Purple Martin Forum

I would definitely worry about a cat around my colony, especially when Martins are gathering nesting material and when chicks are fledging!!! I keep the area clear of anything that a cat can hide in and then streak out at my Martins. It really makes me sick to see them stalking. In NY we have laws f...

Thanks so much, your photos and video are wonderful to see as I won't get to a roost this year...wishing all of our babies a safe trip to Brazil!! It was interesting to learn about their vocalizations too. Hope you keep us posted on follow up visits and how long the roost stays together down there. ...

I enjoyed the video but was surprised with the "drink of water" for the chicks after banding....this seems dangerous to me...why do you feel this is necessary?

Upstate NY Purple Martins, take a bow...due to hatch 6/12..go to: www.newyorkwild.org click on webcams, then click on Purple Martins. The first camera is in an active nest, the second camera is in a nest that some subadults have been building off and on, and the third camera shows the colony on the ...

"So, the real question is, would they actually perch in a tree that much? Especially a tree that has very small leaves and lots of exposed branches"

mine do, all the time!!

Hi Joe,
Isn't it just too quiet when they all have left the "theater"? Takes me several days to adjust to the quiet. Feb is a long time to wait for their return, I have to wait until March but it is worth it. I have to paint the T-14 this year too. Have a fun winter!!

Hey John, sorry you were late for work but I share with you being late for many things when something interesting is happening out there. Nothing deters me from my Martins.

A new exterior camera has been added to the New York Wild website. Little heads are peeking out and fledging should be soon. Enjoy their show. It won't be long now and they will be gone...these are the golden days of Purple Martins. just click here: http://www.newyorkwild.org/martin/martin_video.htm

a couple of years ago, I found a nest of 5 new eggs in the middle of July as we were banding all of the other chicks...It was nice having martins around for an extra month..they fledged the end of August and left the area quickly, unlike the others who stay around for a week or two!!

My first baby online hatched between 7-9am today, he/she is beautiful, watch for the siblings at www.newyorkwild.org click on webcams and then on purple martins...there is both streaming and dial up pictures.
Enjoy!!!

Thanks folks, I am so glad to hear that you are enjoying the site as much as I do. Looks like one nest is starting in one of the gourds and the other is still empty, although a male does check it out now and then. Sorry about the comma, I will be more careful next time. =) Good luck with all of your...

BIRDIES TAKE A BOW! I am the proud mama of this Martin colony and I am so happy to show off my birds..Please check them out online, dial up or streaming, at www.newyorkwild.org, click on webcams, then click on purple martins. There are other nesting birds on this site also, including a box of wood d...

I have seen this many times in cold weather around here and it always scares me...it will be in the low 30's tonight and tomorrow the Martins will be flying low over the roads..which is bad with people rushing to work, many are road kills. It is so sad to watch

Love the photos in the gourd...is your nest cam online?? I would love to see that!!

Hi Gus, I have enjoyed your barnswallows for a couple of years now but I am having trouble connecting for your Martins. I did allow for your pop ups but now I can't do the download..I get a page that says Toshiba Network Camera-Viewer on a blue bar and under that is a white box and in the left hand ...

Looks like perfect habitat to me, I am sure you will get takers to this great spot. My only question is about the red houses, seems like they would be too hot...I would get a can of WHITE spray paint and do a quick job on them!!
All the best to you and your birds

I agree, it is a beautiful house but I have 2 questions, I don't see how you can lower it easily, it looks like a heavy house and I don't see any cable for a winch. Also, how does it open for nest checks. Thanks in advance for your answer.

I got my crickets from the PMCA website. Postage is expensive but the crickets are great. I freeze them anyways so it doesn't matter to me if they arrive cold, which they did not, they were very lively. THEY ALSO ARRIVED IN RECORD TIME, I COULD NOT BELIEVE HOW FAST THEY GOT HERE. PMCA gets a profit ...

I have never had luck with feeding Martins and I share your frustration, mine is of winds blowing off L Ontario and blowing the crickets away. I always buy some and keep trying, maybe this year, so far they have not arrived, thank God!! My crickets are ready as we have snow possibly coming in. I am ...

I have a friend with a large pond who has good luck with grass carp. The number to stock depends on the size of the pond. Probably could be used in combo with the barley straw too, which I have also seen to be effective in a small pond. Both of these ponds are in upstate New York. They are both lowe...