Hi, Debbie, and welcome to the martineering world! Here's a link to another thread discussing the TriTel pole, especially note the comments about strength during high winds. -- John
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... highlight=
New NC Landlord seeking advice
Hi Debbie and Anthony , welcome, you have come to the right place if you want to know evrything about martins. Your site looks good,I bet you will have some action this year. I am also waiting for my first birds. Good luck to you`s.
Ed
Ed
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omyakinback
- Posts: 16
- Joined: Fri Feb 03, 2012 3:59 pm
- Location: NC/Catawba
Today was my 1st post also after joining the forum. Like you am just getting started,looking forward to a great hobby. I also am a tar heel,living in Catawbs N.C. Small community between Hickory and Statesville. Just want to say good luck to you and yours. Keepin touch.
Good luck and welcome to a very addictive hobby. I'm not trying to burst your buble and I haven't had a Tri Tel pole, but have read many stories about them here over the years. I had a round telescopic pole and it was a nightmare. Those plastic gourds are going to be quite a load on a telescopic pole of any kind. I would venture to say there is a good chance it will get blown over in a storm due to the wind load plus the weight of the gourds. It can also come crashing down on your head if you try to do a nest check.
I would recommend something more substantial if you can afford to change it before birds arrive. You made a good move by using gourds.
I would recommend something more substantial if you can afford to change it before birds arrive. You made a good move by using gourds.
High quality plastic gourds with porched, tunnelled SREH are Martin magnets.
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dhjohnson
- Posts: 478
- Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Clayton
- Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy
Hello to All,
I am totally blown away by the many well wishers and great advice. For the NC landlords, I do plan to attend the February 18, meeting in Raleigh and look forward to meeting other enthusiasts. Your welcome comments have helped ease my mind a bit about our site.
Looking forward to the 2012 season and wishing everyone great success
Debbie
I am totally blown away by the many well wishers and great advice. For the NC landlords, I do plan to attend the February 18, meeting in Raleigh and look forward to meeting other enthusiasts. Your welcome comments have helped ease my mind a bit about our site.
Looking forward to the 2012 season and wishing everyone great success
Debbie
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Welcome to the forum.
You have a nice open site, perfect for martins.
There are several things you can use for predators.
bird netting, metal guards attached to the pole, PVC pipe, electric fence chargers and for owls the curved prongs or 2x4 fence cages. I use 6"x4' pvc pipe with electric fence wrapped around the pvc.
Ray
You have a nice open site, perfect for martins.
There are several things you can use for predators.
bird netting, metal guards attached to the pole, PVC pipe, electric fence chargers and for owls the curved prongs or 2x4 fence cages. I use 6"x4' pvc pipe with electric fence wrapped around the pvc.
Ray
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Bob Fraser
- Posts: 108
- Joined: Wed Jun 15, 2011 2:39 pm
- Location: North Carolina/Camden
Debbie - I had an S&K pole up last year - with one rack of gourds (6) plus I wired another two gourds onto the pole. All 8 of those gourds had nesting pairs that raised many babies (I didn't do nest checks or anything).
Preparing for this year, I debated adding the second rack of gourds, but decided to go ahead and invest in a more heavy duty setup for this year. I purchased a Gemini system and set it up for this year.
The reason I decided not to add 6 more gourds to that pole was because the 8 I had on there last year had me pretty nervous during extremely windy weather. When the wind started howling (especially at night), I'd worry about the rack. I know I'd be very concerned about 12 gourds on that pole.
If nothing else, what I'd do if I were you - If you know a storm system is on it's way, drop the top section down into the section below it. It will strengthen the pole and also give a little less wind resistance. If you have occupants, they'll tolerate you doing this.
And, keep in mind - you won't always be around when a storm pops up - so... You may want to consider - especially if you have nesting pairs, to permanently drop that top section inside the one below it. It will make the pole stronger and less subject to the wind.
If you have any questions or whatever, feel free to pm me.
Bob..
Preparing for this year, I debated adding the second rack of gourds, but decided to go ahead and invest in a more heavy duty setup for this year. I purchased a Gemini system and set it up for this year.
The reason I decided not to add 6 more gourds to that pole was because the 8 I had on there last year had me pretty nervous during extremely windy weather. When the wind started howling (especially at night), I'd worry about the rack. I know I'd be very concerned about 12 gourds on that pole.
If nothing else, what I'd do if I were you - If you know a storm system is on it's way, drop the top section down into the section below it. It will strengthen the pole and also give a little less wind resistance. If you have occupants, they'll tolerate you doing this.
And, keep in mind - you won't always be around when a storm pops up - so... You may want to consider - especially if you have nesting pairs, to permanently drop that top section inside the one below it. It will make the pole stronger and less subject to the wind.
If you have any questions or whatever, feel free to pm me.
Bob..
PMCA member
2011 - 8 pair
2012 - 31 pair full house no more room at the inn.
as of 5/31 83 babies 63 eggs. Wound up with 173 fledged.
2013 - 35 pair around 200 fledged.
2018 - 80 pairs 420 fledged
I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
2011 - 8 pair
2012 - 31 pair full house no more room at the inn.
as of 5/31 83 babies 63 eggs. Wound up with 173 fledged.
2013 - 35 pair around 200 fledged.
2018 - 80 pairs 420 fledged
I intend to live forever. So far, so good.
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Kathy in VA
- Posts: 209
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2010 8:24 am
- Location: Virginia/Scottsburg
- Martin Colony History: It took me 11 years to get martins. It finally happened in 2010! Been going strong, ever since! I have a 12-gourd rack, full and overflowing!! I love this hobby!
dhjohnson (Debbie), so glad you are coming to the Feb. 18th meeting of the North Carolina Purple Martin Society! Looking forward to meeting you there. (I will have a gift for you!--do you like surprises?!) However, the place has been changed...read on...
And to everyone else, since some of you other North Carolinians said you are also planning to attend the meeting, I wanted to make sure everyone heard about the location change. The meeting will now be held at Courtney's home. In case you missed the recent post where Courtney shared the revised information, here is the correction at the end: http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21231
She needs to hear from those who are coming and she will give you her address when you contact her. Since I mentioned the NCPMS meeting earlier in this thread, I felt an obligation to let you all know there had been a change.
Thanks for your flexibility.
And to everyone else, since some of you other North Carolinians said you are also planning to attend the meeting, I wanted to make sure everyone heard about the location change. The meeting will now be held at Courtney's home. In case you missed the recent post where Courtney shared the revised information, here is the correction at the end: http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=21231
She needs to hear from those who are coming and she will give you her address when you contact her. Since I mentioned the NCPMS meeting earlier in this thread, I felt an obligation to let you all know there had been a change.
Thanks for your flexibility.
Kathy in VA
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Your site looks very nice, and good luck...My only recommendation is to get a better pole, or cut down on the number of gourds, especially when a storm is coming. The pole is like the foundation of a house, it needs to be very good to avoid heartaches like I had when I started (broken poles, houses and gourds on the ground).
The tritel pole is a lightweight pole, designed for lightweight houses mostly, and is very good for lightweight setups, and easy to raise and lower or move.. I think that you put too many gourds on it.
The tritel pole is a lightweight pole, designed for lightweight houses mostly, and is very good for lightweight setups, and easy to raise and lower or move.. I think that you put too many gourds on it.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps