New satellite rack with naturals all prenested and painted

[PMDavid]

So since mrs prevost flipped me out showing the birds are coming I spent Xmas morning hanging and predestined all my gourds! Don’t wanna get caught with my pants down right!

[PMDavid]

Tryin again......

[Whippy]

Looks good.

It is satisfying to have everything done. I'm gong to start mine in a week or so.

I just received 6 Troyer Vertical gourds that I am going to incorporate into my rack for this year. I'm moving my S&K Bo 11 Plus gourds to the inner circle of gourds that I am creating. I had two of them on the inner circle last year and they were the first ones to be taken so I figure to have 8 on the inner circles. Will have 4 on top ring and 4 on bottom ring.

I'm also going to hang 4 gourds from each corner of my Trio Wade.

In total that should be 34 cavities.

Once I get it all done I'll put up the pictures as usual.

Coolwhips

[Kegger]

nice job on the new rack PM David!
Here's to health and some Martins for 2021!!

[PMDavid]

Thanks guys,it was a fairly easy project as well as a pleasure to do. Knowing that now I won’t have any wood rot and failure it was an easy goal to pursue. I have my eye on an 11’ satellite that I just may incorporate for next season, as I like the way this all worked out. I’ve a small tweak or two in mind but overall I’m very pleased with the outcome and end result. I’m gonna go out today and take a close up picture and post that later today,the previous ones are from a ways away.

[deancamp]

Looking good, that's definitely a piece of mind knowing the rack is solid and won't deteriorate. I don't think the birds will have an issue with getting up and under to your inner cicle. Curious to here your observations on that. The upside down idea is intriguing as well.

[Dave Reynolds]

.... Outstanding Job... Looks really great.... Have a good 2021...

Dave

[PMDavid]

Thanks again guys. Dean you remember what I said about upside down. That may or may not come to be,we’ll see. The current arrangement may do well. The “inside” ones ..I eyeballed it and measured up the curve 15” drilled a hole through and wired through it ,it leaves the hole about 2” below the outside ring. Seein how they swoop down and typically approach kinda coming up I think it’ll be just fine. I will report on it later when they arrive. I still have 2 gourds I didn’t install anywhere and I’m thinking I’m gonna put em way up in there as far as I can without em being able to hit the pole and just see what happens. As it stands I was able to easily fit 24 gourds on there. That’s an increase of 8 over the other wooden rack which held 16,so I’m pleased with that. As I mentioned I have access to an 11’ dish. This one is 7’-6” across so I guess I actually could use it and I may for next season.
Good luck all and the birds are on the way!! Excited!

[PMDavid]

A while back ,like 5 pages of posts ago I posted pics of my new satellite rack and the gourds I had put up inside the rack. I had some question as to how that would work out. Well as it turns out martins being the master fliers they are,they have easily adjusted and quickly learned to swoop right into those “inner” gourds like it ain’t nothin. Those being on the inside might as well be on the outside as it is zero effort for them to go right in and never falter or slow up. They go right straight in ! Check the previous post and pics. Anyway,worked out great. I have access to another satellite which I will probably get rigged up for next season.

[Whippy]

Last year I put two gourds on the inner circle of my rack just to see what would happen. Other than the returning martins taking back their gourds, the two inner gourds were the first to go. And given the unbelievable flying skill they have they hit the entrance of these with ease.

This year I put 8 on the inner circle. 4 on the top rack and 4 on the lower rack. I think the Martins feel even more secure with the gourds being tucked away.

Coolwhips

[deancamp]

I love it when a plan comes together. As whippy suggested, I think that inner circle may very well have another layer of protection from aerial predators.