Purple Martin Forum

All, I don't want to sound like a broken record here but I just feel like I have to share all I can to help out. Folks, please be aware of owls and what they can do. This one didn't get anything from me this night but it could have been a lot worse if I would not of acted and put these cages up. I a...

That's great Kathy. You suffered long enough with that problem. I too have no evidence of the GHO since I put up the cages. Ironically, I built a rack for my neighbor and recommended the cage but she declined and so I feared she would get the worst being how mine were protected now. I seen the owl o...

Kathy, Thanks for posting the video. It is a real reminder of what goes on in the middle of the night. I have cages up on all my racks now and my worry level has went way down. I also have a camera system on my racks but haven't seen anything yet like you had. Thanks again for your help and insight ...

Kathy,
Did you ever figure out what blew out your owl cage?

Louise, Thanks for the encouraging words but I decided to take the cage down until nest building begins. I done it yesterday and it had four pair on it last night. I took it down carefully and will be using it as a pattern to build the other three I have to do. A lot was learned from building the fi...

I will try to post, https://flic.kr/p/T9g1Wo

Well it's day three and not one Martin will go in that cage. Everything thing is good with the cage. It is 14 inches away from front of the gourds. 4 inch hole on front of gourd with the siding that Kathy F recommended and works great. The Martin's that were on the rack have went to other racks and ...

Thank you Kathy. I will install my cages this weekend. Nice ideas too. I may borrow a few of them and try them out. Good luck with your season and if I come up with anything that seems worthy, I will post it, thanks again.

I have the materials for the cages I will be installing on my gourd racks. I have also changed over all round holes to SREH and the Martin's are slowly figuring it out. I currently have around 16-20 Martin's. I'm not sure if right now is the right time to put the cages up beings how they're dealing ...

Kathy, I have read your blog about the owl issues you continued to have from last year and my heart goes out to you and your colony. You have done so much to try to prevent this and are a benchmark that I try to use as a standard, so I thank you for your determination and advice. I plan to enclose m...

Thanks everyone for the encouragement. It helps a lot to know others have done the same with no real change. I will continue to wait it out and see how it goes. That doesn't mean it will be easy to watch, thanks again to all.

I have all S&K gourds and up to now have used the round holes and just went through the trouble of dispatching the S&S. This year I have decided to go all cresent. I have not seen a starling breach a cresent to date. I had my first 3 martins return yesterday and try to enter for hours with n...

Thanks Kathy, I have followed your journey with your owl problem pretty closely and kudos to you and your cleverness. I simply refused to see what was right in front of me. I returned home last year from three weeks in Seattle in July and found a couple of owl feathers in the yard. I only had a few ...

Be vigilant folks, they are here and they are real. Plan for it. I didn't want to believe it so now I am scrambling, don't let it happen to you! Take care.

To All,
I have been using the netting for years without having any problems. While I was away working it worked for me and the martins. Please practice this for it will save you a lot of heartache someday.


https://www.flickr.com/photos/78766790@ ... ed-public/

Thanks for the perspective Steve. They are all good suggestions and I will seriously take them under advisement. I believe I had an owl attack last year and the reason I didn't put cages up this year is just what you said, it may impede quick escape. My problem is I don't know what damage occurred t...

Yes, you are very helpful. I have an idea I would like to run by you. I would like to build a complete cage around the whole rack system, starting at the ground and ending above the rack. It would have a door for nest checks with at least a foot extra in diameter around the rack. This would be suppo...

Hi Steve, great pics. You always have good information and excellent advice for us. I have a question off topic of the beautiful trendsetter and martins if you don't mind? I have an owl problem and have read your lengthy owl predation report from when you were in Florida and it's helped me tremendou...

I'd say you're right. Man, that bums me out. Not the work I will need to do but not knowing what happened when I was out of town. I guess I will go the way of Kathy F and get some cameras and cages for next year. Better to know now though. I really appreciate your help Louise.

Gee it sure is hard when your not a pro. I been going back and forth at the pics of both and it's not easy. I trust you though. Looks like I have more work for next year if it is. I thought I may have an owl problem last year but no proof so I let it go. I have never heard or seen an owl around but ...