Purple Martin Forum

I use Sevin Spray its a god send. My secret to fledging into the hundreds. I use the dust but the spray is much better can cover more area's of the rack and under gourds. I don't have time for nest changes. I have used Sevin for five years no issues. I learned a lesson many years ago with jumpers an...

This has been a over all great season so Far just wanted to report two new colony's started in Barnstable MA,Wellfleet Bay Both on Cape cod and another colony just East of Providence RI in Seekonk MA. If you happen to take a vacation on the cape at least you now be able to see Martins they have nest...

large numbers in RI,MA and many new sites started. One site alone I have 15 pair of SY! We had a great season in 2015.
Just got two hen SY in the last few days. Good luck Ray

You Could say the martins have been missed managed over the years sadly at Plum. I too can recall the days when hundreds of Martins nested there. There is a excellent group in Seabrook. I am very happy for them and there is talk about change at the funspot area colony as well there working on it now...

Was at my colony in Rehoboth Massachusetts shocked to find a male martin on his trio house.
Beware there moving north. And we are about to have a winter storm. Poor guy at least he
can hold up in a larger trio house or one of the many Plastic gourds i placed today.


Ray
Barrington RI

HI Steve I agree and feel the Martin does favor gourds of any type of units for years i looked at what type of units were the most popular and successful and gourds are the home of choice. I have started to remove old trio houses with troyer gourds. I have many failures with the trio houses as well ...

Hi my friends Well I feel somewhat happier today i relocated two large gourd racks to a much better location along Narragansett bay The problem the site was set up about 10 years ago and as the flock grew so did the predators (a pair of coopers hawks) and boy they don't give up until they get a kill...

Both New Hampshire and Maine are in need of help. They just started to remove old wooden houses and have replaced them with gourds. After almost 15 years. The information has been out there and people know how well they have done in Southern New England. This work should have been done a long time a...

Thank You! I feel much better knowing that.


--Ray

Hi Carlton If a snake is trapped and is dead or alive in the netting will the martins continue to nest or abandon the site all together? I have used it with bluebirds and they continue to feed there young and its no problem. The snakes are only bones by the time i show up to cut them away. I think v...

Hi Peter
I have done the same thing and moved chicks. Only if they are not getting attention from parents. Thanks for all the information. The first of my
birds will fledge now. Has been a great season here. I hope some of mine yearlings make it to your location next year.


Ray

They probably died of old age. I checked 12 more gourds today and all chicks were in great shape. I don't feel we were hit by the harsh weather as bad as my neighbors to the far west. It rained but at night mostly. I would be depressed for months to find gourds filled with dead chicks cannot imagine...

With the recent rains in the last few weeks I have minor losses. But i did loss two adults with young from two nests. One a female the other male. They are both now single parents and feeding chicks. One nest two young the other one chick. I was so happy to see the parents feeding them. No major los...

Its sad its taken all these years for people in NH to finally see the light Martins nest in gourds. And not tiny wooden box's that cannot be lowered. It would be nice if some kind person would talk to the landlord in Laconia and educate him on the standards of Martin homes. You must start with these...

HI Peter Sad news but i can understand Its much cooler up there and The birds Would suffer in a cool wet spell. There numbers have dropped in Maine and NH. If you are ever in the area look me up you would enjoy all these Martins down here. The birds are nesting just south west of Boston so they have...

Hi Peter Nice to hear from you after all these years! Yes I will be Sending many north to you in New Brunswick I have gotten a ton of support from Country clubs and Landtrust And private residents. I have enough units to support just over one hundred martins in RI and another hundred units over the ...

Looks like a record season still getting ASY birds and I have already gone over my totals for last year. Gourds and houses filling fast. NO SY yet what ever is left probably will be taken by the SY flocks I hope many new landlords finally get them i been feeling like a martin HOG for years. Others n...

Thanks Everyone! The last big Blizzard of 2013 three days of no heat/power and temps in my apartment of 42 degree. I feel sad for all the robins,bluebirds,carolina wrens Starlings and House sparrows will be lost into the thousands as our communities come to a complete stop for days. We are hardy her...

I have the last family of Martins still here at dusk 08/25 They will be the last
to exit Barrington RI Weather here could not get any better the entire season.


Ray

Hi The rack is on cross beach road. Its a group of people that are working to save the martin in NH Contact Christine Sheridan cmsbirds@gmail.com and Rich Lombardi rllombard1@comcast.net He emailed pictures of the young birds. This was a much better season then last year and we will see alot of grow...