VIRGINIA MARTINEERS GET READY

Guest · Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:23 pm

HI Kathy
ONE PAIR, I WAS TOP DOG WHEN I HAD TWO PAIR, IT A GREAT FELLING. I HAD 6 PAIR LAST YEAR AND MY GOLD IS 15 PAIR THE YEAR IM JUST WAIT RIGHT NOW. I DO HAVE TO DO SOME WORK AT MY OTHER COLONY WEDSDAY TO GET READY, 40 GOURDS TO CLEAN OUT AND RENEST
LATER DENNIS

Carolyn C · Mon Mar 07, 2011 2:46 pm

Hello Virgianians!! I lived in Newport News for 22 years before moving to Texas in Sept. 09. We had our martin house up for most of those years and never had any luck. I always wondered if it might have been because of the ariel mosquito spraying the air force did about 2 times a year. Anyway, we put a PM house up last Feb. 2010, and have been thrilled to have martins every since. I'm addicted to martin watching!!

Nanette · Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:32 pm

Hello Fellow VA Landlords!

I have a colony in Woodbridge Va. of approx. 65 pairs. I have a T-14 and a SS-36 gourd system. My T-14 is home made (Kathy can attest my crying on the forum when I was trying to patina the copper roof!) as are 18 natural gourd cavities. The gourds are from Lance Wood's (Mr. Purple Martin Fielday) farm. Last year I put on 37 geolocators at my colony. The birds are identifiable with a purple numbered band on one leg and a fluorescent orange painted federal band on the other. If you happen to see one of these birds, PLEASE let me or the PMCA know!!!!! In addition, I have banded at several colonies in VA. The birds will have a purple numbered band on one leg and a painted (yellow, blue, red, pink, orange or green) federal band on the other. It would be great if one of them nests at your house! Please let me know!

Kathy in VA · Mon Mar 07, 2011 3:42 pm

Hey, Nanette! Great to hear from you! I wondered if you'd been having time to check the Forum. And great colony! (from your photo) I'm watching for some of your banded birds! Thanks for all your hard work in martin research!

Nanette · Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:11 pm

Thanks for letting me know about the post! Are you going to play the dawnsong again this year?

Kathy in VA · Mon Mar 07, 2011 4:39 pm

Dawnsong is already playing loud and clear!

Bill Pec · Mon Mar 07, 2011 5:58 pm

Nanette,
My pleasure to meet you. Very impressive home colony and research efforts.
I certainly will be watching for your banded birds. I'm sure a lot of us would be thrilled to locate and report one of the birds for you.
Bill

Hi Kathy in VA,
So it is you making all that racket with your dawn song CD.
Bill

Guest · Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:07 pm

I STARTED MINE THIS MORNING. JUST TO SEE IF I CAN CALL ONE DOWN.
JUST TALK TO ME SON, HE HAD 6 PAIR LAST YEAR FOR THE FIRST TIME AND HE SEEN ONE HIGH, TRYED TO TALK DOWN WITH CD WITH NO LUCK.BUT THEY ARE NEAR.
OH HI Nanette THANKS FOR ALL YOUR WORK. I HAD MET YOU AT MR. WOODS MARTIN DAYS BEFORE. NICE FOR YOU TO CHECK IN WITH US. PLEASE LET US KNOW WHEN YOUR MARTINS SHOW UP
DENNIS

Don~VA · Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:20 pm

Hi Kathy,
Thanks for posting-in on the thread. I remember how excited you were last year when we talked at the field day. After waiting so many years it was really wonderful that you finally started your own colony

I have been waiting for your post this year when your PM's return. After seeing the scout report I know yours will be back soon. Maybe we will take a ride back to Rocky Mount and S. Boston when most of the colonies return. Thanks for posting the date of this years Field Day as we hope to be there again. I did not take many pics last year but here is a link to the few I took. Hope it works as I have not tried to link to a Facebook album before:
http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=2 ... fbfe1ddc52

Dennis,
Thanks for pic. That's a good looking house and I have always admired them. I just might invest in one if I ever get some permanent residents. Hope you fill it up this year.

Guest · Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:36 pm

Don,

I am very close to you - across the river in Hollywood, MD. Have been trying for 3 years now. I also had a pair visit in 2009 but they did not stay. Maybe the same ones that visited you. Who knows!

A.J.

