OK so before I found this site last year I bought a Heath house, when I found this site and read for 3 days straight I quickly added two gourds below it. I was lucky to get a nesting pair my first year in one of the gourds. Anyway for this year I put together a gourd rack on the wife's old clothes line pole, the pole is 3'' aluminum pipe, I got a 4'' aluminum pipe to slide up and down, I think I'm better equipped this year. Thanks to everyone for all the good info on this site!
pat
out with the Heath house
- Attachments
-
- last years set up
- 2013 setup (800x600).jpg (110.54 KiB) Viewed 7709 times
-
- new 2014 rack
- rack (800x772).jpg (255.89 KiB) Viewed 7741 times
-
- close up of 2014 rack
- aluminum weld (800x600).jpg (114.6 KiB) Viewed 7772 times
Last edited by patw on Mon Jun 02, 2014 4:49 pm, edited 2 times in total.
2013 1 pair 4 fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
yes the heath house was in the same spot, I piggy backed the heath pole to the clothes line pole, I'm only reusing the two gourds from last year.chickadee wrote:you look ready now. so did you take down the heath house?
pat
2013 1 pair 4 fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
-
stan davison
- Posts: 715
- Joined: Thu Feb 17, 2005 7:48 pm
- Location: Tulsa Oklahoma
The martins will be in for a pleasant surprise.
well enjoy as your colony grows. in my opinion those are the best times. every year I would try to guess how many I would have? and I just could not wait to find out. and has my site was smaller I found myself lowering it every other day to see what was going on. now that I have a lot of birds and was full last year. I know I wont have any more then 68 pair. and because of their noise I had to cage it in because of owls. so now I don't lower it just whenever I feel like it. buy hay I still love the martins just the same. the action just has grown here.
2008 1 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
2009 3 pair
2010 7 pair
2011 20 pair
2012 44 pair 280 eggs 210 fledged
2013 67 pair.
2014 67pair
2015-2022 67 pair
-
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..
Yes, very nice looking rack..good job! 
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!!!!!
-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
You did a great job on the gourd rack.
That is a huge improvement over the Heath house. I too got a Heath house when we moved here for a birthday present, used it a while, but did not have much success because of predators. After I found this PMCA site, I put the Heath house into the garage attic, its still there 20 years later. I like the looks of it but never got around to modify it and make it acceptable housing.
That is a huge improvement over the Heath house. I too got a Heath house when we moved here for a birthday present, used it a while, but did not have much success because of predators. After I found this PMCA site, I put the Heath house into the garage attic, its still there 20 years later. I like the looks of it but never got around to modify it and make it acceptable housing.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
-
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.
I really like your new gourd rack. Great workmanship! Best of luck for a growing martin colony this season. And, glad you joined in on the forum and shared your experiences.
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
-
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.
I hope you got your dear wife a nice Maytag dryer. 
~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.
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.
finally on 5/20 got some action, sometimes I count up to 8, not sure how many are going to stay but there is at least one pair building a nest
- Attachments
-
- counting 8.jpg (174.37 KiB) Viewed 7401 times
2013 1 pair 4 fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
-
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.
Congrats! Your second year is off to a great start! Wishing you a successful season. 
~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.
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.
Well I added to my site, I got a K24 rack, that is a dream rack. I'm thinking maybe I'm moving too fast so I put only 14 gourds on it, when needed I'll add the other 10. Right now I'm trying to figure out how to spin the winch with my cordless drill (sounds lazy but it's part of the fun). Good luck everyone!
pat
pat
- Attachments
-
- 2015 new k24 rack behind homemade one
- 2015 setup.jpg (109.94 KiB) Viewed 7889 times
2013 1 pair 4 fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
2014 4 pair 17 fledged
2015 10 pair 44 fledged
2016 22 pair 95 eggs-most fledged
-
taxidermy lady
- Posts: 2988
- Joined: Sun Mar 02, 2014 10:21 am
- Location: IL/Ellis Grove
- Martin Colony History: Started trying to attract purple martins in 2012! It's finally happened in 2017! 5 years!!! ASY male and SY female came May 1st, fledged 5 babies!
Well Pat, I have went nuts with all this pole thing. I have 4 poles up with 30 some cavities! No martins! But it sure looks good! 
Sharon from southern Illinois