BAM! I'm a NEW LANDLORD for real!

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MamaBruff
Posts: 1466
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:21 pm
Location: SW Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.

What flipped the switch? After the sun came out at noon, my pair started gathering cypress mulch twigs off the ground... and copulating! On one of their sorties, they must have told all their PM neighbors what they were up to... There were as many as 8 swarming over my site, in and out of all the compartments and gourds. The SY pair suddenly started carrying in some twigs too, and a lone ASY-M has appeared, claimed a gourd. Of course, he tries to get friendly with the founding girl while she is gathering twigs, but founding boy sez NO WAY and runs him off!

I can not tell you how giddy and happy I am; this is a dream I have carried since I was a young girl. You know that feeling when you are in love, hold your own baby, get your first car, or see the ocean or mountains for the first time? Like champagne bubbles all bursting inside you? Happy Dance! Not reserved like Evan Almighty, but cut loose like Fresh Prince! WOO HOO!

(Yes this girl has lost it, went right over the edge!)

Thanks everyone for your encouragement! I know there is still much to learn, and I'll keep pestering you.
Mary

My founding Lady (or maybe not- good eye there, LTree! But I thk it is a girl, her neck is lighter, and my SYM has a lot more blotches on his breast) :)
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Hard at work
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Last edited by MamaBruff on Sat Jun 01, 2013 2:25 am, edited 2 times in total.
~Mary B~

Lifelong PM Admirer and Nature Enthusiast.
Ruthless trapper of S&S year round.
2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.
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Curtis Reil
Posts: 119
Joined: Mon Apr 29, 2013 7:51 pm
Location: Alberta/Tofield
Martin Colony History: I inherited this colony when I purchased the property from my Great Uncle. To the best of my knowledge, he had hosted Martins since 1977. Housing consisted of three twelve compartment units that he had built. Small compartments, round holes and no way to lower for managing. There were maybe 6-8 pairs here when we moved in. Through reading up on information provided by the PMCA and that provided to me by Bob Buskas, the decision was made to upgrade the housing. We are now fully switched over to North Star houses and hosted 58 pairs this season(2017). 60 compartments open for business and being so close to 100% occupancy, I believe we may expand housing offered next season. Expansion will continue contingent to high occupancy, being able to keep up on management and or until it starts to feel like work.

Congrat's MB!!!
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~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

Congrats! Great news
~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
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DornCounty
Posts: 2169
Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
Location: Rural SE Kansas
Martin Colony History: .
.
Trio-Jedi

nice!!
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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Leandortree
Posts: 130
Joined: Tue Jan 11, 2011 4:10 pm
Location: Saskatchewan/Grenfell

Mama,
Congratulations on the start of your colony, the photo you are showing as your founding lady, is a SY male, I think ?

How ever if you seen them copulating , I guess I'm wrong, the fog don't help from my view :oops:
Saskatchewan "The land of living skies"
Leandortree colony
2012-46 pair 200+ Fledged
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Elaine
Posts: 7
Joined: Wed May 08, 2013 2:11 pm
Location: Fayette, MO

Congrats, Very happy for you!
PMCA Member
2012: 6 pair nested, 16 fledged
2008: first year hosting martins
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Keith
Posts: 435
Joined: Mon Mar 16, 2009 2:45 pm
Location: Missouri/Ava
Martin Colony History: 85 pair in 2020. Seems fairly consistent the last few years.

(Alright) Another Mo. landlord. Congrats and sure hope they prove successful.
Keith
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KathyF
Posts: 3522
Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
Location: Missouri/Licking
Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.

Mary, Congratulations!!!! You are obviously going to make a wonderful purple martin grandma. 8) :wink: :lol:

Looks like an SY female but it is so very hard to tell -- either way, you're a landlord!! WOOT!!! 8)

Love your Trendsetter. :wink:
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
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Gary W
Posts: 431
Joined: Tue May 15, 2007 7:29 am
Location: Florida/Pinellas Park

Congratulations, on being a new landlord! Next year you'll get a lot more!

Gary
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phldave
Posts: 528
Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:44 pm
Location: Iowa/Pleasant Hill
Martin Colony History: Started trying in 2012 and still trying

Mama,

I'm so happy (and jealous) things finally worked out for you. Enjoy and take good care of them, as I know you will. I hope this is a sign that they are about to invade we hopefuls here in Iowa.

