Purple Martin Forum

My wooden houses are the kind that stack over the top of a 4 x 4, 3 layers. I'm 67, not strong enough to go up on ladder and lift houses off over the post and then I would disturb birds.

Not the best design, but have been working for 50 years.

Good news, scouts arrived Apr 25th, then a few more today on April 29th, really late. After some rains and southern winds, I think they're back!

We have had Martin's for over 50 years, we are the 2nd generation caregivers for about 20 years. We are located in southern MN, it is extremely dry here. Our normal low wetlands are dry in places where we have ALWAYS had water, though we do have a lot of lakes. Could that be why they've not come? No...

Can you put anything in the houses to prevent mites/etc prior to them arriving? My houses are stacking ones and are hard to mess with after they've nested or have started to nest. Can you use the things they use for parakeets, that they put inside cages, something called "Bird Protector" 8...

My Martins here in MN are behind too, but they're trying hard to catch up. Now feeding babies. I have about 8-9 pair. It's amazing I don't know how they did it, but they were the latest to my house that they've ever been, I figured a couple of weeks. The weeks that the youngsters were learning to f...

flyin-lowe wrote:It won't affect the martins or the gophers.........At least that's been my experience. Good luck with yours.

Thanks for your comment.... I'll probably trip over the spike in the ground too...ha!

I recently purchased a transmitting spike to drive into the ground to repel gophers, the spike transmits a sound or sound waves to send the gophers packing. It's located about 30 feet away from my Martin Houses, will this bother the Martins? I've tried everything to get rid of the gophers and though...

My Martins here in MN are behind too, but they're trying hard to catch up. Now feeding babies. I have about 8-9 pair.

Just an update here. Had my first Martin on Apr 21, then it left, came back on Apr 28, then left, then on May 2 ten martins arrived and I am now overflowing with them, probably have 16 or more. They dodged our very cold weather.....they must have been listening to their weather radios. ha! Anyway, s...

This is from South Central MN only a mile from the Iowa Border. Saw one Martin Apr 21st, I usually start with about 11, I've opened about 1/3 of my Martin house opening up thinking that I've just missed them. Now tonight it's supposed to be 29 degrees here, so could it be that it's just too cold ye...

This is from South Central MN only a mile from the Iowa Border. Saw one Martin Apr 21st, I usually start with about 11, I've opened about 1/3 of my Martin house opening up thinking that I've just missed them. Now tonight it's supposed to be 29 degrees here, so could it be that it's just too cold yet...

About a month ago here in MN we had a bad storm, it took the roofs off of 2 of my Martin houses, the roofs landed on the ground roof side down. Luckily I had an agile youth, that went out in still somewhat windy conditions and put the roofs back on the houses. I've not only had families hatch from t...

~Ray~Gingerich wrote:It could be an unmated SY male trying to sneak in to do damage and the mated pair pair fighting with him, or a hatching year bird wanting a place to hole up for a while and get free meals.

Have you noticed them doing severe damage to each other or will one of them give up?

Was observing my Martins today, when much to my surprise two seemed to be fighting over one hole. I've not had this happen before, or that I've noticed. They will fight each other down to the ground, I walked out there then and broke it up. But why would they do this? These were definitely Martins a...

One Martin arrived this afternoon, looking a little crumpled, as they sometimes do from their long trip, so hopefully the rest of the batch will arrive soon.

One day of a little noise won't scare them off. Have you opened any cavities yet, or are they still plugged? How many pair did you have last year? I start each year with about the same number around 11-12 martins, I cannot do next checks, I'm unable to lower my houses and I'm unable to climb much. ...

One day of a little noise won't scare them off. Have you opened any cavities yet, or are they still plugged? How many pair did you have last year? I start each year with about the same number around 11-12 martins, I cannot do next checks, I'm unable to lower my houses and I'm unable to climb much. ...

Our small southern MN town, Ceylon, pop 350 had a Community Day celebration with 2000 people attending, it was on Apr 11, usually right about when my Martin's arrive. I'm located right on main street, so lots of cars and machinery, since it's a machinery auction. I also have my starling resistant en...

Have purchased both the cresent shaped entrance and the "bat shaped" enttrances to adapt my previous round holes on my wooden houses with porches. I thought I might use some of each, I've read here that the "bat shaped" ones can take the Martin's awhile to use. I usually stuff so...

Well my husband made room for my new Martin (replacement) Houses in our garage. I know several of you treat with Sevin before storage, what is the ratio to use? I bought a ready to use Sevin spray on the label it says Carbaryl .126%, Other Ingredients 99.874%. Would this be safe to spray the way it ...