Pompano Beach, FL condo setup

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Carlton
Posts: 1959
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.

I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.


At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.

At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.

My friend John and I set up two modified Trio houses on the grounds of our condo here in Pompano Beach, FL. The condo association paid for the houses and poles and we installed them. I did purchase the SREH myself as the houses came with the old keyhole entrances. I also added a decoy to one house and some bamboo perches.

We wanted to put the predator guards higher but with the Safety System ropes it just did not work out. The rope on the side of the predator guard would just allow the creature to climb on past the guard and there was no way to feed the rope through the guard without making the rope vunerable to being cut on the metal. Also, the rope needs to be pulled WAY out sideways in order to unlock the lanyard device.

We have never seen any climbing predators here but of course that does not mean they are not around. Maybe I should add a net snake guard if we actually get some martins staying in the houses. We shall see what happens. This area does not have a wealth of martins but it seems like a good area with all the canals, open space and lakes.

Carl
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Courtney-NC
Posts: 592
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:28 pm
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Martin Colony History: 2009-2015-Helped to manage Raleigh site, 36 cavities
2016- 33 pairs at Raleigh site, 1 pair at home site.
2017- 34 pairs at Raleigh site, 3 pairs + extra SYs at home site
2018- 33 pairs at Raleigh site, 5 pairs + extra SYs at home site
2019 - 32 pairs at Raleigh site, 7 pairs at home site, 2 pairs at new Holly Springs park site

I had that exact predator guard on a bluebird house pole. It was hung low like that as well. The raccoons had no trouble climbing on it and up the pole. The evidence was obvious. They ate all my newly hatched bluebird babies. :x
I hope that doesn't happen to you, but be watchful!
-Courtney
-------------------
NC Purple Martin Society (PMCA affiliate)
http://www.ncpurplemartin.org
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Carlton
Posts: 1959
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.

I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.


At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.

At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.

I am sorry to hear about the raccoon attack and the loss of your bluebirds. Have you tried the 6 inch pvc pipe around your stake/pole? Might work.

Maybe some readers will give me some ideas about using this predator guard on a Trio Grandma type house with the Safety System ropes and all.

Carl
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flyin-lowe
Posts: 3792
Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
Location: Indiana/Henry Co.

I can almost tell you with 100% certainty that in that environment and that close to water you do have predators that will climb a pole. You might not see them but I bet they are there. It is hard to tell from the picture but the top of that style predator guard needs to be 48 inches above the ground to be effective. I am not sure but I think 4 inch is the absolute minimum and I think 6 inch would be better to keep a snake from being able to make his way up that pole. Nice looking site though.
2026 HOSP 29
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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Carlton
Posts: 1959
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.

I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.


At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.

At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.

What predator guard should I use on this MSS-8 Safety System with the lanyard rope device?

Maybe some of you have used this system and found a satisfactory predator guard.
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James Strickland FL
Posts: 2249
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
Location: Reidsville NC
Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair

:grin: Very nice Carlton
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Carlton
Posts: 1959
Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.

I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.


At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.

At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.

Thanks James.

I HOPE we can lure some martins down into Broward.
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pugsleyhall
Posts: 268
Joined: Tue Mar 09, 2010 4:28 pm
Location: Alabama/Grant

Carl,

Beautiful place and your set up looks great. I hope the Purple Martins come, the folks there would really enjoy seeing them up close. Good luck and don't forget the sunscreen :wink:

Melissa
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James Strickland FL
Posts: 2249
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
Location: Reidsville NC
Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair

I sure we can get some here in Broward. I have not seen any martins yet, but I am still hoping for them to show up any day. Today it is cold outside and Cloudy.
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M.Stephens
Posts: 1130
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: Texas/Texarkana

Hey Carlton I like what you're doing in Florida! Sites look like good and open.
This should be what you're looking for http://chuckspurplemartinpage.com/predgard.htm
Malcolm
2015 (110 nesting pair)
2014 (92 nesting pair)
2013 (75 nesting pair)
2012 (35 nesting pair)
2011 (20 pair)
____________
PMCA Member
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Julio
Posts: 876
Joined: Wed Mar 07, 2007 8:37 am
Location: Pembroke Pines, FL

Great setup Carl, i was hoping on setting up something like this a year back. I have no time with school and work, so i donated my spare housing to a new landlord. I figured the effect will be the same, the setup looks great just watch out for starlings, excluders 2 maybe after the site becomes established. Oh and the snake netting is a great idea i just caught a pretty nasty rat snake, sucker bit me 2 times ha ha.
"We can judge the heart of man by his treatment of animals." - Immanual Kant.

https://plus.google.com/u/0/+JulioPrado954/posts
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teridickinson
Posts: 227
Joined: Tue Feb 17, 2009 10:05 am
Location: Texas/Lake Palestine

Carlton wrote:What predator guard should I use on this MSS-8 Safety System with the lanyard rope device?

Maybe some of you have used this system and found a satisfactory predator guard.
They are more expensive but the removable aluminum guards are great because you can buckle them on above the winch. I put my winches really low so I can reach the top of the guards (and the houses when they are down) but if your winches are high, you might need a little step stool to get the guards on and off above the winches.

Teri
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