And so it begins

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
Post Reply
Gobbler T
Posts: 1518
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:13 am
Location: Mississippi / Columbus

Got my first two this morning at 8:00 1 ASY male and 1 ASY female.
Four days early but at least the weather will be warmer for their first week here. Supposed to rain every day this week but with the breaks in the rain they should have ample time to feed.
WHOOP! WHOOP! :grin: :grin: :grin:
Tony


2007 --- 0 2011---0 2015---4
2008 --- 0 2012---0 16-19—0
2009 --- 0 2013---1 2020—?
2010 --- 0 2014---3
Top
4th Gen Martin Fan
Posts: 1498
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
Location: TN/Collierville
Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.

Tony,
Congratulations!
Now I know that I have to get really serious about getting ready. birdygirl, Bulldog 1, and you are my early warning system. Chuck4 is my imminent arrival warning.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Top
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!

Great news Tony, good luck this year!
Went out this morning to listen, nothing yet. Turkeys should start gobbling here anytime!!! :grin:
Sharon from southern Illinois
Top
Chuck4
Posts: 861
Joined: Mon May 16, 2011 10:05 am
Location: North MS
Martin Colony History: I started trying to attract Purple Martins in 2011. I got my first breeding pair in 2013.

2013-1 pair, 2014-4 pair, 2015-8 pair, 2016-12 pair 60 babies :-).

Sweet Tony! I knew it would probably be this week. I'm up and ready here. Maybe mine will arrive soon. Congratulations! I hope the weather becomes better soon though. While it's warmer, it's still wet.
PMCA Member
_____
Top
Anthony Neira
Posts: 1319
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2014 1:12 pm
Location: San Antonio /Texas
Martin Colony History: Started in 1992 From neighbors old 1950-60's colonies. Have 8 Trio 6 Room Houses, 4 MPP Poles, 1 Heath Deluxe Gourd with Troyer Porch, 8 NatureLine Gourds with Troyer Porches, 5 Troyer Horizontals ,& 2 S&K 11" WITH Troyer Porches ready for 2019 Season !

Congrats Tony, Great news! Hope you have a successful new season ! May you get More!
PMCA Member, 8 Trio 6 Room Houses, 1 Heath Deluxe Gourd with Troyer Porch, 8 NatureLine Gourds with Troyer Porches, 5 Troyer Horizontals + Tunnels, & 2 S&K Bo 11"s WITH Troyer Porches ! 4 MPPs, For 2019 Season !! :grin: Started in 1992 from Older '50-'60s Colonies.
Top
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: :grin: Great News Tony.
PMCA MEMBER
Top
Ed Pace
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:31 pm
Location: NY/Jamestown

That's good news, especially a pair to START with. Good luck this year.
Ed.
Top
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.

Wonderful! :lol: And a Pair at that. Off to a good start.
~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
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.

I'm just so thrilled. You go Gobbler T! 4th Gen you crack me up. It's so true. As I saw the first KS report go up I am like...ok last year I was 8 days behind him...

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
Top
Jose Rodriguez
Posts: 692
Joined: Tue Mar 11, 2014 10:34 am
Location: FL/Belleview

Yes Sir! Congratulations!
PMCA Member
"Keep Calm and It Will Happen"
Top
birdy girl
Posts: 1179
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
Location: Mississippi/Dumas

Yay Tony!! So happy your first martins are home. Hope you have a full house this year:)
Top
Gobbler T
Posts: 1518
Joined: Tue Mar 31, 2009 8:13 am
Location: Mississippi / Columbus

A big THANK YOU to you all!
I think we'll be ok now in MS, the weather should start to warm up pretty quick. I know we'll still have a cold night or two from now till Easter, but that's to be expected. It's all of you north of us I worry about!
If more come in I'll do my best to hold them up till ya'll get straight up there! :wink:
May you all have a full house this year!
Tony


2007 --- 0 2011---0 2015---4
2008 --- 0 2012---0 16-19—0
2009 --- 0 2013---1 2020—?
2010 --- 0 2014---3
Top
AidanRois
Posts: 182
Joined: Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:19 am
Location: Mississippi/Horn Lake
Martin Colony History: Since 2012

Fantastic! Hopefully ours will be back soon then too. I always wait for the Tupelo report to come in, and ours are usually back home within a few days of that.

