not that it's a particularly interesting question, but I figured at least a couple of others would chime in with their own observations, or anecdotes.
It appears that the same lack of responsiveness is the rule of thumb here these days, and to me, that is kinda sad. Sigh.....
Where did everyone go?
What happened?
Is there any camaraderie here anymore?
I hope I am very mistaken.....this forum has such a bright and shining history for being a great source of information and friendship for purple martin landlords and lovers, and I hope that at some point, they get it back.

[ToyinPA]

Lizzie:

Sadly many have moved to the Face Book page. Many there do not post where they are from, so you have no idea what location they are talking about. PMCA's Face Book page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/Prognesubis/

Those of us, that do not do Face Book, are still here. Others have drifted away.

Myself...My husband & I have a very busy spring & summer coming up doing house repairs, painting, etc., so I may not be posting as much.

What happened that you lost your colony? Glad to hear you have another one starting.

Toy in PA

[CapnJack]

Lizzie

Ed did such an outstanding job answering your question that there might not have been much more to add.
I myself just lurk around and read the posts and try to learn as much as I can with out being part of the
conversations.
As far as lack of responsiveness right now I think there are alot of nervous lanlords out there (myself included)
due to the weather patterns.
I feel like I'm on edge right now and once summer returns things might ease up a bit.

I hope your colony grows.....

Sincerely

[Lizzie]

Thanks guys....and Toy- I remember you from before!

I guess it isn't a HUGE deal. It was just kinda sad that so many seem to be gone.

Toy....I lost my first real colony (only 12 pairs) to barred owl attacks, and it was before I even knew that martins had predators- hah!
I had a cheapie aluminum Heath hexagonal house, because they are so popular in the area, and martins seem to really like them.
I had put it up before I knew anything about martins, and after some of my pairs had nestlings, I started having owl attacks, and within two weeks, they had abandoned the site.

After joining here, I learned about owl guards, deep cavities, predator pole guards, and more.

I built some new housing, one of them a hexagonal house with deep cavities and put on owl guards, and spent the next several years without any martins at all.
It took me until last summer to get a breeding pair, and I'm just now seeing what I believe to be the same male here....currently looking for another mate.

And thanks Jack! Not any huge deal I guess. I was just surprised at such a dramatic change.

[ToyinPA]

Thanks guys....and Toy- I remember you from before!

I guess it isn't a HUGE deal. It was just kinda sad that so many seem to be gone.

Toy....I lost my first real colony (only 12 pairs) to barred owl attacks, and it was before I even knew that martins had predators- hah!
I had a cheapie aluminum Heath hexagonal house, because they are so popular in the area, and martins seem to really like them.
I had put it up before I knew anything about martins, and after some of my pairs had nestlings, I started having owl attacks, and within two weeks, they had abandoned the site.

After joining here, I learned about owl guards, deep cavities, predator pole guards, and more.

I built some new housing, one of them a hexagonal house with deep cavities and put on owl guards, and spent the next several years without any martins at all.
It took me until last summer to get a breeding pair, and I'm just now seeing what I believe to be the same male here....currently looking for another mate.

And thanks Jack! Not any huge deal I guess. I was just surprised at such a dramatic change.

Glad you are back. Things can be pretty slow here then it picks up. So keep checking in.

I'm the only one in my area with martins other than a few Amish farms. It's taken me many years of hard work to keep them going. Last year was a bad year. I had the most pair ever, the most eggs laid ever. Then bad weather (cold & wet) damaged 78% of the eggs. Some re-nested. The 18 eggs that hatched, 9 chicks died. So I only had 9 chicks fledge out of 83 eggs laid. We do what we can for them, but Mother Nature always has the last say.

Toy in PA

[Lizzie]

Thanks Toy.....did your martins migrate too early? Or was there an unexpected extended cold spell?

[ToyinPA]

Thanks Toy.....did your martins migrate too early? Or was there an unexpected extended cold spell?

It was a cold spell. Many had major losses in the north last year.

Heading out to enjoy our only day of sun this week.

