This is the 15th year I've tried to attract my own colony of Purple Martins - and it has finally happened! I have two nests at my home site. One of the nests (adult male and subadult female) has started hatching in the last day or two! The other nest has three eggs (subadult male and subadult female) and should hatch in the next few days! I also have 3-4 single subadult males hanging around the site each day as well. Sure is nice to see and hear martins flying around the yard!
To be fair, I purchased my home a year ago... so this is actually my first year at this particular site. My site is very wide open, with no large trees anywhere near the colony. The site is also very far from any wooded areas. I believe these wide open spaces were critical to establishing this site.
Daryl ----- Great news and great story... Love your photos, I have an telescope that get me really close to the Martins for photos. Looks like you have done the same.. Have a good day..
This is wonderful news Daryl. We look forward to future reports showing rapid growth at your home colony.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
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.
Congrats, Daryl! Looking forward to updates as your first season with a home colony continues. For those not aware, Daryl has done a lot to boost martins with public sites all these years, too.
Martin Colony History: 2009-2015-Helped to manage Raleigh site, 36 cavities 2016- 33 pairs at Raleigh site, 1 pair at home site. 2017- 34 pairs at Raleigh site, 3 pairs + extra SYs at home site 2018- 33 pairs at Raleigh site, 5 pairs + extra SYs at home site 2019 - 32 pairs at Raleigh site, 7 pairs at home site, 2 pairs at new Holly Springs park site
I hope all your birds fledge!! I've about had it with the martins and hand it to you for trying for 15 years!!! I'm not sure I have it in me to continue putting up the gourd racks only to be disappointed time and time again. I just don't have it in me. The first 4 four years I did not have a proper site and then moved to a much more open site with an acre and half pond in the front yard in 2012. The only bright side is that the effort I have put in (enormous amount) I'm starting to realize it probably just isn't going to happen and my expectations do get less and less each year. I suspect my 5 nestlings died this year due to starvation. I was unable to supplemental feed for the week of rain we had being out of town. I'm right back to square one after another 4 years at what most people would consider a perfect site!
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!
Miitch keep trying. I have failed 3 yrs. now. It's nothing you did. I know it's frustrating. Between weather, Hawks, and everything else that can happen, It's out of our control. Keep your site open and S&S out. Have a healthy happy year and put your houses back up in 2016 and try again! Good luck!
You will have to start a wannabe post again!!!!!!
Congrats Daryl
Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of. In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Congrats, Daryl. Not sure what your previous site looked like, but this wide-open-beauty will likely do wonders for multiplying the size of your just-started-colony.
I've "known you" for a least ten years, and it couldn't have happened to a better guy. Congrats!! They have no idea how nice and safe you are going to make it for them. Happy for you!
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
