Purple Martin Forum

Thanks I’ll keep them up.

I have two decoys on my house and it appears martins come by all the time and try to get my decoys to fly. But don’t stay?

Should I remove them?

Kind of confused if they are good or bad!

Finally we’ve got an SYmale. He’s working hard to get a mate.

It’s been a crazy year here near Sun City Center. Numbers are way down. Colonies that use to be filled are way down. Numbers seem to be showing up now.

Wondering if there were issues in South America?

Good to know Phil. Saw dome SY’s this morning.

Just had more visitors today. First I’ve seen in weeks.

I’ve seen a few passing by but none have stayed. Check with a few other landlords in the area and they have said the same. Colonies that use to be full are nil of way down.

Any others in Florida having smaller numbers?

Wondered what’s going on. Any ideas or reasons?

Concerned FL landlord!

Larry

That’s GREAT news! I’ve had a similar experience a few years ago. I was outside checking my houses for any arrivals. Lowered houses but no activity. Said to my wife “I wonder where our scout is”? She pointed to the sky and said “could that be him”? I was thinking she was making a joke to tease me. B...

Have a sparrow issue with my birds choice house. Can’t shoot them. What the best way to trap them?

So true! I like you hide under the tree and while he/she knows I am there, they’re satisfied they have done their job. We have a blue bird house not far from the Martin house and they hate me near that as well. Far more concerned than even the blue birds themselves. Agreed it’s part of the fun. Use ...

We have been landlords for over 15 years and while some adults would take issue with me approaching the houses they would eventually let me near. We have a pair now who really really don’t like us. The minute my wife or I step outside we get dive bombed. I mean inches from our head!!! My wife has is...

Don’t give up it’s going to happen. i appreciate your efforts. Has anyone suggested the daytime chatter CD? I’ve had some succeeded using that CD. This year seems to be a down year (at least in my area of FL). i’ve only got one nesting pair vs 3 last year. Its relatively a new colony 3rd full year b...

So I got the trap and saw my enemy standing on the house. Set the trap and sure enough looked out an hour later and saw it was tripped. Excitement didn’t last long as I succeeded in trapping the bluebird! :oops: So waited a day saw the sparrow again and again set the trap only to trap the bluebird a...

i’m going to get the trap. Tree huggers around here will pass out when I start shooting. Some Sparrows are about to drown.

We do have a bluebird house near by but sparrows are winning that battle.

The bluebirds are starting to build in the PM house. Should we prevent that? Has any one out there experienced this situation?

it took a while. Had a visitor every once in a white. But finally around the 15 of March I had one guy staying. i now have 3 pair build nest!!

Very happy and blessed to have my next Martin season started.

i guess my guys are just late returners?

Thanks for all the support and help.

Thanks for the feed back. I have only one house with 8 compartments. i do have a snake guard on the pole.

Playing the purple martin chatter CD all day.

Had 3 mating pair last year. Two pair hacked 8 eggs. The third pair disappeared? Eggs never hatched. i have a 16 compartment house converted to 8. There was a occasional hawk visiting and a crow now and then but did not see any birds taken. This will be our 4th year at this location. One single pair...

Had one visitor almost a month ago and nothing since. Starting to panic. Anyone else in Central Florida having issues?

That was the exact pattern here. Parents feeding was limited..