Show us your Martin House!

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
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Vern1
Posts: 471
Joined: Fri Aug 03, 2007 2:06 pm
Location: Pettytown, Texas, US of A

Look up Gimp (Gnu Image Manipulation Program).

It's a shareware photo manipulation program that works well for sizing, cropping and editing photos.
I have the Microsoft stuff and Photoshop but use GIMP 98 percent of the time.
Cheers,
Joe
2015 - 40 cavities - 37 pair - fledged 172
2016 - 40 cavities - 38 pair - fledged 192
Hosting Purple Martins since 1976...Managing since 2006.
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Peter Alberda
Posts: 175
Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:09 pm
Location: Michigan, Zeeland
Martin Colony History: Started with Amish copy of Trendsetter 12 room house, added Trio Grandpa with expanded rooms, and North Star 8. Taking Trendsetter down this spring and adding gourd rack.

Zack,
I first put up a martin house behind my home so I could see it from the kitchen table. I then got involved with a martin mentor and was told it had too many trees. I told her that I always got tree swallows in my nestboxes along the fence in front of my house. I moved it there and the martins like it. I doubt if I would have ever gotten anything in the back where I first put it. So I'll give you the same advice, put your martin house where you have tree swallows.
2020 - A pair of SY birds with three nice chicks. Lots of visitors all year long.
2015-2019 - A few lookers.
2014 - ASY male and SY female fledged four chicks.
2013 - Several visitors but none stayed to nest.
2012 - Lots of visitors all season long. We had a pair of sys but no chicks survived.
2011 - New location - A few visitors
2010 - First year – Poor house location.
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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.

MY START. YEAR 1.
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YEAR 2...AND YEARS 3, 4 I ADDED A SECOND ONE OF THESE.
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YEARS 5, 6, AND NOW 7. BOUGHT THESE THROUGH PMCA SHOP AND WORTH EVERY CENT.
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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
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Greg Borke MO
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2015 9:34 am
Location: Sedalia Mo

This is a great thread !! you folks have some great ideas :)

Deba.. looks like your trio took a few shots 8)
Starting all over on a new sight 2015

2015 5 pair
2016 8 pair
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Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

Greg Borke MO wrote: Deba.. looks like your trio took a few shots 8)
Extra ventilation for hot days...... :mrgreen:
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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.

Deb,
The holes in the upper story look like .177 pellet holes or dents.
The 2 holes in the lower story look like .22LR.
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.
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Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

4th Gen Martin Fan wrote:Some of those holes look like .177 pellet holes or dents.
2 look like .22LR.
I was thinking one looks like a .177 hole, one looks like a .22, and one looks like Deb had reached her wits end when trying to shoot a house sparrow or starling, and broke out the 5.56 NATO.......
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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.

Deb did none of the above! LOL. My husband was working on a rental remodel for a surgeon I worked with. He found that house in the weeds on the property. Asked the surgeon for it and came home and put it up on a fixed pole. He told me that he had always thought martins were neat. I didn't pay too much attention. (Can you believe that?!) I remember when he said there seems to be a pair building a nest. I would watch them come and go. Neat. Sparrows were all over the house too. Then one day I saw a baby waiting at the entrance for food. It was so cute and I WAS HOOKED. Now, I'm just crazy. I started to read about purple martins online finding this site and forum. I told Mark all I'd learned and how the first thing we needed year two was a telescoping pole. I still have that old house in my barn.

We were so fortunate to attract that first pair. Also we only had the one pair with two babies. One of the babies wondered into the wrong compartment. But I reflect on this start and know what a blessing that happened to us.

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
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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 !

"Moving On Up !..To A DEEELUX Apartment In The Shy..High..High..High ! We're Moving On Up !.... :grin:
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.
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M.Stephens
Posts: 1130
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: Texas/Texarkana

Here's a picture of a T-14 I built and my colony site this morning......

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Malcolm
2015 (110 nesting pair)
2014 (92 nesting pair)
2013 (75 nesting pair)
2012 (35 nesting pair)
2011 (20 pair)
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PMCA Member
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tlragsdale
Posts: 218
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:22 pm
Location: Wisconsin/New Richmond

Here's a photo our western WI set-up, this morning.

Terry & Michelle
Attachments
T &amp; M Ragsdale <br />New Richmond, WI
T & M Ragsdale
New Richmond, WI
IMG_6004.jpg (7.11 KiB) Viewed 8087 times
Terry & Michelle
New Richmond, WI

2005 - 2014 Hard luck stories
2015 - 2 pair, 12 eggs/12 fledglings
2016 - 6 pair, 35 eggs/35 fledged
2017 - 18 pair, 88 eggs / 85 fledged.
2018 - 23 pair, 119 eggs/115 fledged.
2019 - 31 pair, 137 eggs/133 fledged
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M.Stephens
Posts: 1130
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: Texas/Texarkana

Terry you have a wonderful looking setup! I can't see any reason why you shouldn't get martins this year!
Malcolm
2015 (110 nesting pair)
2014 (92 nesting pair)
2013 (75 nesting pair)
2012 (35 nesting pair)
2011 (20 pair)
____________
PMCA Member
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Greg Borke MO
Posts: 63
Joined: Fri Mar 20, 2015 9:34 am
Location: Sedalia Mo

M.Stephens
your sight is fabulous :shock:
Starting all over on a new sight 2015

2015 5 pair
2016 8 pair
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ck40711
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:29 pm
Location: TX/Magnolia

I too am drooling over M.Stephens' setup. :)
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ck40711
Posts: 31
Joined: Tue Jan 06, 2015 12:29 pm
Location: TX/Magnolia

I too am drooling over M.Stephens' setup. :)
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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 !

Malcolm, Great site! I can't get over that TALL perch pole you have on the left side of the center MPP ! Very Cool !
Terry & Michelle, Very nice location ! Expert looking housing ! Good luck !
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.
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tlragsdale
Posts: 218
Joined: Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:22 pm
Location: Wisconsin/New Richmond

Many beautiful sites on display!! Look forward to seeing 'em all filled-up with PM's.

Thanks for the kind words, and words of encouragement. Have had a single ASY male spending the last week in one of the big natural bottle gourds. Hoping he finds company :grin: .

Wishing everyone a safe and fun weekend.

Terry & Michelle
Terry & Michelle
New Richmond, WI

2005 - 2014 Hard luck stories
2015 - 2 pair, 12 eggs/12 fledglings
2016 - 6 pair, 35 eggs/35 fledged
2017 - 18 pair, 88 eggs / 85 fledged.
2018 - 23 pair, 119 eggs/115 fledged.
2019 - 31 pair, 137 eggs/133 fledged
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BobbyG
Posts: 83
Joined: Tue Apr 14, 2015 11:13 am
Location: LA/Laplace
Martin Colony History: 10 years

Go to CNET downloads and there is a program called image shrinker its free it will shrink it so you can post it.
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M.Stephens
Posts: 1130
Joined: Tue Apr 07, 2009 3:14 pm
Location: Texas/Texarkana

Anthony Neira wrote:Malcolm, Great site! I can't get over that TALL perch pole you have on the left side of the center MPP ! Very Cool !
Terry & Michelle, Very nice location ! Expert looking housing ! Good luck !
That was intended to shoot starlings from but the martins use it more.
Malcolm
2015 (110 nesting pair)
2014 (92 nesting pair)
2013 (75 nesting pair)
2012 (35 nesting pair)
2011 (20 pair)
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PMCA Member
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