Purple Martin Forum

Thank you all that replied and I have an update. Unfortunately, my friend called last night and the Martin flew to another pole and was found dead inside a gourd. We missed a one before and after the top two numbers.....old eyes I guess. I will post what info we receive. It was a tough past few day ...

I close friend found a wore out Martin from her flock and it was banded. I took her some live mealworms and we were able to feed him 5 or 6 bigger ones. It perked up a little and we placed it in an empty gourd with some crickets on the porch. We recorded the number and when checking the federal site...

Mine just started eating by flipping last week. I go by the poles and they fly right at me as to say, we're hungry! I have feed over 2000 crickets and 1500 meal worms since this cold front came. I only have 13 birds so far and was very happy they finally took to flipping. Like you, it sickens me whe...

Windmills might be a killer

Just an observation I made the first year I used sevin applied under the nesting material. It was one of those funny looking days with overcast skies, I started lowering the rack. From the vibration I could see the dust falling from the bottom holes in the horizontal gourds and drifting down on me.....

That hurts! We can only try............ I have been worried also here in Ohio. 3rd day in the upper 40's and all they do is puff out and sit on the rack. I've been flicking crickets every day and all they would do is flinch if it hit a gourd. I tried again this morning and nothing. Went out around t...

Great post! Sounds like you have a big heart. Good luck with everything Lisa.

Martintown33, I bought the "Ultimate Clinger Tunnel" for my BO11 Plus and there is smooth plastic on the inside of the opening. All my other gourds have treads of some sort and I don't think they have anything to push against. I glued some extra Troyer treads in that spot. I'll see what ha...

The S&K Bo11 Plus are very nice but they are heavy. I also added a short pc of tread material to the inside of the opening. I noticed the martins having a hard time getting out SREH opening. Has any BO11 Plus users noticed this?

. What if anything can I do to get myself noticed for 2023?
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You might stand in downtown Hartford in a thong with a sign stating "Honk if you love the gas prices"! lol

I just acquired a 10' old mesh satellite dish for a new rack and this post got me wondering if this could help. It is very light, maybe 40 lbs and I think some fabric could be fastened/glued to the mesh for shade. If it was permanently fasted to the top of the pole, 10' diameter would shade most rac...

Thanks for all the replies! I'll probably ask the same question next year! Doug

I'm sure most martin supply stores sell them. I bought some from Troyers. I think it was an eight pack but don't hold me to it. It's nice to have extras lying around anyways.

Praying for cooler weather for you folks!

Thanks for the reply and I probably overthink most of this stuff!

I opened all the vents(2 per horizonal gourd)last week for temps in the 90's. The next few nights will be around 52 degrees and windy. Should I plug the vents or will it be ok... I have a few hatchlings and 46 eggs. Thanks

That's great news Buckeye! Do you have many nests with green leaves and no eggs? I have 9 cavities like this.
I went from 1 pair with 6 eggs that all 6 fledged to 11 pair, 5 hatched plus 46 eggs as of the 14th. Sure is nice seeing the sky filled with all these birds.

If you search FleaBay for: Mini 2507 Brushless Fan DC 5V-9V 6V 12000RPM Quiet Large Air Volume Cooling Fan Could these be mounted in a PVC elbow wired to a centrally located solar dc battery? Mount the elbow in the rear of the gourd and pull the air out. Sad to hear and I'm sure it's very taxing to ...

I would trap a hundred down south and turn them loose at home. No bird or human would leave that place! Very nice and good luck!

Switchgrass, I'm rooting for you! I sit every evening watching the birds come in to roost........it's a real "bash" around here lol. They fly in and enter their cavity and some fly back out. I leave at dark and there are still birds out in the sky so, I wouldn't over think it. If they do s...

I have a few air rifles and need one for starlings and sparrows. Ended up buying a Beeman R9 .177 and never looked back. It will free their souls at 50 yards with no problem. Get a couple quality pellets and see what works for you at the range. I'm old and use a good scope.........if you spend the t...