Martins in North Georgia

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1 Ron Vasser
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:26 pm
Location: Georgia/Rome

Hi folks... my season is under way with the arrival of three martins (two males & one female) yesterday. They caught me completely by surprise. I was at my shop getting my first T-14 ready to put on the pole when I got a call from a friend in Sugar Valley, GA that told me he had two martins at a colony I helped start 4 years back. As I was hanging up my wife was headed down the drive going to her horse barn and I was telling her Don has two martins when we both heard that unmistakable sound overhead. Well I'm looking out as I'm typing this morning and have two more martins perched on poles with no houses so I'm headed out to put up two more t-14s and 108 gourds. It's a celebration when they come home!
Wish you all the best and good luck,
Ron
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DornCounty
Posts: 2169
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
Location: Rural SE Kansas
Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi

congrats!
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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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

That's great news Ron... :lol: Have a good year
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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Joe Levins
Posts: 226
Joined: Sat Dec 11, 2004 7:56 pm
Location: Alabama/Wetumpka

Glad your martins arae back Ron, looking forward to some photos.
How is your shoulders and back?
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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

Great news, Ron - congratulations! Everyone is looking forward to more of your photography :grin:
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James Strickland FL
Posts: 2249
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
Location: Reidsville NC
Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair

:grin: Great New Ron and I look forward to see some more great pic this year from you.
PMCA MEMBER
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Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

Great report Ron!
Looking forward to some of your excellent photos!
Image
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Jeff Robinson
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 3:32 pm
Location: Rogersville, Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2008 - Current
72 Cavities - 70 Pairs in 2021
PM Mentor

Congratulations Ron - looking forward to your pictures!

Jeff
PMCA Member - Bedrock Colony
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Ed Pace
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:31 pm
Location: NY/Jamestown

Congratulations Ron ,they sure did catch you by surprise. I hope that weather down in your area goes north of you, good luck. Ed
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1 Ron Vasser
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:26 pm
Location: Georgia/Rome

DornCounty wrote:congrats!
Thank you DornCounty!
Dave Reynolds wrote:That's great news Ron... :lol: Have a good year
Dave
Thank you Dave and you also!
Joe Levins wrote:Glad your martins arae back Ron, looking forward to some photos.
How is your shoulders and back?
Hi Joe...Good to hear from you and hope you are well! Shoulder healed up real nice and I have full range of motion, back still troublesome at times but thank the Lord He lets me get up and go each day.
Louise Chambers wrote:Great news, Ron - congratulations! Everyone is looking forward to more of your photography :grin:
Hi Louise...Good to hear from you and maybe I can post a decent photo soon.
James Strickland FL wrote::grin: Great New Ron and I look forward to see some more great pic this year from you.
Hi James....Hope you are well, I'll tell Dwain I heard from you.
Matt F. wrote:Great report Ron!
Looking forward to some of your excellent photos!
Hi Matt...Hope thing are well in Houston! good to hear from you!
Jeff Robinson wrote:Congratulations Ron - looking forward to your pictures!
Jeff
Thank you Jeff!
Ed Pace wrote:Congratulations Ron ,they sure did catch you by surprise. I hope that weather down in your area goes north of you, good luck. Ed
Thanks Ed and wow did I get caught! I got the 2 remaining T-14s up and the rain started at 2:30PM but my wife and i put up one of the 24 gourd racks because on the last T-14 we had 26 martins come in. Best we could count + or -.

A favorite of mine from the past. She's so wonderful I like to think she's my first female each year!
Image
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Connie
Posts: 441
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:05 pm
Location: WALKER, LOUISIANA
Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied.
Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.

Oh
WOW!!!! That is a beautiful picture. Thank you so much for posting it.
Connie
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James Strickland FL
Posts: 2249
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
Location: Reidsville NC
Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair

:grin: Thanks for relaying the message. I hope he is doing well.
PMCA MEMBER
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diane davis-ms
Posts: 131
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 8:29 am
Location: Baxterville, ms
Martin Colony History: Last colony I had was in 2015.

Congratulations Ron !! And I love your photos they are awesome!!!

~Diane ~
purple martin addict!
pmca member.
2015 sy's males here hoping for new colony!
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tonyg
Posts: 1520
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:16 pm
Location: Olpe, KS
Martin Colony History: 22 year landlord, 14 at current residence..offering 9 racks and a homemade T-8 for 166 total cavities. 160 Pair in 2018 Racks consist of a Deluxe 12, AAA 16, Starburst 16, 2 K-18 Series, Super 24, 2 Gemini, Multi-purpose/two trio’s/4gourds and a T-8..Great hobby to be involved in..

Great news Ron! Wanted to thank you for a tip off an old post on here about the cable lubricant ..sent a PM, maybe didnt see it...ordered a can of it, sounds like good stuff.
22 year landlord..9 Rack Systems for 2018 and my home built T-8 for a total of 166 cavities..160 pair in 2018 ..SUPER COLONY!!! Love You Bev... Fan of those St. Louis Cardinals!!!!!
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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.

It's wonderful to read your report Ron. It sounds like those martins are rushing you along this year so they are probably glad to be home at your place :) Like everyone, I am looking forward to seeing lots of your amazing photos this season. Best of Luck !!
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Ron,
That picture is really incredible! 2008 was just before my martin time. Now I can see what everyone is talking about. Thanks for reposting. Now I need to search your posts to see some more!
Deb
PMCA MEMBER
Pratt County, Kansas
2016 34 PAIR
2015 27 PAIR
2014 23 PAIR
2013 13 PAIR
2012 6 PAIR
2011 4 PAIR
2010 2 PAIR
2009 1 PAIR
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trisha
Posts: 427
Joined: Fri May 27, 2005 1:12 pm
Location: Texas/Burleson, south of Fort Worth

Congratulations Ron! I'm glad your martins are home. I too have missed your incredible photography and look forward to more. I'm also glad you are doing well health wise and hope you continue to do so. We have missed you!
Trisha


PMCA member
2019, 36 pair
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Harold Green
Posts: 44
Joined: Tue Jan 27, 2004 3:30 pm
Location: Georgia/excited

Ron, you got caught off guard just like I did. The earliest martins have come here was last year on the 17th of Feb. and I don't usually put my gourds up till about the middle of Feb. or a little later. Last Saturday mornibg a friend called and said he had seen a martin on his gourds early that morning. I rushed out and got all my gourds up about two oclock Sat. the 9th. About four oclock I happened to be out in the yard and here comes a pretty male and went in one of the gourds like he was home, which he was. Its been raining here for the last few days but he's still here, don't know if any more has slipped in or not.
Seems like they are getting earlier each year, hope they don't get caught in a cold spell and get in trouble.
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Dale D

Hi Ron,
Haven't talked to you for a while. Congratulations on your returning martins. Hope you have another great year.

Dale
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