Don~VA · Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:36 pm

Hi Nanette,
That is a Beautiful set up you have! No wonder those PM's seem to just fly over or around my house. Now I know where they are heading

Sounds like you are putting a lot of time and effort towards the PM cause. Thanks for all your hard work! Best of Luck for a Great Season!

Don~VA · Mon Mar 07, 2011 6:47 pm

Hi A.J.
Yes we are close as I'm only about 9 miles across the Potomac. I don't understand it but, the visitors I had in 09 and 10 always came and returned to the northwest. I traveled all the roads in that direction but never found a colony. I'm way out in the country so it would not be difficult to drive right by a colony and not see it behind a woods line or large trees in the yard. Hope you get your first pair this year! Good Luck!

Bill Pec · Mon Mar 07, 2011 7:40 pm

Hey Virginia,
Here is a photo of my martin housing on our dock at Smith Mountain Lake.
Enjoy the passion.
The excitement builds,

Bill

Nanette · Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:16 pm

Hi Dennis, I think you should have a Purple Martin Field Day...or at least a Purple Martin Party!! My colony is 22 feet from my deck. We are on a hill so the deck is level with the housing. For the past 5 or 6 years, I have a "Meet the Martins Party". Last year when I invited all the group that helped with geolocator day it was a "You Have Already Met and Messed With the Martins Party"! I have it towards the end of the season when many of the birds are fledging young. It is quite the spectacle with all the fledglings coming home for the evening and trying to enter cavities which are heavily guarded by parents whose babies have not fledged. It is crazy loud for about 20 minutes. I usually have a hamburger bar and plenty of beer. It is a great time.

Bill, can I move into your martin housing?

Kathy, you are an inspiration to all the prospective VA landlords!!!

Don, There is also very little martin housing in my neck of the woods. Most housing I do see is inhabited with sparrows.

Kathy in VA · Mon Mar 07, 2011 9:26 pm

Nanette,
Wow! Thanks for the compliment! I'm trying! When somebody's as excited about martins as I am, I just can't contain myself! Hope to see you soon...maybe, if my colony grows large enough for you to come down and band 'em! I'm already doing nest checks for you...on my empty gourds...just kidding! Have a great season!

Bill Pec · Tue Mar 08, 2011 7:06 am

A Virginian Martineer get together sounds great. You can add my (our place) to the list of potential sites. Since it was the idea of Dennis I think he should have first dibs.

Nanette, there is an open invitation for you and any other Virginian martineer to come stay with us and enjoy Smith Mountain Lake. We even have enough room in our house so that you wouldn't have to stay in the martin house.

Bill

Bill Pec · Wed Mar 09, 2011 8:58 am

Hey Rasterman,
Which Mechanisville do you live in? Two are listed on the VA map.

Thanks,
Bill

Guest · Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:12 am

HEY GUYS AND GALS
LAST YEAR A HAD 6 PAIR. I WANT TO SHOW YALL THE 6 GOURDS THEY PICKED AND ORDER.
THE PICTURES MAY GO 6 TO 1.
SO I PUT THE NUMBER ON THE PICTURE.

1. NATURAL WITH ROUND HOLE
2. SUPER GOURD WITH ROUND HOLE
3. EXCLUDER II
4. EXCLUDER II
5. BIG BO-11
6. TROYER HORIZ.

LATER DENNIS

Bill Pec · Wed Mar 09, 2011 10:39 am

Hey Dennis,

Thanks for the photos. Interesting that they chose such a wide variety of gourds. Did you notice any preference related to direction the gourds were facing such as toward the pond, woods, open areas, compass direction, etc...?

Seems like your martin house hasn't been accepted and is nothing more than a gourd rack like mine.

Looks like you should have a lot of deer in those woods.

Bill

Guest · Wed Mar 09, 2011 11:42 am

YES BILL
I ONLY HAVE TWO FLY AWAYS.
OVER THE POND AND TOWARDS THE HOUSE.
THATS WHY MOST OF MY GOURDS FACE THAT DIRICTIONS.
TREE SWALLOWS STILL FLYING AROUND THE MORNING.
GOING TO CLEAN OUT MY OTHER COLONY TODAY.
ITS SELF RUN, BUT MARTINS DO WILL THERE BECAUSE THE COLONY IS SO OLD.
LATER DENNIS