I did it!
-
Greg
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
- Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Martin Colony History: As a child I managed a purple martin colony consisting of 3 houses on a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. I started my own colony at my house in Holly Springs, NC as an adult that grew to 27 pairs one year. In 2016 I moved and started a new colony in the spring of 2017 at my new home, which is about 7 miles south of my old colony. I successfully attracted my first ASY male in April of 2017. He quickly attracted a mate, followed by 7 more pairs. Grateful to have been able to start a new colony so quickly!
During the last cold and ice spell a couple weeks ago I had 4 martins here in NC. I tried flicking crickets to no avail. So instead I placed them in cavities and the birds ate and survived. Today marked the third day of another spell of cold with rain and ice. Now with 13 birds I tried flicking crickets and to my amazement it worked. My birds ate over 100 crickets....I flicked between 150 and 200. Needless to say...my fingers are still numb but my birds will survive. It feels great!
Greg H.
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
-
DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
YES! YES! YES!
It's the best feeling! So one with the birds! Congratulations!
Deb
It's the best feeling! So one with the birds! Congratulations!
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
-
dhjohnson
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Clayton
- Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy
Greg,
You're the man! Great effort and persistence. Pat yourself on the back for me fella!
You have a great colony! Continued wishes for a successful season!
Debbie
You're the man! Great effort and persistence. Pat yourself on the back for me fella!
You have a great colony! Continued wishes for a successful season!
Debbie
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
-
~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Great job!
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
Congratulations!
I remember those numb fingers. When they started flocking to each cricket
I alternated 1 piece of egg and 1 cricket. They would catch the egg but then release it. We came in the house to warm up and I glanced out the window and noticed a couple going to the ground and picking up the egg. I know it fun and enjoyable when you have time but I recommend switching to eggs while your training them. It makes life easier and cheaper. I feed mine all summer, anytime there is bad weather. Even a couple of rainy days would stress out a mother with 5 babies to feed. I just scramble a couple of eggs and place them in a couple of pie pans about 5 ft off the ground. Several times I have fixed 6 to 8 egg in a day during the summer. We enjoy watching the mother go back and forth as fast as she can filling up those babies. We timed one mother 30 trips in 20 minutes. Anyway eggs are cheap and we even get to use the shells. Good Luck
I remember those numb fingers. When they started flocking to each cricket
I alternated 1 piece of egg and 1 cricket. They would catch the egg but then release it. We came in the house to warm up and I glanced out the window and noticed a couple going to the ground and picking up the egg. I know it fun and enjoyable when you have time but I recommend switching to eggs while your training them. It makes life easier and cheaper. I feed mine all summer, anytime there is bad weather. Even a couple of rainy days would stress out a mother with 5 babies to feed. I just scramble a couple of eggs and place them in a couple of pie pans about 5 ft off the ground. Several times I have fixed 6 to 8 egg in a day during the summer. We enjoy watching the mother go back and forth as fast as she can filling up those babies. We timed one mother 30 trips in 20 minutes. Anyway eggs are cheap and we even get to use the shells. Good Luck
-
DebA
- Posts: 1941
- Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
- Location: Pratt County/Kansas
- Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.
I do the same as Sully...feeding all summer. I figure it keeps them in training and shows the subbies what's up that weren't here in the early season. Plus...it's fun!
Deb
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
You did a great job.
A few years ago, we had to feed. Our 15year old granddaughter did much of the flipping for me, she giggled when they caught the crickets, she enjoyed that.
A few years ago, we had to feed. Our 15year old granddaughter did much of the flipping for me, she giggled when they caught the crickets, she enjoyed that.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
I bought a feeding DVD at one of the Martinfest in Finger,Tn. Excellent training video. The next spring we had several cold rainy days. After 2 days I was ready to try feeding. My girlfriend probably drove 75 miles to every little town with a bait shop. Me and a friend sat out in the freezing weather and probably flipped 200 crickets in the air. They finally grabbed 198 and 200 so I think they finaly figured it out and I'm out of crickets. My girlfriend found some more the next day they started catching them immediately. I showed this video to all my friends with colonies and encouraged them to try it. Unfortunely about 3 or 4 years ago we had a disaster in southern Indiana with th weather and many people lost large numbers of birds. I know one person that lost his entire colony of 50 plus. The newspapers said it must be avain flue,so much for our experts. Anyway I didn't lose any birds. Don't give up on training it may one day save your colony. It's important that the birds have gone a day or 2 without insects then you have a captive audience.Good Luck I gotta go scramble some eggs