Purple Martin Forum

Any chance moving them to another nest and put one or two into the nest with similar size babies?

Conrad, Eight to take care of is gonna be tuff. I would suspect you may find one starves due to feeding competition from older/stronger siblings in a nest that size. If you find this happens again I would be more likely to put the blame on sub-adults rather than mom tossing one of her kids. Maybe y...

I ran into a unique situation yesterday while checking the Colony. I found a baby Martin (pinkie with eyes closed), under my #1 house (I only have 3). I picked him up and he had several ants on him so I brought him inside and removed the ants with a pair of tweezers (darn fire ants are ruthless). He...

Snake netting can be purchased at Home Depot, Lowes, etc. It is sold in the gardening dept as "bird netting". Apparently it is used to drape over your fruit trees to prevent the birds from eating the fruit. It comes in two different sizes of mesh, maybe 1/4" and 1/2"? Buy both si...

I'm no expert, but my best solution to controlling mites is Sevin (carbaryl). I put some in the nest cavity when I put in the nesting material (pine needles) at the beginning of the season. After the martins complete their nest building and start laying eggs, I treat again. I usually treat once agai...

I like Dan G suggestion-a pinhole in the egg. THEN put it in the middle of a gluetrap (for mice), and put it in the nest. The sparrow will enter the nest and get stuck on the glue trap.

I usually have about 16 nesting pair. This year I have 10. Nest check (and reapplying Sevin) last weekend revealed some eggs, but several empty compartments.

Do it sooner than later. I doubt that changing them will affect anything.

Are there any other Martin colonies at the lake where your new house is, or would yours be the only one? I would say that if the new owner will not take care of the housing you leave there and just allow Hosp or Starlings to take over, don't leave them up. I would move the whole shebang to your new ...

Might not be the case where you are, but I have noticed early in the season that starlings are able to defeat the SREH. Not so much later in the season. I attribute that to the fact that they are younger (thus smaller) in the beginning, but once they put some weight on (and grow a little more) they ...

Sorry mjfog, I am so behind the times, my flip phone only takes pictures in black & white. I have to get my Grand Kids to show me how to do those things.

2 guests arrived right before dark, entered the house, and (hopefully) spent the night.

I put Sevin dust or carbaryl in each compartment (about 1/4 teaspoon) before I put the pine needles in. Try to get it into the corners too. Then I just kinda take a handful of pine needles and shape them into a somewhat round configuration and put them in the compartment. The birds will shape them t...

Yes, I think it is a good idea to post the sighting of the first Martin you see regardless of the amount of time he spends at your colony. This gives all the other landlords a heads-up (literally standing in the back yard with my head up) looking for a Martin. Post the report if you see em. Good Luc...

With the horrible weather and work work work, I was finally able to get my PM housing up today. Later than usual, usually around mid-January. Filled with pine needles (ordered from Shop Purple Martin), treated with both carbaryl and Sevin so now comes the waiting for the Martins to arrive and the on...

I have wondered that same question every year. I thought that they returned to the area they were raised in because they were familiar with it. When they fledged the season before, they flew many "missions" and returned, for the most part, back to mom & dad's. Not sure what would cause...

Going great for you!! Please keep them all there for another week or two. We are freezing here! Another cold(er) front expected this next weekend. Not looking good for a welcome party.

Carolyn Prevost in Branch posted a sighting today!! Getting real now!

Actually, I would be also if I could find something that's really works and wouldn't just cause them to move over 10 feet Best product I have found for fire ants is Amdro. Sprinkle some on the mound and the workers bring it down into the colony and feed it to the queen. She dies and the rest of the...

No, I don't get any message like that. The only thing I get is a machine (my computer) trying to confirm that I am a human. I usually pass the test and it lets me proceed to the forum.