Toy in PA

[Bird Brain]

I'm glad I'm not the only one who rejects facebook. I closed my account 3 years ago. I never reopened it. They censor free speech especially conservative viewpoints. You say something right wing on there and they will deactivate you. Facebook and Google are left wing media just like CNN and MSNBC. I bet most purple martin landlords are conservatives. Why join facebook? They sell your data to the highest bidder . That's why it's free. They should call it BRAGGBOOK. Everyone on there is bragging about their great life and posting pictures to prove it. I think I'll just stick to this site.

[Lizzie]

Just out of curiosity, I went and checked the FB page....it doesn't look to me like a place you can really get information or give and get much feedback. For this purpose (among others) I like this format much better. It's sort of like a meeting place for people of like minds.

[taxidermy lady]

Glad your back Lizzie! I have stuck with this forum through the six years that I never had anything! You don’t need martins to talk about martins! I enjoyed talking while I was trying to attract! It kept me trying super hard! Last year was my first pair since 2012. I’m on several FB groups and it’s my entertainment in the evening! I’m not a tv bug so I like talking martins no matter where it’s at! I’m pretty smart about them now because of all my talking and listening! Lol

[jpp77]

I check this site daily, but don’t comment a ton. I’ll try and comment more. I don’t have Facebook, but I do know a lot of people are on that group

[Lizzie]

Thanks Taxidermy Lady!
I missed being around here, but it was also depressing after the first three of so years when I was having no success to report.
It seemed that most years, I'd have a handful of visitors, and occasionally a lone male who spent a week or two looking for a mate, but last year was the first time any of them have stayed.
I had gotten to the point that I refused to be optimistic.....but it finally happened!
I've gotten to the point that I wondered if I was shooting S&S for nothing- hah!

[Lizzie]

I check this site daily, but don’t comment a ton. I’ll try and comment more. I don’t have Facebook, but I do know a lot of people are on that group

Thanks jpp!
As mentioned, I did check out the FB page...maybe I missed something vital there.
It seemed very much like a regular FB page....just a series of updates and posts by members of the page.
I'm sure there is a good bit of value in that sort of venue, but I like being able to post questions that everyone here can see at a glance, without scrolling through 99 posts. Hah!

[C.C.Martins]

Hi Lizzie,
Folks are here and pop in and read, lots of times if one of the more seasond LLs answer the questions your responses will be lower...Im guilty of that of late...Im a newby as well and choose to read and learn vs do what I want to do and talk Martins all day! They are also probably standing outside looking up for their arrivals! Sorry to hear about your colony, you started strong and with a sudden tragic end so fast...but 5 babies means that they will be back...hope they are back now.
Being an expert doesnt mean a thing, you are a Martin enthusiast, and will bring more Martins into the world so you fit right in...some days just talking about what you observed with your colony, little tricks here and there is what counts, and what folks like me will look for.
As far as facebook, I find that the seasoned, more experienced LLs will stay here vs moving to another site (call it site fidelity-sorry couldnt resist) ...its those folks who you want to listen to. Facebook is the devil, just saying,
Regards,
tom

[Lizzie]

Haha- good play on words there, Tom!


Yeah....guessing you're probably right. Perhaps the reason it seemed that so many were here all the time, is that the core of members were here more often at the time.....things change, facebook appears, and people drift to other sites.
Oh well....I prefer this myself.

[John Miller]

I'm still chirping...been on here for over a decade. But yes, used to be a core group of enthusiastic landlords. Maybe some of it was that a lot of the newer housing options and techniques for caring for martins, such as supplemental feeding, emerged in the 1990s...was all new and exciting. I'm on the FB page too, but yes, so many people there you get kind of lost in the crowd. Still, both sites continue to get new folks and that's encouraging for purple martins.

[Lizzie]

Thanks John! I remember you from when I visited back then. Great to see you're still around....along with Taxidermylady, Delma, Flyin'Low, ToyinPa, and a couple of others whose usernames escape me at the moment (crs disease at this stage of life- hah!)

[Craig Dyer]

I have enjoyed the Forum for 13 years. It's not near as active as it used to be. It is still a great place to share experiences and learn. I am still learning and loving every minute of it. I get a tremendous sense of joy and fulfillment out of hosting these beautiful song birds.

[Lizzie]

Thanks Craig!

[taxidermy lady]

It’s all about educating people around the purple Martin nesting area! No matter where it happens!