Beat/ Give up

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

I have poured my heart out to do everything I could do to entice the martins for several years. Some two or three times two or three come, a couple did light, but soared away. The sparrows continue to be little devils, but have kept the house clean. My enjoyment looks like will be to drive by the neighbors when I leave out to run errands. Take a tour around the next street over. Thankful I do have blue birds.

[D'Nese]

Delma,

Don't give up!!!!! Gobbler T just recently posted success after 7 years.....7 years!!!!! Your time will come. Keep those little devils at bay, play that dawn song and say a prayer each day. They will find you eventually!

By the way, do you offer gourds? They seem to be a magnet when it come to martins?

[phldave]

I had another landlord recommend that to me, so last weekend I put 2 gourds on the bottom of my house; hope it works. The weather up here finally looks promising, talking 70's this weekend and all next week.

[Carlton]

You are able to have bluebirds because you kept the house sparrows under control. Continue that control and you will eventually get martins if your site is very open. I know how frustrating waiting can be. I went through that for YEARS but now have thirty something pair each spring in my backyard colony.

My satellite site sat unused for three years but on year four it enticed two nesting pair. They did not show up until well into May. See what happens now this spring.

On a lighter note Gobbler says the key is playing Country Music. Turn off that Rap Music and get with the Country. (smile)

Have my fingers crossed for you.

Carl

[James Strickland FL]

Delma if you take the hosues down you will never get martins. I waited for years and one day male showed and he later found a mate. It will happen as long you keep trying. Never give up!

[DornCounty]

hang in there... subbies have yet to really hit their peak. You could still get some this season.

[MamaBruff]

Come on now Delma, we wannabe Landlords have gotta keep trying! Like some folks have said, they didn't get their founding pair until MAY. I'm hangin' in there too, and even a little glad that I didn't have any PMs through all the cold wet weather that has persisted for weeks. Those dear souls had their hands full! But hopefully that weather has passed and the huge subbie wave is coming our way!

Also keep in mind that living in Tornado Alley, spring storms may displace PMs from their homes, and they will need a place to go. Hang in there dearie!

Mary

PS there is an unwritten law that once you have a PM house up, you may not remove it until after Sept 30. Mother Nature is watching!

[Matt@atx]

Hi Delma,

You are in a good state for Martins so don't give up. Martins seem to love Troyer Horizontal gourds so if you are offering a house, have a couple of these set up under it which may help.

This is an off topic question for you I have but I have been wondering since I have been reading your posts for the last few years here so I have to ask.
Would you happen to be Native American Indian?
I ask because of some of the words/language you have used in the past when you describe things, tell stories? just curious and I have no intention to offend you be it either.
I greatly admire American Indians and really like the way Oklahoma includes them in their state culture in different ways(unlike Texas).

[ChrisM]

Don't give up. I have a lot more this year because of Conley2 Horizontal Troyer gourds. It sure did the trick for me, and I also started placing oak leaves from last year, and straw, and I scrounged up pine needles in the gourds and apartments. Placing nesting material really worked, and I can always tell when a sparrow takes over because of the different material mixed in, so I remove all of it and replace with fresh. The sparrows are really on a rampage, and sparrow traps are ordered. Hope they get here before the sparrow eggs show up. A water source helps too. Had a rough year last year. The many martins this year has more than made up for it.

[Charles B]

Have you posted pictures of your site? Some of the people here might be able to give you some suggestions on making your site more inviting.

[DAVE]

. My friend in Willis Texas finally got his this year after trying for 22 years. So don't give up.
Dave

[Mark/OH]

Don't give up. I had a house up for over 7 years. wood get a visiter now and then. 2011 I had one pair stay and fledge 4. I was so excited. In 2012 I put up 4 super gourds under the house and got 5 pair and hoping for more this year.

[Gobbler T]

They are right and you know it Delma. I have watched a visitor or two for the last 5 years hoping one would stay. And with the snap of a finger the wait was over. It just takes one female. You can get a male anywhere!
Don't quit on us now!

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

Thanks to all my purple martin posting friends. Guess my patience wears out quickly. My neighbor friends seem to stick a house up and within days is covered with martins. As I mentioned after having to have a beautiful Bradford Pear tree removed I have a huge open area in the corner of my front yard and I thought surely would attract the martins. Have kept the sparrows junk removed , played the dawn song, and yep! guess I have in my heart prayed the martins would take up residence. I will be in Paris, Tex. tomorrow and think maybe I can find someone that will stock the gourds and get a couple. Know a Home Depot and Atwoods is located there and perhaps another place or two that might stock the gourds. Will give a try and again thanks to everyone for the encouragement. I have dreamed in my mind of sitting on my front porch with a cup of coffee and watching the beautiful martins with all their splendor. I have it all except the martins/ maybe there is still hope for me.

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Since 1976 I had been trying to get martins but didn't get a colony firmly established until 2008 although there was a nest in 1999 and another in 2006 that both fledged young. I now have a large colony. I believe the one thing I did that changed everything is that I removed tons of trees.

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

A couple of years ago one of my sons gave me a double decker martin house (plastic one that looks like a red barn) and until yesterday never entertained the idea to put it up. Bought a pole, cleaned the house up really good, will erect today and see what happens. Mentioned to my gentleman friend, the sparrows may say, Whooppe!! we can have fun now filling all those nests. Checked on the gourds while in Paris and not one place had all the system together, must have been a hot item this season. I have a martin house in the back yard that the bluebirds took over, but recently a starling has taken over, never see but one. Any ideas how to rid him? I live in city limits. thus fire arms are not allowed. I can merely walk up to a window, and he takes off, or open the door and he is gone. Of course returns in a few minutes. My kids are always telling me its difficult to buy for me, think I will put on the nice list, a complete gourd system for purple martins would be wonderful. They all live in Ft. Worth area, so would have access to availability. Christmas arrives not too far in advance of purple martin arrivals. Is this idea called
planning and thinking ahead?

[DelmaWhisenhunt]

Interesting that you make inquiry concerning my post. Thanks for being interested. No, I am not Indian, the closest I come to being Indian of any background, my great grandparents were full blood Cherokee. We do live in a location where many Choctaws are located and many are close friends. As for my post, stems from the fact that I am a country girl, love the outdoor life and freedom that comes from this type of setting, love to read, write, and to enjoy the simple things of life. So much is given to us freely, but sometimes we fail to take note of the wonderful gift. I have been obcessed with trying to become a purple martin landlord/maybe one day it will happen. My oldest son (a pharmacist) has been labeled as a day dreamer since early childhood. Think I know where he inherited the trait. Life isn't always smooth, lots of bumps along the way/ the other side of the coin brings much smooth sailing.

[Dave Reynolds]

I know it is tuff... but you have to still keep trying.. I have been trying for too many years then I can count now, but I know one day they will stay. When I hear about people that have tried for years and finally get a pair to stay, it make me want to keep trying. I feel your pain, hang in there because the rewards are worth it.

Dave