Purple Martin Forum

We had three pair produce fifteen babies, of which, twelve survived. They all stayed at the my colony ( Tri Grandpa 12) and things got very crouded with everyone fighting for space. I took the lead from a forum member and installed outrigger perches using plastic plant stakes about 20 inches long, h...

John, Thanks for the prompt reply to my questions. At my last nest check, on Sat. 5/6/06, I had one nest that has five eggs and another with one egg. I'm hoping that by 5/13/06 the other nest will be filled as well. I probably will try to get Clay White to band the first nests hatchlings in late May...

During the meeting on April 10, 2006, at Cy-Fair College, the speaker Clay White/Assistant Professor of Biology said that he would band new fledglings for people in the area. Does anyone know if there is a charge for this banding? How old do the babies have to be before he will band them? Is this pa...

Thanks everyone for the prompt reply! I thought that maybe other birds had put nesting materials in some of the compartment and that Martins were just using them to sleep in at night. Yes I do have keyhole openings in my Trio Grandpa and the mud at the door makes the holed round and smaller. These b...

I have Trio Grandpa 12 and currently there are 4 compartments with nests that have mud ramps at the doors. There are other compartments (4) that have no mud ramps, but, there is some nesting material in the compartments. I have 2 eggs in one of the mud ramped nests. The others with nesting materials...

This is my 21st year having a Trio Grandpa 12 and I have never lowered my house in bad weather. The birds just ride it out! I was not a full time landlord over those 21 years. Just had the house out at the back of the property. For the past two years, since we moved to a very small lot, I have been ...

This is a question for Emil!
Why can't John put the eggs in other nests that currently have eggs and let the other brooding females hatch them.

This may sound simplistic but john if has other eggs around couldn't it work????

Please someone advise!
Jack

Emil, I also have a bunch of SY females that arrived about two days ago and are making a lot of noise around my Trio Grandpa. Lots of fights for compartments. I'm thinking of cleaning out the sparrow nest that I put a sticky trap in, since I have had no luck catching the little suckers, and it will ...

Steve,

How is the PVC pipe applied to the pole, how long is it, what diameter and why does it work?

Lots of questions, but newbies need lots of help!!!!


Jack Rogers

Emil, Skinner and Huffmeister roads are located in Harris County. I Live about 3 miles east of there off of Spring Cypress Road. I am on one of those green areas that was scooped out, near a new sub-division and the water foul and bird population is outstanding. Heron, Egrets, Ducks, Red winged Blac...

As a newbie I would like some info. on how to apply netting for snakes. And where do you buy the netting?

Jack

I have a compartment completely full of swirled long grass and assume it is a sparrow nest. I just put a glue trap in the center of the nest and made the hole on my Trio Grandpa compartment smaller, with duct tape over the larger Martin hole. It should be too small for a Martin to enter. I have been...

At sunrise today there was much noise and a flurry of activity around my Trio Grandpa 12. The population increased from two(2) pair to five(5) pair and the two pair that has been in residence for about a week or so started to bring in all kinds of nesting materials. The other,new PM's, are very aggi...

Rob, It must be a lot colder at your location! We have been having 78 to 89 degree weather here( just north east of Houston, TX ) for about 3-4 weeks. There are lots of Marins flying here. I've counted 30 or more on the high tension wires in the area. There are at least four other colonies within 2-...

Tree thanks for the info. Jack

I have Trio Grandpa 12, for the second year at my new home location. Had three pairs last year late in May. Two fledge. So I'm new at this. I have some questions: I had three pair at my trio for about three days. I never see them come back to the house at night. 1. where do they go at night? 2. Are ...

Thanks Emil,
I'm learning something every day!
Jack

Thanks for the prompt reply from Donna and Patrick. I have binoculars, but need to get closer to see the actual colors. I have the article on plumage that you suggested. The grey one I have at my house looks like the picture on page #4 of the article, at the lower left. ASY female. I'll be watching ...

I have had Marin houses, for 10 years, at a previous location, but never took time to identify them. last year we brought our 12 compartment, aluminum, flag pole raised sliding Martin house to our new location in May(2005) and did not expect any Martins to nest. I was wrong we had 3 couples use our ...