Purple Martin Forum

Hi folks, I'm a little late posting but two of my girls and one of my boys came home Feb 18 for the 23rd year. Wishing you all a blessed Martin Season!

A male and a female came home this morning. This is my 24th year watching and waiting for that first sound or sighting. I'll have music until the 1st of August now, Lord willing. I still recognize some of the names on the forum and hope y'all have a great year.

Sitting on the porch having coffee and watching your first martin come home. 1-ASY male and two pairs of Tree Swallows. Wishing everyone a blessed season!

Ron

Hi folks, I hope you're all well! Year # 17 has started. I removed 3 poles and reduced the housing from 142 down to 72. I usually have over 100 pairs but I'm reducing the workload this year. There should be extra martins around North GA this year.

Hi Folk, I hope everyone is well. It's always special when one comes home but the weather is terrible here and doesn't look to get better soon. Temperature is in the '40s and the rivers are flooding. I watched as they skimmed the lake (pond) in the rain beside my home for an hour but I don't think a...

Wood shavings get wet and sour. I use to put pine needles in their nest but after a few years of watching them remove them and add their own I just put them around my plants now and they built. They seem to prefer to build their own.

Hi Brad, I remember the trials you faced starting your colony. There has been much water under the bridge since then. I'm thankful to see each new year and like you, martins are just part of it. It's fun just wondering what day they will return rather than if they'll come. I remember Northern rough-...

Hi Folks...feeling blessed to hear my friends home again this new year. I hope you all are doing well and have a wonderful year.

I have 3 males and a female here today but the report page won't allow me to log on. I can log on the forum but not the scout page and it doesn't send a new password when requested.
I did watch the video on the new reporting page.

Thanks,
Ron

Hey Ron, Hope you're not leaving the martin community. As you must know Martins need all the best landlords they can get. I wanted to ask you about the electric winches? How do they work - do you plug them in to a 110 Recept or do you use a battery?? I use Worm Gear Winches with Hex drive. You must...

Ron I hope that you are not getting out of hosting Martins. I love your pictures that you provide each year of your returning martins. Hi James, No I'm not quitting but the shoulder replacement, wrist fusion and three back fusions are taking a toll. I still have over 100 gourds going up and will be...

BamaWayniack wrote: where do you live?

Rome ,GA

I have 3 t-14s in need of some repair and two steel poles with pulleys, electric winches and controls. The poles are 18 feet high if cut at ground level with the carriers and they work well. Research some of my photos for a look at the housing. Someone that will bring help and a trailer can have the...

My season is coming to an end with two nest almost ready to fledge out of 129. Looking through my pictures, I decided to post a few if you don't mind. Bring back lots of memories for me! http://rondv0021.zenfolio.com/img/s8/v75/p1510415634.jpg http://rondv0021.zenfolio.com/img/s8/v0/p1025781098.jpg ...

If you have owls they'll thank you for every martin you put on a platform and tell their buddy's where they're dining. I've put them back in the nest a day before they're ready to fly, stick a sock in the entrance with a string tied to it and pull the string after 20 minutes.

Thanks folks!
Mary...sometimes it takes hundreds of clicks at 8 frames/sec and sometimes you just get lucky. Hang in there and you'll get one you like!

If your neighbors have children invite them over and show the babies and eggs and you could have them wanting to start a colony. I've helped start quite a few after a visit to my colony and getting to watch them drink and bathe is a treat.

First TS home this morning. I usually have my first the middle of February but I'm glad they waited out this winter weather we've had.

Hi folks...I hope everyone is well! Fist bird home on a cool raining morning but he has a nice dry place to live. This is the latest date I can remember getting the first martin and wish he had waited longer.

WOW! That's a nice photo, been missing your photos. Thanks for posting. Thanks Ray and have a good season! Hi Ron, love your photos. What type of lens do you use? Congrats on your martins return. Thanks. Thanks Tony. My pictures are with a Nikon 300mm F2.8 or a Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens. Congrats Ron...