Well, I did it - Super System 24 up and taking customers!

KathyF · Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:30 pm

After raising 4 new gourd racks with 4 new landlords this year and deciding that my, "I'll add more when I retire" was still over 10 years away, I decided to bite the bullet and raise a new gourd rack for myself! It's a Super System 24, and so far, I LOVE it! it's a 3" sq. pole, and only 2 levels of gourds. I am only 5'3 and having only 2 levels is perfect for me so I won't have to carry around a step stool to do nest checks on this rack!!!

Now I just need a volunteer to do nest checks on these additional 24 gourds.

These pictures were taken 15 minutes after *IT* went up!

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc33 ... G_5503.jpg

http://i524.photobucket.com/albums/cc33 ... G_5498.jpg

Chriscreole · Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:44 pm

YEAH!, Congratulations, your going to love it and I see you already have Martins!

rrmartins · Sun Apr 22, 2012 5:51 pm

Beautiful site, you do amazing work with our martins. Thank you for all your great support.

JL Murray · Sun Apr 22, 2012 6:39 pm

Nice Rack!

eyeamtheman · Sun Apr 22, 2012 7:22 pm

Looks good Kathy.

Emil Pampell-Tx · Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:00 pm

I think that you will really like that equipment, they make good products.

NancyinEnidOK · Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:28 pm

Lovely rack! I see that it took them no time at all to start moving in!

MDavis · Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:59 pm

I also love that rack. Your weather looked wet and windy though.
Do you have much experience with those Troyer gourds?

tonyg · Mon Apr 23, 2012 1:45 am

Looking good Kathy!!! Super Colony here you come!!!

KathyF · Mon Apr 23, 2012 6:51 am

MDavis wrote:I also love that rack. Your weather looked wet and windy though.
Do you have much experience with those Troyer gourds?

Hi Mike - it was windy all day, then started raining right after I raised the rack.

Yes, I have 48 Troyer horizontal gourds with the Conley 2 entrances on 2 other racks also. I really like them. I decided to go with these veriticals to provide some variety. And so far, I haven't had any starling breaches - they must make the starlings a bit bigger here in MO.

D'Nese · Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:01 am

Nice rack Kathy, I also love your pond....is it man made? Where did you get the rack? We have the 2 t14's and think that might be enough for a couple years but I want to put up just one gourd rack and this one looks perfect....couple of levels is all you need. I'm sure it will fill up nicely at your place quicK!!!

Tim Mangan-Kansas · Mon Apr 23, 2012 7:35 am

Kathy:

I am jealous. That is the same gourd rack I have, albeit without martins. I had this rack at our other house and the nest checks were easy. Although a very minor point, you might want to reverse the order of your gourds. You have the access port on the eight inside gourds facing the pole. I also did this when I first set up the rack. I found if I reversed the gourds so the access port faced away from the pole the checks were easier to conduct.

Tim

KathyF · Mon Apr 23, 2012 9:37 am

Tim Mangan-Arkansas wrote:Kathy:

I am jealous. That is the same gourd rack I have, albeit without martins. I had this rack at our other house and the nest checks were easy. Although a very minor point, you might want to reverse the order of your gourds. You have the access port on the eight inside gourds facing the pole. I also did this when I first set up the rack. I found if I reversed the gourds so the access port faced away from the pole the checks were easier to conduct.

Tim

Tim - oh my gosh!!! Thank you! Good point! I made a rookie mistake and assembed all the arms before I mounted them. I realized when I stepped back that I didn't like the arrangement, but then it started to rain, so I decided to wait until today to decide what to do. I'm so thankful you pointed that out! I also realized, when I tried to tell hubby where a pair had already moved in, that I had forgotten to number them. Too much excitement in one day I guess!

Thanks for the tip - going to move them now!

Ed Pace · Mon Apr 23, 2012 11:15 am

The rack looks nice in that setting and seems to be working also.
Have a good season. Ed.

MDavis · Tue Apr 24, 2012 12:00 am

Kathy
Took a while to get back with ya but about those gourds...
Do you see any preference by chance to them our your other gourds ( Troyer vertical horizontal supergourds etc.) or whatever you may have. Thanks for your time

Jeff Robinson · Tue Apr 24, 2012 5:56 am

Great looking setup Kathy, especially with that pond in the background. You're going to be gangbusters when the mass of subbies start showing. I experienced the same type of activity just minutes after raising my Gemini - mighty curious, our martins are, and I already have several gourds occupied on the Gemini.

Do you have any subbie females yet? I know you report the male arrivals, and haven't seen a report from you yet? I have one subbie female that arrived last Wednesday.

Jeff

KathyF · Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:50 am

D'Nese wrote:Nice rack Kathy, I also love your pond....is it man made? Where did you get the rack? !!!

Sorry, I overlooked your questions D'Nese. Yes, the pond is man-made. I got the rack from Troyer's Bird Paradise.

Thanks - I have 5 pair moved in to the new gourds / rack already!

KathyF · Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:53 am

MDavis wrote:Kathy
Took a while to get back with ya but about those gourds...
Do you see any preference by chance to them our your other gourds ( Troyer vertical horizontal supergourds etc.) or whatever you may have. Thanks for your time

Hi - No, not really. I have only Troyer horizontals and Troyer verticals and the Trendsetter house. The house fills up first - my guess is because it was the first thing that went up at this site (after I threw out my old S&K house), but I really see no difference between the gourd types. When I still had round holes on some of my gourds, I *DID* see a preference for those gourds with the Conley 2 entrances ...those always filled up before the round holes. Thought that was odd, yet cool too.

KathyF · Tue Apr 24, 2012 6:55 am

Jeff Robinson wrote:Great looking setup Kathy, especially with that pond in the background. You're going to be gangbusters when the mass of subbies start showing. I experienced the same type of activity just minutes after raising my Gemini - mighty curious, our martins are, and I already have several gourds occupied on the Gemini.

Do you have any subbie females yet? I know you report the male arrivals, and haven't seen a report from you yet? I have one subbie female that arrived last Wednesday.

Jeff

Thanks, Jeff.

I thought I saw a subbie female yesterday, but I had to go to work, so I didn't get time to watch closely. Definitely no sub-males yet. You're right about gangbusters when they arrive!!