Purple Martin Forum

Emil...that is a possibility...maybe an owl caught one and honed in on easy pickings...its so odd that the house was the only affected..the parents are gone...no activity in the cavities affected..of course, I had to clean the nest and dead ones out. Gourd activity is still heavy...and the remaining...

My setup....3 poles 20' apart...2 poles with 4 gourds each..Bo11s with cooling caps and extended porches, one pole with sk 12 room converted to 6...all the nestlings in the house perished, with the exeption of one cavity, with pinkies that the parents are still active in...no apparent attack from ho...

I noticed a fatboy struggling a bit this evening to get out of a crescent. No nesting yet...just establishing still. I'd guess that the wet winter is bringing an abundance of tasty bug treats all day. They have no problems with the clinger entrances, but the crescents, seemingly a tad bigger, give a...

Almost! Have had 12 birds for the last week...today brought 9 more. 21 came in for the evening. You can always spot the noobs...checking all the cavities with a head in only look! I have a small colony...8 SK11's and a 6 room house. Looks like it may be to capacity this year.dont want a bigger one. ...

Adding to the previous stated....open flyways to PM's are like candy...or crack...or anything else addictive! That is a major key for attraction! They seem to hone in on available areas where they can cruise up high with an open zone for predator detection, and an easy escape route ....provides a go...

Location! A Major key, for a suspected area with limited to no PM activity! Open flyway, is a pretty good start. I only speak, due to the info I gained from the wonderful folks on this forum, and my first ever attempt at PMs a few years ago. I live in a rural area with no other PM sites, but am bles...

Stepped out the door this morning to check the starling situation, and see if the sniper pellet rifle was needed for a summons...it was called upon and delivered its fatal blow...20 minutes later, assumed my eagles nest in sniper mode for another head shot, and low and behold, 3 of my old friends sh...

And they may bring friends, if they were successful as taxidermy lady stated!

Alot, if not most of these neglected houses are just "bird houses" in the minds of their property owners. Not particular to pms. Any bird is welcome in their minds. There is a particular house ive been watching for the last few years that is overtaken with sparrows...somehow, there are pms...

They will orientate their "radar" to home into the openings when they settle into a picked home. Once they arrive, don't move the housing. The return birds have it "programmed" into them for the mapped return to their previously established homesite's annually...openings matter a...

Only a few are trickling in...in 2 more weeks that'll all change I bet!!!!

As usual, im fighting the urge to put my house and gourds up now!. The coming weeks weather is forecasted to be wonderful....but more cold fronts behind it. Mine are due around the 21st-ish of Feb. I was eyes to the skies today, knowing it's still early, but still looking!! The sparrows and starling...

Still a few weeks out here in cenla. Usually around the 17th of February for us and the firsts. Mine are due around the 21st...but we can always be suprised! I get antsy when the first sunshine day in the 60's comes around..but try to hold off on housing up till valentine's day...usually dont wait t...

That is a great post. Build it...for your father. Your reward will be very heart warming. You'll see your father in a unique way...his housing, and the pms will reward that. Great read...post pics of the housing...well be looking for them!!

Whew kehunter! Thats gotta be a lot of weight to muscle down in full season for nest checks??! I have 3 tri tel poles with 2 of these sk houses, and a 4 gourd rack with bo 11s and tunnels. This year, im eliminating one of the houses, and going with 4 more sk bo11s with tunnels, 4 gourds per pole. I ...

Tony g... a starling is a possibility also. I do have them and sparrows. The starlings can breach the crescent, but have tough time trying to get into the clinger entrances on the gourds...next year ill be going all gourds. They fill up first anyway so i think the pm's prefer them. The bo11s with tu...

yesterday morning, while letting dog out, noticed a PM down about 25 feet from housing. After putting dog up, went to investigate. it was a female, her head severely pecked and pretty much destroyed. I have about 18 birds at my sight now, and am assuming this was result of another PM fighting her, a...

Open flyways are key! Not necessarily "the key", but a huge plus....And looks like you have that. I dont prenest. Im only in my 3rd year, and have had blessed success so far, I feel due to 3 acres of open flyway and a pond. But there's many setups in my area that are in neighborhoods with ...

Well, Steve, I guess ill have to be the 2nd in line for the punch! Ill take wrapping up in a jacket over the misery of the humid Louisiana summer heat anytime. I have actually enjoyed the extended cool of this winter, and I work out in the elements. But im warm natured anyway. And no, I wouldnt want...

My 2 houses are 20 feet apart with a 4 gourd pole in the middle, 10 feet from each house, and 5 foot back. The pms have no issues with it!