Purple Martin Forum

I am downsizing our Martin housing from two systems to only one system due to a potential move. I have carefully removed our Lonestar Alamo house for sale. I hope to sell it to an aspiring future or present Martin enthusiast. I am asking $500.00 (or best offer) for the system. It is approximately 15...

Can someone tell me best way to remove/take down my lone star Alamo house with winch system? We would like to remove without any damage to the system so we can sell it prior to a move. Although over 10 years old it is well cared for and in very good condition. We have a tractor with attachments that...

I see photos posted of inside/outside porches attached to Super Gourds with round entrance holes, but when looking in the “Shop” the description of these porches state these are for only crescent holes?! Please advise if you have added porches to Super Gourd round hole gourds..... Thank you! Debba

Please make sure your nest trays fit snug side to side in your compartments. Last year I bought new nest trays for my Alamo and the width was more narrow than my previous set. (Did not realize this at the time I received them and placed them in the house) There was too much side to side movement and...

Feb. 1, 2016 - lone martin flying over housing site as I was placing the nest trays for the new season… martins typically arrive at our site in mid March with the earliest being late Feb. This was an unusually warm day so I chose to set trays in Lone Star Alamo while the weather was nice. I planned ...

Looks like the Eastern Kingbird to me! Never heard of this bird! I will look up this guy and see what I can find! For now, am I to assume it is not a threat to the martins? - and maybe just perching there? Our houses are on a 3 acre lake and we have a pair of Kingfishers that regularly use the gourd...

I wish I had a photo, but don't at this time... Just noticed a martin-sized, martin-looking bird with lots of white on belly, straight tail tinged in white sitting on martin gourd rack... just from this description can anyone ID this bird?... and if I need to intervene... The birds have just finishe...

Thanks for the information.... Since Mississippi was blank when I posted my comment, it appeared as though the report had not been updated, but I see there is now one report. I understand we are between migratory routes and it is always interesting to see the arrival patterns...

Did I miss the reason for the delay in the Scout Report update?

Thanks...... Interesting looking piece!!! Don' t have a clue how to use it! Please advise! Appreciate the help!

Last year I read a post from someone who straightened the pole for their Alamo house with a "spring pin" I did not know what that was and my martins were arriving therefore the timing for working with this was just not right. Since I have a few weeks before their typical arrival in mid Feb...

Thanks, "jldoll" for your great post on the value of bees. They deserve an equal amount of respect as our martin friends ~ so please keep the sevin and other deadly chemicals away from the bees! We must all value the job these incredible insects do for us and our food supply! ...and love t...

Please read article from fall 2010 Purple Martin Update. James D. Ray in TX lost 16 nestlings when one of his hives swarmed his martin house. This article could give you some great information

Congratulations! You have given me hope here in west central Mississippi! I still do not have any martins... they have not been this late in 3 years. (They usually arrive mid Feb) They seem to all around me according to scout reports, but not at my well established site! Still hopefully watching the...

I have 2 poles: Lone Star Alamo and a 16 Super Gourd rack. I have 4 1/2 ft. 6" diameter PVC pipe at the bottom of each as a "guard" after snake attacks with the stove pipe style guard. (yes, the stove pipe was installed correctly) Last year I had raccoon attacks to my nearby bluebird ...

Does anyone know if a 4 1/2 ft. 6" PVC pole guard placed in ground up the pole will be effective against raccoons? I know it works with snakes... I have a raccoon that raided a nearby bluebird house and am now worried it will move on to the martins next....

Does anyone ever "periodically apply a coat of carnauba wax" to their PVC pole guard as the PMCA article on pole guards suggests? I clean mine each year, but have never waxed them with any substance. I certainly don't want to compromise the safety of the martins by not doing this! Debba p....

Craig ~ Actually I have an Alamo rather than the Goliad. (I can't remember the configuration of the Goliad?) I mounted each arm under the front left corner of each of the 4 sides. We decided this was the most stable place. The small rectangular mounting brace has 2 screws and the heads of the screws...

Hi John ~ I did exactly as you suggested for 2 years (added only 4 gourds to the add-a-rack) and still found it heavy and cumbersome. The add-a-rack is heavy itself! My husband and I found it easy to remove and especially easy to add the 4 individual arms under each of the 4 sections of the Alamo ho...

Jim ~ I used "universal gourd arms" found at "Martin Market Place" (www.purplemartin.org ) to hang 4 gourds under the 4 sections of my metal "Alamo" house. I just happen to use SuperGourds with round holes. I keep a clothes pin over the hole until the martins show up an...