:eek:
Tiffeny N. - Horn Lake, MS - PMCA member
----------------------------------
Since 2012
Top
Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2444
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

Gobbler T ---- You may never know (or maybe you do know),,, how many people wait for your posts. When you make that post that your birds have made it home again for another year, the whole world of landlords up North breaths a sigh of relief, that all is well. (At least for me).... I know you waited a long time for your first pair, and you give us want-a-bees hope that if we hang in there, and don't give up trying we to will have Martins someday. Great to see your post, and have a great year.

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Top
Dan R
Posts: 13
Joined: Thu Mar 26, 2009 10:02 am
Location: KS/Wakarusa

Great news Tony, hope you fill up this year!
Number of Purple Martin Pairs hosted
Previous Site(00-06) Current Site(07-15)
2001=1 2004=2 2007=16 2010=62 2013=92
2002=0 2005=6 2008=38 2011=81 2014=93
2003=1 2006=12 2009=52 2012=92 2015=??
Top
4th Gen Martin Fan
Posts: 1498
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
Location: TN/Collierville
Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.

Tiffeny,
I forgot that you are immediately south of my location. Please let us know when you get your first martins.
I especially look to landlords who have a colony either more mature or the same maturity as mine to predict my colony's first arrivals.
I know that super colonies will get extremely early arrivals but I find that they are not as predictable for my smaller, new colony.
Mary (MamaBruff) would you agree?

I know it is getting close because I am straining my ears to hear that first martin call. It is not as difficult right now because the mockingbirds have not learned to imitate the martin call. That will happen when the martins are here and are more vocal. I like mockingbirds around the colony, they act as an early warning for predators. Especially if their nest is close to the colony. I have never seen the mockingbirds bother the martins.

My office staff is already aware that I am not crazy if I run to the back door to look at the martin house in the back parking lot for the first arrival.
Mark.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Top
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.

Yes Mark, I agree. It does seem like super colonies get the first birds. But those large colonies are also OLDER. So then it follows that each year you have an established colony of any size, you will have older birds returning each year, given they survive the migration. Last year I had an ASY male here on March 25 whom I know had stayed here in 2013 as an SY. This fellow has a unique, dynamic personality, and there was no mistaking him. We had a lot of talks in the back yard. :lol: Poor fellow never did find a female, and spent the summer hanging out as a wing man with a pair at a neighboring colony. And so, if he has survived this year's migration, I expect him a little earlier, as he will be older. (FWIW, my mockingbirds have started doing the Purple Martin call as of yesterday)

And I am glad Dave Reynolds brought up the point about so many of us interested in GobblerT's colony. Tony is one of our "Stars"... I remember the widespread delight in 2013 when at last the Purple Martins arrived during his backyard gathering. Joy and applause across the board! Then when the tornadoes crashed through his area in 2014, we all held our breath waiting for news. And this year is no different, as we are all excited for the coming season. Perhaps Tony is the bellwether we all look to. We are off to a good start! :grin:
~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
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.

So glad to hear your good news Tony! Hope you have a Fun PM season this year.
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
Top
rrmartins
Posts: 1441
Joined: Tue Oct 19, 2010 8:04 am
Location: Round Rock, TX

Glad to hear it Gobbler. So glad you got your colony started. Good luck with them.
2021
T14
10 Pair
49 Fledged
Top
apundt-TX
Posts: 986
Joined: Thu Jan 22, 2004 7:34 pm
Location: Pflugerville, Texas
Martin Colony History: :
2022-1 pair
1 pair 2021
2020- Didn't get setup fast enough in Pflugerville
2019- Apartment
2018 Divorce lost Colony in Dripping Springs
19 pair 2017
17 pair 2015
12 pair 2014
8 pair 2013
5 pair 2012
2 pair 2011

Congrats.
better add a 2015 to that signature of yours now in your profile.
PMCA member
racks:CUE AAA-16, PMCA Multipurpose pole , S&K EZ-Lift, Lonestar/Songbird Essentials, CUE 12 gourd rack
gourds: S&K gourds, Supergourds, Troyer horizontals, Naturalines, few naturals
housing: S&K great 8, TRIO M12K, Coates/BirdsChoice 8 room wateresdge
Top
Post Reply

Return to “Purple Martin Forum”