Purple Martin Forum

Thanks for the replies everyone, im going to attempt to open my site more perhaps by thinning out these large oak trees nearby, i cant do anything about the neighboring trees though. I'm probably going to build a dock in the lake and extend the housing 25 feet away from the trees further into the la...

After 7 years of having a prosperous colony, my numbers appear to be dwindling. The Hawks have become more prevalent through the years and and im down to 22 birds. Have an army of decoys and my paintball gun does its job at times with its loud report. I'm not gonna give up however. Good to see so ma...

Interesting

Awesome news!

Thanks everyone, I'm looking forward to hosting these little guys once more. James i see you got your colony, like i knew you would.

Got 12 birds so far, they arrived as usual around January 4th.

Good to hear, cant wait for photos.

This is wonderful news James, please keep me updated and keep some round holes around too! Actually now that i think of it you did have mostly round right? When they are nesting and bonded switch SREH. I got a good feeling this time James, its been over 4 years for you!

Beautiful birds those BBs, which they existed down here

Awesome news Carl im up to 10 birds, hope James gets his.

Yup all ready, just too busy to watch the colony every day.

My Purple Martins arrive here Jan 14th as they always do for the 6th year, and so have the hawks My martins appear to be wiser now than ever though, they don't show or land till late in the evening.

Peggy you must be able to monitor your nestbox. I have a woodpecker couple that nests each year in my woodpecker housing. Housing must be filled with saw dust or pine shaving 75% of the way. First year i lost 3 eggs to starlings, i now trap with two box traps and actively snipe. If you do decide to ...

Great to hear my housing is bringing you joy and helping the martins Rick. Can you take some photos this year and post them ? If only James can get his birds now.

I've seen an earlier arrival date trend the last 2 years of my 5 year old colony. My martins seem to arrive in large quantities on January, 27 with 2 or 4 birds active by January 15. They seem to come earlier now, unlike my 2nd year and 3rd February 9-15 arrival.

Congrats, my birds started arriving today had 2 this evening.

I got my first ASY male today at 7:30am, in the Pembroke Pines area South Florida.

I don't know what is happening around this region in south FL, but im being inundated with starlings (and hawks). I have shot and trapped 39 starlings this year, last year was only 8. Ive lost 3 woodpecker eggs and subsequently the pair to these rats. For those of you down here in South FL,please ta...

Steve as always your posts are fantastic.

Great setup Carl, i was hoping on setting up something like this a year back. I have no time with school and work, so i donated my spare housing to a new landlord. I figured the effect will be the same, the setup looks great just watch out for starlings, excluders 2 maybe after the site becomes esta...