Good Video of How to Feed Purple Martins

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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

I want to emphasize a very good point about the need to feed. It is not necessarily just for cold weather, but any weather that reduces natural insect flight. Long periods of rain and windy days, also reduce insect flight. As you know, Purple Martins normally eat only flying insects. Rarely are they seen foraging for food on the ground. From what I read from other landlords and see in my own backyard, when martins are on the ground, they are seen collecting nest material.

This is good stuff, because as I type this, I remember reading these points. I will pay more attention this year when we have rainy days that last 3 days or more. .... Even if it is warm outside.
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

Here is another Great Video by
bruntdog Tim.
Good Job Tim !!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TdbY1Rn_hwg
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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Guest

Thank you Larry Melcher! I have successfully fed our Martins during this very cold and windy winter season in Daytona Beach. They caught on very quickly...probably because they were so hungry...while waiting for the crickets to arrive, I was flinging scrambled egg and they even took that. Great video....and many thanks.
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

jeanit,
I am glad this helped you out. I make these video's for my public martin talks and am glad to have this so other landlords can benefit. It is the martins who benefit from all of us freely sharing what we have learned.

I have 3 martins back now... my second day of martins returning this spring and 3,000 crickets ready for me and Emily to fling if needed !!
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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birdy girl
Posts: 1179
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
Location: Mississippi/Dumas

That is a great video of feeding martins. Hopefully many landlords will see this and try feeding their martins in cold,rainy weather. Great teaching tool.
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The Olsons
Posts: 3200
Joined: Mon Feb 12, 2007 12:57 pm
Location: North Padre Island, TX

TOOOT TOOOT, I always loved your video Larry and the way this winter is going I think many martins need supplemental feeding and many new landlords do not know how to get the little guys to eat.

Your video is a great teaching tool...TOOT TOOT :wink:
Love it or leave it~~~Astrid :-)
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Carolyn C
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:45 am
Location: Georgetown, TX

Toot, toot, toot!!!! What a great vidio! Where do you get the crickets? Are dead, dried, alive? I have some dried mealy worms that I might try to fling.
Carolyn
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

I buy my crickets on the internet in bulk and keep them alive in a plastic bottom half of a 55 gallon drum. I ran duct tape, just one strip, all the way around the inside of the drum. They climb up the side, but can't grip the duct tape.
When I'm ready to feed martins, I use the cardboard tube from empty TP rolls and paper towels... I just leave them in the drum. When I need crickets, I just pick up one of the cardboard tubes and shake the crickets out of them into a plastic ziplock bag. Crickets love to hide in the tubes. Then, place the bag of crickets in the freezer for about 10 minutes. It won't kill the crickets. When I use a feeder tray, as the lethargic crickets begin to warm and wiggle, the martins see them and eat from the tray.

This is just how I do it. Several landlords freeze the entire shipment of crickets and offer frozen crickets. I don't mind keeping them alive and like to offer crickets alive.
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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Carolyn C
Posts: 172
Joined: Thu Feb 10, 2011 9:45 am
Location: Georgetown, TX

Thanks Larry. One question----doesn't the sound of the crickets drive you crazy?????????? LOL :???:
Carolyn
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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

Larry's videos on feeding and other martin topics can be viewed on the PMCA's new youtube channel, which Larry set up for us - thanks, Larry! You continue to do so much to help martins through public education work and management demonstrations. We are so appreciate of your work on their behalf, and on behalf of the PMCA. We are glad to have Larry Melcher join our Board of Directors.

The PMCA's youtube channel is Purple Martin PMCA, http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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ROBINMOULIERE
Posts: 42
Joined: Wed Jan 30, 2013 5:00 pm
Location: Alexandria, Louisiana

Hi Larry! What a great video!! toot toot for you !! I enjoyed it so much!
Robin's Nest for purple martins in memory of Mr. Bands. (Mr. Bands came 2010 from New Jersey as a 2 year old. 2011, he CAME BACK TO US, but found dead inside a cavity at start of 2011 season.) 2010- 53 fledged, 2011- 75 fledged, 2012- 109 fledged. Using 2 28 Trendsetter units.
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