Dave
2012 late start
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
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Dave Duit
Posts: 2145
Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
Location: Iowa / Nevada
Martin Colony History: In 2024, 82 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.

I'm very happy for you. It brings me back to the same feeling I had when I had my first martin ever. Nice job and keep up the good landlord practices and hopefully your colony will grow leaps and bounds in the years to come.
ImageMite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
ImageIPMO LOGO1.jpg
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avesrun
Posts: 1127
Joined: Tue Apr 30, 2013 1:10 pm
Location: Iowa/West Des Moines
Martin Colony History: Home Site: 2017- 0
2016 - 1st pair, fledged 5
Satellite Site: 2017 (3rd season)
34 pair
Fledged- 102

Way to go MB! Getting your founding pair has to be absolutely one of the greatest joys of a lifetime. I respect you and every good landlord on this earth for your dedication toward nature and natural resources.
PMCA Member
Home Site: 2012-15 visitors
2016 - 1st pair, fledged 5
2017-18 Zero
2019- 3 Successful Pr
2020- 21pr, fledged 76
Satellite Site: 2014 - visitors
2015 - 2 pair fledged 9
2016 - 13 pair fledged 44
2017 - 31 pair fledged 118
2018 - 44 pair 163 fledged
2019- 49 pr 219 fledged
2020- 47 pr 209 fledged
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Ed Pace
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:31 pm
Location: NY/Jamestown

It could not of happend to a better Mama, happy for you.

Ed
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mvandyke
Posts: 11
Joined: Fri Mar 16, 2012 9:56 am
Location: Arkansas/pea ridge

Great news!
New to PMCC
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daveh
Posts: 761
Joined: Wed Oct 22, 2008 7:40 am
Location: Kingsville Mo.

Good job Mama. Keep up the good work and many more martins will come.

dave
PMCA member
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Gobbler T
Posts: 1518
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:13 am
Location: Mississippi / Columbus

What flipped the switch?
Exactly! And just like that, your through waiting! Couldn't be happier for you. You do your dance girl!! :lol:
Tony


2007 --- 0 2011---0 2015---4
2008 --- 0 2012---0 16-19—0
2009 --- 0 2013---1 2020—?
2010 --- 0 2014---3
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baileysambone
Posts: 131
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:38 pm
Location: Louisiana/Baton Rouge

So happy for you. I had only one pair last year. Couldn't get anything done in the mornings just watching them.
2011 visitors
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
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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.

Hot Diggity Dog!! YeHaw, Yay, Rah Rah and all that stuff!
Congrats, so very happy for you.
I bet your "happy dance" put Carlton on Fresh Prince to shame!!!!
Hey, how about a video? heehee, just gotta keep asking, you never know! :lol: :lol:
In all seriousness, congratulations Mama, you :) are going to be a great PM mama....... :)
Connie
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MamaBruff
Posts: 1466
Joined: Wed Mar 06, 2013 12:21 pm
Location: SW Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.

Thank you, Thank you, Everyone for your encouragement, humor, compliments, priceless advice and wisdom! I could NEVER have gotten this far without ALL of you rooting for me! This forum is a wonderful community, and I am SO glad to be a part of... I want to also especially thank DebA for taking me "under her wing", with her behind the scenes advice and tutoring. She's quite a gal!

For those still waiting for birds, "keep the faith"!! Your day will come when you least expect it... BAM! :grin:

BTW, I put the predator guard on the pole this AM, just as the squadron of 5 glided in. Snake netting goes next if I can figure it out, crazy stuff! :lol:

Yup, still giddy. Cant take my eyes off them!

Hugs,
Mary
~Mary B~

Lifelong PM Admirer and Nature Enthusiast.
Ruthless trapper of S&S year round.
2013-2016 Unsuccessful at starting a PM colony. Health problems.
Rehomed all my PM stuff. Good Luck and Best Wishes to All.
Top
Guest

Congratulations Mama. Like phlDave, I am happy for you (and jealous)! Your success renews my hope. I have been feeling like it is too late for anything to happen this year. So far, I've had no Martins at all that I know of. Thanks for the encouraging post. I'm happy for you!
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