Purple martin set-up for sale

sherylsr · Mon Jan 11, 2016 1:50 pm

I tried and tried to get a colony started but no luck. Sadly, I've decided to sell my set-up, which has everything a new owner would need.

Coates Water's Edge Purple Martin Suites house with six compartments with round hole and crescent-shaped entrances along with plugs, metal subfloors, a top perch and owl guards.
Coates heavy-duty aluminum telescoping pole, 16'.
Four natural gourds, purchased via eBay and painted white.
Deluxe Repeating Sparrow Trap for use on ground.
Deluxe Universal Sparrow Trap, for use inside compartment.
Quick release pole guard for round pole (a predator guard).
Black netting for use as predator guard.
Plastic black bucket-style predator guard and Dawn Song cassette tapes.

I prefer to sell as a whole package, $400. Please email questions to sherylsr@ymail.com. We live in Central Texas.

apundt-TX · Tue Jan 12, 2016 10:23 pm

I see you have been trying to sell this setup for quite some time on Craiglist too.

I am interested in the:
Quick release pole guard for round pole (a predator guard)

I live in Dripping Springs so it would be easy to meet up somewhere in the middle.

A.P. Pundt

James Strickland FL · Wed Jan 13, 2016 8:06 am

sherylsr,

You know you can not get martins if you do not have housing up and it does not cost anything. Just put the house up and forget about it. It took years for me for Martins to stay. Friends on here supported me and I thought about quitting many times. How can everyone around me have Martins and not me. So I just put the houses up and forgot about it and one day they came around like they always did, but a pair stayed and that was the start. The Martins need you and one day God will give that pair like all of us.

Rodger Drye · Wed Jan 13, 2016 7:47 pm

Dear Sherylsr,

I have to say "Well said James Strickland" and you're dead on right!! The same thing happened to me for 25 years. I did get a few birds but not near what I expected or wanted. One thing I didn't give up...! I kept my poles up and a couple times didn't even take my gourds down. I'd get plenty of Sparrows and Blue Birds but no Martins. Until last year, started using better housing and for 1st time played "Dawn Song". I was so happy and overjoyed when I counted 66 birds on my racks, it was a wonderful feeling and yes it was worth all the years of failure. Yes Sherylsr just put your housing up and do not quit. They will come when the time is right, and you'll be glad you did not quit. We need more dedicated Landlords like you, educate yourself and read everything you can about Purple Martins. Some day it will all be worthwhile for you and our Birds.

Keep The Faith, Rodger

taxidermy lady · Wed Jan 13, 2016 9:29 pm

Never give up, trying is more thrilling than succeeding. Then all the work starts!!!

Good luck!

~Ray~Gingerich · Thu Jan 14, 2016 1:43 am

Persevere, persevere, then persevere again. My colony was a long time in the making, I now have a super colony.

tor · Fri Jan 15, 2016 1:35 pm

James Strickland FL wrote:sherylsr,

You know you can not get martins if you do not have housing up and it does not cost anything. Just put the house up and forget about it. It took years for me for Martins to stay. Friends on here supported me and I thought about quitting many times. How can everyone around me have Martins and not me. So I just put the houses up and forgot about it and one day they came around like they always did, but a pair stayed and that was the start. The Martins need you and one day God will give that pair like all of us.

Yep, I remember your posts of hopelessness a few years ago, James. A lot of people were cheering you on. Then finally, it happened.