One pair last....

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
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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!

I’m up to 14 pair with 60 eggs! Amazing what whacking trees will do!! Thank you Mr. Farmer! I’m a happy landlord enjoying what I have now! Have a great memorial weekend! Good luck if your trying to get martins! It took me 5 yrs. OPEN, OPEN, OPEN!!! That’s the name of the game!!!! :grin:
Sharon from southern Illinois
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MaryanneKaht IL
Posts: 15
Joined: Sun Mar 06, 2016 2:34 pm
Location: Spring Grove IL
Martin Colony History: Active colony of purple martins at this location since 2002.
We have 2 Trio converted Castles + one 8 compartment gourd rack and one 12 compartment gourd rack. 2025 summary: Best year ever! Fledged 100+ purple martins with zero sparrows at colony site this year!

Good for you Sharon! I have followed your posts on the forum for awhile and agree you have done all the right things to attract what used to be called "America's most wanted bird".....Enjoy them!! :grin:
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C.C.Martins
Posts: 3368
Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
Location: Corpus Christi Tx
Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.

Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member

Sharon, you were awful quiet for a while...now I can see why! They came with a bang and your very busy.
Congrats!
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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randyM
Posts: 254
Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
Location: Long Lake SD
Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%)
* 2018 - 10 pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 235 pairs, 950/1153 eggs hatched, 865 fledged - 100 young banded & 18 SY returned (18.0%)
*2025 - 200 pairs, 795/953 eggs hatched, 739 fledged - 200 young banded

That's awesome Sharon, congratulations!! A well deserved and well earned reward for you. How many ASYM's are included in your 14 pairs?
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Buckeyefarmer
Posts: 135
Joined: Fri Mar 10, 2017 9:33 am
Location: Ohio
Martin Colony History: 2015- 0 visitors
2016- 0 visitors
2017- built T-14+songbird magnet, 6 pairs,15 fledged
2018- built 2nd T-14. Anxiously waiting!!

Congratulations!
Mark
Central, OHIO.
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pmlover
Posts: 805
Joined: Thu Apr 04, 2013 3:30 pm
Location: OH/New Concord

Im so glad for you Sharon Yes your right i cut down 30 pines and 20 apple trees to get my birds
God bless you and your new colony
Dick
2015 69 pairs 418 eggs 396 fledged
2019 I have 148 openings now
2016 100 pairs 600 babies fledged added another t-14 and have 126 openings now
2015 Jun 24 360 babies and 58 eggs also found one that had died
2017 632 babies 11died and 20 were killed by hawks
2015 74 pairs and 9 eggs 5/14
2010 3pairss
]JOINED PMCA JUNE 6,2018
2018 651 babies 5 hawk kills 11 floater kills 25 died in houses and 610 fledged

2014 80 pairs 283 babies 282 fledged one died
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threelilkids
Posts: 386
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:11 pm
Location: Denham Springs, La
Martin Colony History: 2014 1 pair 3 hatched 3 fledged
2015 1 pair 5 hatched 5 fledged
2016 1 pair 5 hatched 4 fledged
2017 2 pair 8 hatched 8 fledged
2018 4 pair 15 hatched

Oh so happy for you CONGRATS
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sugarcreek
Posts: 252
Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:43 am
Location: Sugarcreek, Ohio
Martin Colony History: 2016 First Yr.

I was wondering what happened to you....Wow 14 pair congrats, lot of chirpping for you....I agree with you open it up and they will come!!!...Better add some housing.
16 - 14 Cavities 4 Act. Ne 9 fledged, 2.25 Fl. per Act. Ne
17 - 36 Cavities 18 Act. Ne 65 Fledged, 3.61 Fl. per Act. Ne
18 - 54 Cavities 43 Act. Ne 169 Fledged, 3.93 Fl. per Act. Ne
19 - 108 Cavities 67 Act. Ne 209 Fledged, 3.12 Fl. per Act. Ne
20 - 108 Cavities 72 Act. Ne 243 Fledged, 3.38 Fl. per Act. Ne
21 - 112 Cavities 91 Act. Ne 313 Fledged, 3.44 Fl. per Act. Ne
22 - 114 Cavities 101 Act Ne 355 Fledged, 3.51 Fl. per Act. Ne
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cabin man
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:55 am
Location: New Jersey / Tinton Falls
Martin Colony History: Got my first SY pair in 2017. Fledged 1, but died due to wing entrapment. 2018- changed all entrances and got one ASY pair. Fledged 3. 2019- Male returned. Disappeared after 12 days. Suspect hawk. No nesting pairs. 2020- 1 pair. Fledged 3. 2021- 12 pairs fledged 43.. 2022- 22pairs. 100 eggs .fledged74 2024–. 42 pairs, fledged186– 2025- 56 pairs, fledged 233

