Purple Martin Forum

Hi purplepupil!! I love the name! Welcome to the best hobby there is. I’m impressed with your will to get involved at a young age! With you being in high school, are you by chance in FFA? My husband is an ag teacher and I’m trying to talk him into buying a set of gourds to have at school for student...

I got a big surprise yesterday!! Babies!!! 3 babies and 1 egg remaining in gourd 3. So exiting! Here is a look at my stat. G 5.17 5.20 1 5 5 5 2 1 1 1 3 4 3y-1egg 4 x x x 5 1 3 4 6 6 6 6 7 4 4 4 8 4 4 4 9 5 5 5 10 1 3 4 11 5 5 5 12 x x x I still have two actively laying and 2 empty gourds. I have ye...

That’s impressive!! I only have 12 gourds and my hand hurts from spinning tops on and off after 4-5 houses.

How fun to see so many with fledglings already! I am just now seeing eggs this week and I couldn’t be more happy for all my little birds! I counted 17 birds one morning. 14 yesterday. I was doing weekly nest checks and of course I missed the first eggs or they were not there yet. I don’t think they ...

My first update since I went out of town for those following along! I have been keeping an eye out for all the things. I had at least 12 birds the other morning. Those suckers are hard to count once they get to coming in and out all at the same time! It appears it is 6 pair. Still ecstatic. I saw my...

Whoever drilled those super gourds front to back did a good job. If I may make a suggestion if the original mounting holes aren’t sealed please do so. Some white caulk over the original mounting holes will help keep rain out of the gourds. Wet warm nests are really welcoming for mites that feed on ...

Great story and it’s going to be an exciting time for you. :) I too grew up in a rural area and my dad put up a Purple Martin house (early 1970s) — so as a kid up until maybe 9th grade the late winters through June were filled with the sights and sounds of PMs… it wasn’t until well after 2007 after...

Thank you, Rob and Tom!! Yes!! I was just talking to my mom about a guard. I do have two Great Pyrenees that keep all critters out of the yard. It’s amazing. But snakes was my main concern. I do also have chickens and have relocated 3 black snakes. I told mom I would have to put netting at the botto...

Attempting to attach a few photos!
Note “OG” on his gourd.

Hello!! I’m Molly. I live in Georgia and have been a lover of birds for a long time. In 2017, I really started my bird watching days while on maternity leave. Just me, the baby, the birds and my porch. I’ve had bluebird houses for years and always feed the hummers. Barn swallows have been coming bac...