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!
I am exhausted! I know Fred has to be. He has been here 2 weeks today! Still no female.
I am not sure how much more I can take. I was in my shop today and heard Fred get excited like he does when he is bringing a female in. I looked out and he pops in his gourd and I seen the female and there was an ASY male on her tail.They swooped and squawked at one another he tangled with her in the air and was cutting her off. He did not want her near Fred. Fred just sang to get her to go into gourd. they tangled for a good 10 minutes. I had stopped working and went on the porch and watched them. Finally they flew up over the tree line.
I seen them one other time today when Fred brought her in and they were at it again. Fred just is really trying. (Apparently he is trying to take someone else's gal)!
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!
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
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!
Toy thanks for that great news. It is time for all martins to start a nest. I know they say we are behind this spring. But we're going to be cutting it short pretty soon. Just have to be patient. I hope he finds one soon or I may need five hour energy
Oh I tell him that all the time!!!
Do you have pre-nest material in your housing, or at least the housing he's favoring.? I try to make pine needles lay flat in gourds by pressing down with my hand, so looks like an old martin nest. I sometimes break up wheat straw some and put in house units as it seems to stay there better than light-weight needles. I sometimes just scrape up some dry vegetation litter from the ground around the housing and use that -- as I did today when I found one gourd empty at a golf course site and did not want to walk back to my car for pine needles.
Some people smear a little mud around the entrance to look kind of used. It may be nuts, but can't hurt.
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!
Yes John I have all cavities with soft pineneedles. Fred has even put some straw from the garden in his gourd. I do have mudd smeared on every cavity so maybe just really picky gals. They seem like they have ants in their pants. They just will not sit still. I think they are SY's. Try to look with binoculars when they do sit. He's had a few inside the gourd but will not stay! Thanks for advice.
Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
taxidermy lady wrote:Toy thanks for that great news. It is time for all martins to start a nest. I know they say we are behind this spring. But we're going to be cutting it short pretty soon. Just have to be patient. I hope he finds one soon or I may need five hour energy
Oh I tell him that all the time!!!
I can't tell you how many hours I stand at my back windows with binoculars in hand watching them. I start checking scout reports in March & then the waiting & watching starts. It's sheer joy when the first one arrives, then the second & well heck each & every one.
I watch daily to make sure they all come in for the night & worry if any don't. I had a pair 2 nights ago that did not. They had a nest built and had added some green leaves. I feared the worst. No sign of them in the morning. Then finally late morning they came back.
They have no idea how much stress they can cause us! Then they start singing & the stress goes away .
My ASY pairs are usually ready to start laying eggs right after the SY Males start arriving. So the time for more to arrive is soon ending. I hope there is a delay due to this weather & we all get more soon .
Try re-naming your bird! We are in TX and one of our "single male" best friends lives in Knoxville, TN....His name is Fred! Great guy (trim-fit and nice looking at 75 yrs + doesn't look a day over 63ish or so )but doesn't seem to have great luck with the "ladies" long term.
What could it hurt to re-name your bird ..Hey..we call our friend "Fred" ...."Romeo"!
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!
Ok Tammy I will try that.
So what shall it be, Fonzie, yeah he had no trouble with woman. They couldn't keep there hands off him! Fonzie it will be. So he should get his gal today.
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!
He is still here , no female or eggs. I do not think he will find a mate. He had two of them here this afternoon. Just will not stay. I was gone since friday afternoon. Got back here at noon. Still waiting
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!
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!
Still nothing! Sad update but true! He is still here and still racing to his gourd when he attracts a female. I want to play dawn song in morning? I would like to try to attract an SY pair! Maybe that would help! HELP need some advice! I think we have a shortage on females????
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