Wow! That's fantastic. All from that one pair last year. You are surely on your way now. Congratulations on your success, and God bless. Rob
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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!

randyM wrote:That's awesome Sharon, congratulations!! A well deserved and well earned reward for you. How many ASYM's are included in your 14 pairs?
I have 6 ASY males! 4 with ASY females and 2 with SY females!
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

cabin man wrote:Wow! That's fantastic. All from that one pair last year. You are surely on your way now. Congratulations on your success, and God bless. Rob
Thank you so much Rob! How’s it going at your place? I hope your getting some!
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

sugarcreek wrote:I was wondering what happened to you....Wow 14 pair congrats, lot of chirpping for you....I agree with you open it up and they will come!!!...Better add some housing.
Sugarcreek! I’m still here! I read this forum everyday! Just listening and learning! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

threelilkids wrote:Oh so happy for you CONGRATS
Thank you very much! I’m wishing great fledging tome for you! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

pmlover wrote:Im so glad for you Sharon Yes your right i cut down 30 pines and 20 apple trees to get my birds
God bless you and your new colony
Dick
I’m having a blast pmlover!!! Can’t stop watching them! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

Buckeyefarmer wrote:Congratulations!
Thank you Mark!! Wishing you the best for fledging time!! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

randyM wrote:That's awesome Sharon, congratulations!! A well deserved and well earned reward for you. How many ASYM's are included in your 14 pairs?
Thank you Randy! I just came in!! I watch them every night come in and go to bed! It’s less noisy now with almost all paired up egg laying and incubating! I wish you a good fledging time! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

I heart birds wrote:Sharon, you were awful quiet for a while...now I can see why! They came with a bang and your very busy.
Congrats!
Thank you Tom! I’m still here! :) I read this forum everyday! I stay busy watching my colony and working! I wish you the best of luck getting your babies in the air!
Sharon from southern Illinois
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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!

MaryanneKahtIL wrote:Good for you Sharon! I have followed your posts on the forum for awhile and agree you have done all the right things to attract what used to be called "America's most wanted bird".....Enjoy them!! :grin:
Thank you Maryanne! I’m having the time of my life! I love watching them! Their getting so use to me! They know exactly what happens when I grab the step ladder! It’s like they all take off and say she’s doing it again! :lol: I wish you the best of luck with getting your babies in the air! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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cabin man
Posts: 92
Joined: Tue Mar 27, 2012 11:55 am
Location: New Jersey / Tinton Falls
Martin Colony History: Got my first SY pair in 2017. Fledged 1, but died due to wing entrapment. 2018- changed all entrances and got one ASY pair. Fledged 3. 2019- Male returned. Disappeared after 12 days. Suspect hawk. No nesting pairs. 2020- 1 pair. Fledged 3. 2021- 12 pairs fledged 43.. 2022- 22pairs. 100 eggs .fledged74 2024–. 42 pairs, fledged186– 2025- 56 pairs, fledged 233

Hi Sharon. After losing all 4 nestlings last year, my founding pair did not come back. Bummer. Big time. I tried so hard to get, keep, and protect them. Need to forgive myself and stay positive and hopeful. I changed all my entrances to tunnels with wing entrapment protection. I had a few martins stop by, but none stayed till last night. Saw an ASY male hanging out in the rain all afternoon and watched him go in at night. No sign of him this morning, but I sure hope that he’ll be back. I said my old reliable prayer to St. Jude again. Works every time! I think I’ll ask for protection for my birds this year if im blessed again with another pair. Rob
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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!

Ron he may be back with a friend today! Remember it’s Memorial Day and good things happen when we pray! Wishing you the best my friend! It’s so hard to wait! Good luck!! :)
Sharon from southern Illinois
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