Purple Martin Forum

Thomabear, S&K crescent entrances can be modified to Lewis Modification. I will have to find my post on that and give you the link. C.C. Martin is correct I am completely sold on the Lewis Mod. I never even see European Starlings around the houses that I have modified. Some naysayers are out the...

Expanded PVC Sheet and Extruded Polystyrene Foamboard are not the same thing. I need to study and examine Expanded PVC Sheet so I am better informed about Expanded PVC Sheet.
I know about HDPE (high density polyethylene). That is not the same as either of the above products.

Yes, About 3 years ago a fellow in Texas was moving and offered to anyone a beautiful T14 house out of EPS rigid foamboard. It was glued together with compatible adhesives and painted to protect it from UV degradation. He stated it was very well accepted by purple martins. It proved very effective a...

I am probably too late answering the last questions posted to me from TheSmiths. I don't understand the question about the added washers. I always place insulation on the attic floor of a Trio house. I want to reduce the heat coming from the attic space. Exactly like we do in our own houses. The bes...

I went through the same phase when I installed SREH on my personal martin house many years ago. I put traction tape on the porch surfaces and quickly found out that only helped the European Starlings breach the SREH. Purple martins enter SREH easily with slick porch surfaces. The only time purple ma...

Toy, I saw the tabs on the vents that were offered by both vent suppliers. Thanks for the clarification from both you and Coolwhips that the vents are pressed in place and not permanently glued in place. Coolwhips, I saw the wide variety of plugs that are available from the vent suppliers. Now that ...

Coolwhips, I agree that the 2" vents with screens are an excellent way to vent compartments on a T14. I believe the screens help reduce the chance of wasps getting into the compartments through an unscreened vent. Are your vents caulked in place or are they just pressed in place and held by the...

Evan is correct. These Trios are fun to restore. I concur with his advise. Aluminum pop rivets in the houses are easy to remove. Drill them out so that you can prep and refinish the various pieces. Reassemble those pieces with white coated aluminum pop rivets. I may be obsessive for using aluminum p...

The Erva/Nature House Winch Conversion Kit is very easy to accomplish and is both functional, safer and durable. The stainless steel cable last for a very long time as long as you wind it on smoothly and do not allow a "bird's nest". The weight of the house on the cable keeps the cable str...

DonDon, Welcome to the PMCA Forum! My Father usually had a garden near his purple martin house. A rat snake was welcomed in his garden and was usually 5-6 feet long. He had a pole guard on the martin house pole to keep the snake out of the martin house. As far as we know, everyone lived peacefully u...

Easy solution to the squeaking of the idiotic break on the bottom of your MSS12? Remove the thing and throw it in the recycle bin for someone to recycle the aluminum. I personally cannot stand the things and refuse to deal with them. I have so excited that you are going to refurbish those Trio MSS12...

Whooey, The young lady drilling a hole in an oak leaf looks like a prospective DIY person. An early interest and experience in hand tools can lead a healthy beginning to many home projects in her future. My Father allowed me to experiment at a young age and it ultimately lead to a lifelong interest ...

Alfie, Anywhere within 100 miles of Cedar Creek, TX, I estimate your 2021 chances of attracting a martin pair at 95% with open flyways, enlarged compartments, SREH entrances, good Starling and Sparrow control and no Hawk or Owl predation. As far as the neighbor with the owl nesting boxes, let her pu...

Like Carlton, I have never had wing entrapments with the Conley II entrances. But then, all of the Conley II entrances have the Lewis Modification so I don't have to worry about European Starling breaches. After all these years of advocating the Lewis Modification, I am still waiting for anyone who ...

Whooey, Welcome to the Purple Martin Forum! I do not consider your questions hijacking the topic. So hopefully a few suggestions are okay. I agree that closing off the attic compartments is wise. During the martin season, nest checks cannot be performed on those compartments plus they can get too ho...

sonnya,
My Father's last colony was in Oenaville, TX. Small world.
Leave your housing up until September 1st.
Every time I have tried to take the martin's housing down early, they come back to visit. As you pointed out, they will circle where the housing was so I know it was not an accident.

Doug, I have more crescent SREH entrances in the houses I help manage. I know some people believe they are too difficult for martins establishing in a new colony but that is just not true. If the location is good and HOSP/EUST control is maintained the martins will move in. I am more familiar with T...

Doug, Sorry I missed your post. Definitely raised above the floor level. I started out 1/2" above the floor but realized that the martins make a nest about 1/2" above the the floor and then eggs and small nestlings can roll out of the nest. So I had to add something to elevate the bottom o...

I do not know of a good replacement for a Trio Grandpa (MSS12) at this time. Currently, I spend more time refurbishing original Trio poles and/or strengthening them then working on the Trio houses. The original Trio/Nature House pole sections were made of very thick steel with thick zinc coating to ...

I like both houses and especially like the durability of aluminum vs. wood. You should not have as many problems with late spring cold snaps in Louisiana so insulated housing is less important than in northern latitude landlords. Not impossible but I feel that nest trays help reduce cold weather los...