Purple Martin Forum

Surprise, surprise! We had what we figured were just a couple more visitors last weekend, but these were the first to fully enter a gourd, and they spent a good amount of time checking several out. They are a very young looking couple, and this week they began staying overnight. Now, they are bringi...

Well, doesn't look like there will be any activity here this year. Have only had a handful of visitors, with most just fly-by's, and if one lands, he only pokes his head in to look and then flies off. I did find someone about 3/4 mile away with a colony, well maintained, so I'm thinking my visitors ...

I had one of those at my previous location (Caddo Mills) the past few years and kept those top compartments closed due to the potential for heat, and the fact they wouldn't be easy to clean out. They might be OK in cooler climates, but I think our temps here in TX might get too extreme for those com...

Just another update - periodic visitors, some just perch, a few might poke heads into a gourd, but I've yet to see any actually go in. No takers, and the visitors are only two, maybe three in a day. I also don't see many scout reports in my area, so I wonder how many landlords there are around here,...

Quick update - had three visitors yesterday. Two ASY males and either one SY male or female. Since they were all together I never could tell if the third martin was SY male or female, as I never could tell if the "trill" was from the other two males or the third martin. They visited severa...

I’ve seen a couple of Martin houses up around here, but I’m not sure they’re maintained, and I haven’t been able to talk with any of the owners yet. I do watch the scout reports pretty closely.

Looking for arrivals in central Texas, Killeen-Temple-Belton area. We had a nice colony established in Caddo Mills (east of DFW) the past few years, but moved to Belton last year. I only see one subadult report in Texas so far, but have been playing the dawn song quite often. The mockingbirds are me...

It’s a nice little app for the phone, and can also be accessed on a PC through the website that allows mapping of nest sites and logging of data. I don’t think it records data quite as extensive as some of the other log sheets I’ve seen, but I just like to keep track of dates and numbers (nest build...

I’ve been using the Nestwatch app the past couple of years. I take pics during my nest checks and then log everything into the app.

I use the Ortho Home Defense around my house, inside and out, and it lists bifenthrin as an ingredient, so I was thinking of using on the martin house. But, it also lists zeta-cypermethrin, so now I'm not so sure. This is definitely an interesting discussion.

Yeah, right, like it really snuck up on me. I've been waiting for this since my tenants left after last season! I don't know about the rest of you, but I smiled big when I saw the first scout report pop up in Florida last month! That said, with my first four couples having started their families las...

Well, the second year is about done, so I guess next year I'll be an ASY Landlord. :wink: It was a good year, as we had occupants in 4 compartments, and I was able to watch the last two fledge yesterday while the proud parents guided them through their first flights. The colony still hangs around th...

I think it may be a sparrow. I’ve seen one come out of that cavity twice today. As soon as he sees me me he’s gone, so I’ve not had opportunity to shoot.

Thanks, all, for the feedback. Hopefully, with the long weekend I'll be able to keep a better eye out.

Thanks, Tom. No netting, and I’d wondered about a snake. But none of the other cavities showed any issues. But I still wonder about that.

First egg was 5/18, so the fifth egg was there on 5/22.

Wondering what happened here and thought I’d check with the experts. One nest in our house had five eggs when I checked this past Sunday. When I did my nest checks on Wednesday there were no eggs. No evidence of shells anywhere in the cavity or on the ground. We have three other pair in the house wi...

Just a quick update to this. We now have four pair. Three complete nests, one still in process. One nest with 4 eggs, one with 3, and one with 5. Things are definitely rolling. I log everything in NestWatch. Is anyone else using the NestWatch app? I started using it since I had Eastern Bluebirds in ...

Haha, need to set them straight on what you expect from them! Mine have been back since March 17. No nest building yet but that is normal. Well, if yours haven’t started yet I’ll give these a bit more time before we have a good sit down talk. I think there was also a SY male here today tryin to put...

Quick update, it seems the first pair I mentioned on 4/5 is still here but no nest. I see them most evenings coming home, but no signs of nest building. I think I got either a lazy pair or a pair that thinks this is their summer air bnb and are vacationing for the summer.

birdman in buckhead wrote: ↑

Wed Apr 06, 2022 10:54 am

Great news! Just curious, is the female SY or ASY?

My birds prefer rock ballads, especially Journey/Steve Perry, followed by the traditional smoke!

Wish I could tell you but I don’t know the difference in the females between SY and ASY. Only the males.