A Purple Martin Has Arrived!
Hey Steve, I guess I missed your post, congratulation! I have had my grandson for a fews weeks and have not been able to read a lot of post. A ASY male showed up at my place this morning he is beautiful, your girl is beautiful to! Do you keep your house closed off until they get here? I always open mine around the end of Jan. But then the BB want to claim everything. I have always been afraid they would get here and their homes would not be open. How do you do it?
April McClelland
PMCA Member
PMCA Member
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Donnie Hurdt MN
- Posts: 1723
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:14 pm
- Location: North Prairie, MN
Glad to hear your and Bobs season has started Steve. I hope there will be no more problems with dissapearing housing this year and your year will be enjoyable to you and Bob.
PMCA member and Martin fanatic....
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows.
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest
2019 Same old story................
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows.
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest
2019 Same old story................
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Hey April,
I just read your post about the arrival of your first martin. Wonderful news!
In the past, I raised and opened everything by mid-January to make sure that the first martin would have his/her cavity available. That method works for me.
The bluebirds did temporarily move in and roost in the gourds. But when the martins arrive in good numbers they always drive the bluebirds out and back to their single unit houses.
This year I waited to see which gourd rack or house the first martin went to. Well, a female arrived first and she perched on top of my lowered 24 Super System. I raised that rack and she roosted in one of the Troyer gourds.
Now more martins are arriving daily so I am raising all my housing (I still need to finish up two new gourd racks to replace my two Goliads.). I notice that the martins will often fly down to "their" lowered gourd rack/house and let me know they are ready to move in! This morning two male martins did this and I raise their racks and they moved right in. Last evening, I noticed a male martin diving down toward one of Bob's lowered Trio Castles. He had one Castle up but the martin would not go to it. So I raised the "correct" Castle and the martin immediately entered a compartment.
You could probably just raise one system earlier to make sure you have something available in case an early martin shows up. Though martins tend to "look" for their cavity from the previous season, they will roost in something else. However, "gourd" martins tend to look for gourds and "house" martins tend to look for houses.
Steve
I just read your post about the arrival of your first martin. Wonderful news!
In the past, I raised and opened everything by mid-January to make sure that the first martin would have his/her cavity available. That method works for me.
The bluebirds did temporarily move in and roost in the gourds. But when the martins arrive in good numbers they always drive the bluebirds out and back to their single unit houses.
This year I waited to see which gourd rack or house the first martin went to. Well, a female arrived first and she perched on top of my lowered 24 Super System. I raised that rack and she roosted in one of the Troyer gourds.
Now more martins are arriving daily so I am raising all my housing (I still need to finish up two new gourd racks to replace my two Goliads.). I notice that the martins will often fly down to "their" lowered gourd rack/house and let me know they are ready to move in! This morning two male martins did this and I raise their racks and they moved right in. Last evening, I noticed a male martin diving down toward one of Bob's lowered Trio Castles. He had one Castle up but the martin would not go to it. So I raised the "correct" Castle and the martin immediately entered a compartment.
You could probably just raise one system earlier to make sure you have something available in case an early martin shows up. Though martins tend to "look" for their cavity from the previous season, they will roost in something else. However, "gourd" martins tend to look for gourds and "house" martins tend to look for houses.
Steve
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Craig Haddox
- Posts: 444
- Joined: Sun Mar 14, 2004 5:13 pm
- Location: Missouri Washington
Steve, congratulation's on your arrivals! I should start seeing my first arrivals around the middle of March. Good luck this year.
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Steve Kroenke
- Posts: 4342
- Joined: Fri Nov 28, 2003 6:49 pm
- Location: Louisiana/Logansport
Donnie,
We have been working on our satellite colonies and have placed a lock on the winch for one system at Lowes where the theft occurred in 2008. Hopefully that will at least deter any thieves for that system.
I certainly hope you will attract martins this year. I know you have tried and worked hard to get them.
Steve
Craig,
Thanks man!
The martins appear to be returning a little early this season and we have more now at this time than we did in 2008.
I hope you have a wonderful purple martin season in 2009.
Steve
We have been working on our satellite colonies and have placed a lock on the winch for one system at Lowes where the theft occurred in 2008. Hopefully that will at least deter any thieves for that system.
I certainly hope you will attract martins this year. I know you have tried and worked hard to get them.
Steve
Craig,
Thanks man!
The martins appear to be returning a little early this season and we have more now at this time than we did in 2008.
I hope you have a wonderful purple martin season in 2009.
Steve