Purple Martin Forum

I wish I could post a picture, but the stuff I use is "Hi-Yield Garden, Pet, and Livestock Dust". According to the directions, it is safe to sprinkle directly on chickens and livestock to control lice, etc. I think it is in a red container, and I don't recall if it has carbaryl in it. I go...

Took the houses down Sunday June 23rd. Haven't seen a Martin in several days. January will be here pretty quick so we will start all over again.

Diatomaceous earth might be safer in the sense that it doesn't contain any "poison" to kill the pests, but studies have shown it is dangerous when the birds inhale it into their lungs. That usually occurs when the adults or young birds flap their wings in the compartment and the dust swirl...

Wish I could have one that size in my yard! I noticed in the second picture that pesky little sparrow is waiting to find him a home. Obviously can't shoot the sparrows there, so I was wondering how/if they control the sparrows?

Thanks Martintown. Not looking forward to taking them down and cleaning them out. Dirty, messy, and a pain trying to get them up in the attic. January will be here soon enough, and it will be time to get them ready for next year-Wow this year has been flying by. Halfway through 2024 already.

I did a nest check yesterday, and every nest is empty. No babies (not even a dead one), no eggs, and no mites. A few birds circled overhead yelling at me, but it seems the season is all but over. Seems a little earlier than last year. I will have to check my records. Anyone locally still have nestli...

That's a new one on me. I thought they only ate bugs and insects.

I had several citrus trees that the PM removed leaves from. I think maybe they helped keep mites and other pests from the nests. The trees have died since then, so they just use oak leaves from the neighbor's tree now, along with the long thin sugar cane leaves they retrieve from the cane fields beh...

I get my pine needles from PMCA. Just look at the top of the page for "Shop Purple Martin". Search for '"Pine Straw". It comes in about three days in a nice dry box. One small box covers my three S&K houses and have some left over.

you're better than me. even on a rest i can't hold steady for anything. i still do ok, but do miss a bunch. mine is a springer though, so the recoil is weird - not that i do any better w/ a regular rifle. does the pcp have any recoil movement when fired? i'd imagine it's the same as a rimfire .22. ...

you're better than me. even on a rest i can't hold steady for anything. i still do ok, but do miss a bunch. mine is a springer though, so the recoil is weird - not that i do any better w/ a regular rifle. does the pcp have any recoil movement when fired? i'd imagine it's the same as a rimfire .22. ...

Are you convinced yet, or do you need another "no'?

Check out the Hawke line of air gun scopes. A friend of mine locally sells them. Steve Collara at Chalmette Sporting goods can give you info, (504) 271-2538. Also, if you check out Charliedatuna website, he sells an after market trigger for the Gamo that will totally transform that rifle into a prec...

I've seen it too. Early in the season it seems some of the starlings (the younger ones) haven't fully grown, so they're a bit smaller. They are able to get into the SREH, but have to work at it.

Sevin dust applied several times a season.

Well done !! I would like to say they are really cute, but I'd be lying.

Looks like a dove took to one of the baskets. She/he (??) sat in it for about 4 hours, then left a few minutes ago. Might just be getting a feel for it to see if it's satisfactory for the kiddos.

Great idea Martintown33. I will give it some thought. I bought 2 Easter baskets at the Dollar store, but with the shape of the top of the motor where the baskets sit, they don't sit level and seem to be very shaky. I'm not happy with the outcome. What size fern pots do you have ?

Thanks. For several years, they were building a nest on the back of my Direct TV dish on the side of my house. The support holding the dish had a 5 or 6 inch wide brace that was perfect for their nest. Two years ago, Direct TV upgraded the system, and the new dish eliminated their spot for the nest....

I might be off base with this question unrelated to PM. We have several doves constantly flying under my back patio and landing on the ceiling fan. We don't use the fans, but it seems the doves are looking for a place to build a nest. I would like to provide something for them, but am not familiar w...