Newbie in Central Virginia

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Tim in VA
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:29 am
Location: Virginia/South Prince George

Want to say thanks for all the great Info contributed here on the forum and from the PMCA. It has allowed me to finally attract Martins after 22 years of trying. As of March 12th, we got a single pair of ASY martins roosting in one of our gourds. I think playing Dawn Song and Daytime Chatter has helped. Over the years we have made modifications to our housing and landscape. I have included some pics of our rack and the surrounding area. Thanks again, Tim
Attachments
View of Tim's gourd rack.
View of Tim's gourd rack.
PM-2012-Bendall-PG-Site 001.jpg (15.29 KiB) Viewed 6556 times
Another view
Another view
PM-2012-Bendall-PG-Site 002.jpg (15.48 KiB) Viewed 6556 times
Final view.
Final view.
PM-2012-Bendall-PG-Site 003.jpg (15.09 KiB) Viewed 6556 times
Tim
2014 - 36 gourds, 163 fledged, F.R. 83%
2013 - 18 gourds, 61 fledged, F.R. 87%
2012 - 14 gourds, 29 fledged, F.R. 74%
PMCA Member
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CraigMo.
Posts: 1480
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 12:30 pm
Location: Missouri/Lone Jack
Martin Colony History: Active since 2003

Thats great for you. Happy for you since you have been trying so long. Usually once you get a start, your colony should grow each year. Enjoy :grin:
Craig
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dancingirl76
Posts: 94
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 10:09 am
Location: Albia, IA

wow how wonderful to hear you have kept trying for so long! good luck!
dancingirl76
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Don~VA
Posts: 391
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:01 am
Location: Virginia/King George
Martin Colony History: Had a colony many years ago which dwindled over a couple of years and then did not return. Kept trying each year for almost 20 years and finally had a small success in 2011 with two pairs nesting. Colony has grown slowly each year with 22 pairs in 2015. In 2016 my gourd rack of 18 gourds filled up so I added 4 more gourds and then put up a small rack of 6 gourds. All of those were claimed within a few days so I believe I have at least 25 pairs this year.

Hi Tim and Welcome to the forum !! As I always say, its great to have another Virginian involved in the Purple Passion :grin: Wow, I thought I had been trying for a long time..... but 22 years ! I've only waited about 15 years for a little success but finally hosted one pair last year. Your site looks wonderful and I wish I had a landscape like that. Wishing you Much Success this season !
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
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Aaron H
Posts: 88
Joined: Tue May 03, 2011 3:29 pm
Location: Alabama/Florence

Tim that is a great looking setup you have their, I bet your gourds
will fill up in no time with the set up you have.
I know how it is to wait so long to enjoy a colony. But it sure is worth
the wait when you get a start,
I wish you the best of luck with your martins :)
1990 -2009 trying
2010 1 pair 2young fledged.
2011 1 pair, & 1 SY male...6 young hatched 5 fledged.
2012 1 pair...4 young fledged.
2013... Back to starting over...
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2441
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

Tim -- Good looking site.. You giving me some hope after you waited so long. Good Luck this year..
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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lcline85
Posts: 192
Joined: Tue Mar 20, 2012 3:22 pm
Location: Stuarts Draft, VA

welcome! I'm in central virginia as well. in the valley.

This is my first year trying and we are so anxious. I have seen them around at veteran landlords colonies and am just so jealous!
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dsonyay
Posts: 1677
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
Location: Louisiana/Broussard
Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.

2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)

2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.

2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged

2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(

2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.

2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.

hard to believe you couldn't attract them all this time with a big source of water and clear open area. Congrats!

You have a great looking site.
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Laverne
Posts: 2216
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: TX/Alvin
Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.

Congratulations, Tim! And there's no better magnet for more Purple Martins than a resident pair of Purple Martins. Good luck for lots more!
Sincerely,
Laverne
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Tim in VA
Posts: 38
Joined: Mon Mar 19, 2012 8:29 am
Location: Virginia/South Prince George

My excitement of a future colony was short lived. My ASY pair spent only eight days and now are nowhere to be seen. Could not immediately tell why. There was no trauma to the gourds, no sparrows sighted etc. Till yesterday, then I spotted a smaller yellow beak going in and out of the Conley II entrances on numerous gourds. It was taking all kinds of leaves, sticks, etc into them. There was a second larger starling with the first one that could only look in the entrances. I was able to eliminate the smaller Starling, but missed the larger one. It appears a S & S Controller may be in my future. There should be plenty of time left this year to attract more Martins. I am currently playing the Dawnsong from 4 AM to 10 AM, then the Day time Chatter plays from 11 AM til 7 PM. I believe it was Emil who stated, it helps to attract them but it does not make them stay. Oh how I wish it did.
I appreciate all of your kind responses to my post.
Tim
2014 - 36 gourds, 163 fledged, F.R. 83%
2013 - 18 gourds, 61 fledged, F.R. 87%
2012 - 14 gourds, 29 fledged, F.R. 74%
PMCA Member
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Guest

HI Tim Bendall-VA
CAN YOU SHOOT ME A E-MAIL
LIKE TO TALK TO YOU
THANKS DENNIS
POWHATAN, VA.

[email protected]
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Bill Pec
Posts: 545
Joined: Tue Apr 27, 2010 9:21 am
Location: Smith Mountain Lake, Moneta, Virginia
Martin Colony History: 2010- 2 pr. Fledged 6
2011- 20 pr. Fledged 75
2012- 35 pr. Fledged 143
2013- 37 pr. Fledged 153
2014- 40 pr. Fledged 198
2015- 40 pr. Fledged 183
2016- 42 pr. Fledged 189
2017- 42 pr. Fledged 168
2018- 43 pr. Fledged 172
2019- 43 pr. Fledged 193
2020 -44 pr. Fledged 181
2021 -43 pr. Fledged 184
2022 - 40 pr. Fledged 160
2023 - 39 pr. Fledged 151
2024 - 40 pr. Fledged 154

Tim,

Nice setup and location. Glad to find another Virginian to share local information with.
Only the tip of the northern migration has reached VA and most of those birds are heading for established colonies where they nested last year. So don't get discouraged. Your best chance of establishing a new colony in Virginia will come in April and May when the main bulk of the migrating martins will arrive in our area. To date, only a small percentage of the birds I am expecting to return have returned. After the initial group of martins arrived three weeks early the appearance of new birds has drastically slowed in my area. I'm expecting the next big shot of migrants in early April. The martins in the eastern half of the state usually arrive sooner than they do in my area. I live between Lynchburg and Roanoke.
My best to you,

Bill
THE MORE ONE LEARNS THE MORE ONE SEES! While the ignorant person sees only a blackbird the enlightened person sees a Purple Martin.

2010- 2 pr. 6 fledged, + many visitors
2011- 20 pr. 75 fledged,
2012- 35 pr. 143 fledged
2013- 37 pr. 153 fledged
2014- 40 pr. 198 fledged
2015- 40 pr. 183 fledged
2016- 42 pr. 189 Fledged
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