NO STINKING MARTINS

zag · Fri Jun 19, 2015 6:12 am

I'm done, called it another year, and its June 19,2015.. Flat out, Purple Martins do not exist in Michigan, not unless you live on a lake, and its in your back yard.. There is good news though, I do have 3 Tree Swallow nest boxes, one being a Martin Gourd, and all of them are full. 5 eggs in one box, 5 babies ready to fly any day in the other box, and just starting to nest build in the Gourd. Purple Martins can kiss my, you know what I'm talking about..

John Miller · Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:29 am

Yes, martins have declined dramatically in MI.

if you have the means, consider next year trying to establish a colony at a nearby public area -- by water -- where you would enjoy visiting and managing the colony.

John Miller

Hanover Bill · Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:31 am

Sorry to hear that Zag. In my experience there is nothing easy about this Purple Martin business, but when you do finally succeed you realize that it was all worth it.

Myself, I spent 3 years playing the DawnSong before I had my first brief visitor, then another visitor the following year, and then finally 2 successful nesting pair in my fifth year. And if you listen to some others stories my wait can be considered short.

I would urge you to continue to try, you will be rewarded in the end.

Hanover Bill.

Ryan · Fri Jun 19, 2015 7:41 am

I hear you. This is the most frustrating thing I've ever tried as an interest or hobby. The lack of control over the situation is the toughest. There's no results up front. I have similar PM populations here as to you.

With a terribly frustrating hobby like golf, you get to see some results. With purple martins, it's an incredible long term mind set that's needed as there have been no results. It's torture.

sdsteil-IA · Fri Jun 19, 2015 2:09 pm

Zag,

Don't give up! Hang in there. They will come. I have been at it a long time and I still don't have a nesting pair.

Cheers David

avesrun · Sat Jun 20, 2015 4:55 pm

X 2 what John miller and Hannover said!

Also your tree swallow report IS VERY GOOD NEWS. I truly believe they could help you big time in attracting Martins. They somewhat associate throughout migration and in general. Many many pm colonies are in association with TS boxes. If TS survive in your area than Martins can as well. And by the way, your too far north to give up in June even if it does not look good. Best of luck and persist next season.
TimG

pmlover · Sat Jun 20, 2015 5:46 pm

zag
don't give up it took me 17 years to get my first 3 pms

Fred Kaluza~MI · Tue Jul 21, 2015 3:44 pm

Hey Zag...I agree and have tried myself between 2000 and 2014 with only a few visitors. The problem is open space and a lack of good sized insects in the areas we've been trying. If you really need a "fix", you can find Martins pretty regularly at Lake St. Clair Metropark as they go feeding around the lakeshore and beach areas. Otherwise, not even a pond, canal, creek, or ditch will do. These birds seem to require at least an acre of water to be next to around here. I'd get rid of all my housing, poles, gourds, speakers, CDs etc if I weren't thinking I'll move someday to where I can find the right conditions. One thing's certain, they're not going to decide to live in an inferior area like mine until the population increases 10,000 fold and they are FORCED to live someplace like I am at. As long as there is at least one empty compartment on a lake somewhere around here, we land-locked property owners are not going to get any takers. Fred in Warren. P.S. Maybe we could erect and maintain colonies at Stony Creek and Metro Beach but the parks management would have to be okay with us removing HOSP by whatever means required not to mention it's a real commitment on our behalf to be out there as often as would be required.

avesrun · Wed Jul 22, 2015 12:58 pm

Zag/Fred I hear you talking but just a few questions. I believe you can get Martins if there is a colony within 15 miles or so. Zag how long have you been trying to attract them? Patience and persistence ! They are not nearly as quick to attract as tree swallows and bluebirds are. Did you get any visitors at all? I could see where if a person has been trying 4-5 yrs and has seen absolutely ZERO Martins but otherwise keep the faith and keep trying to improve your site however possible. Best of luck next season.
TimG

taxidermy lady · Wed Jul 22, 2015 4:06 pm

Yeah I thought I had martins this year for sure! Had an SY male come and after 2 yrs. only being able to attract a male, finally I had a female interested. They were here for 1 month, picked a gourd, gathered nesting material, green leaves, then left. I was bumbed big time. But there's nothing a person can do but go at it again next yr. It's a very challenging hobby! It seems it has to be just right for martins now. I think it's getting harder to attract these birds because of Predators. They say 40' from trees but that is no longer a rule in some areas. Our animal kingdom only gets smarter through the generations just like humans. Hang in there Zag. Put up your house in a very open area. Keep S&S shot or trapped and go about your daily work and let be what will be! Good luck

There just birds!

Larry D · Wed Jul 22, 2015 7:13 pm

I was ready to give up this year and there are LOTS of PMs in Texas. I tried 4 years trying very hard to attract my first PM. We took a 2 week vacation to Alaska in May and returned to find our first pair!! Four fledged! What's funny is only one nest in the 8 open compartments but I had as many as 8 adults flying before fledging. I suppose the others were just visiting. Hopefully they will ALL return next year to my houses

avesrun · Wed Jul 22, 2015 9:07 pm

Larry that's amazing! Yes yes yes! Your colony should grow and prosper as long as mom and dad have a safe flight to and from their wintering grounds. Your patience and persistence and moreso your faith and hope has been rewarded. Take care.
TimG

taxidermy lady · Thu Jul 23, 2015 5:53 pm

Yeah that sounds good. Leave for awhile then there they are! I like that!

Matt F. · Thu Jul 23, 2015 6:08 pm

Fred Kaluza~MI wrote:Hey Zag...I agree and have tried myself between 2000 and 2014 with only a few visitors. The problem is open space and a lack of good sized insects in the areas we've been trying. If you really need a "fix", you can find Martins pretty regularly at Lake St. Clair Metropark as they go feeding around the lakeshore and beach areas. Otherwise, not even a pond, canal, creek, or ditch will do. These birds seem to require at least an acre of water to be next to around here. I'd get rid of all my housing, poles, gourds, speakers, CDs etc if I weren't thinking I'll move someday to where I can find the right conditions. One thing's certain, they're not going to decide to live in an inferior area like mine until the population increases 10,000 fold and they are FORCED to live someplace like I am at. As long as there is at least one empty compartment on a lake somewhere around here, we land-locked property owners are not going to get any takers. Fred in Warren. P.S. Maybe we could erect and maintain colonies at Stony Creek and Metro Beach but the parks management would have to be okay with us removing HOSP by whatever means required not to mention it's a real commitment on our behalf to be out there as often as would be required.

It's great to hear from you Fred.
There are quite a few places like Michigan, (Ryan in Eganville, Ontario is another one) where the Martins have become so sparse in numbers, that even folks with perfect, wide open sites, may go years without even a visitor, let alone a nesting pair.
I've also noticed on the Michigan Martin forum map (I often wonder how Mark Dietrich is doing), the same thing you mentioned - most of the active colonies are right on some sort of decent sized lake.
Keep up the "purple pursuit"!
I know you, and many others are doing all the right things to attract them.
I used to love Mary D.'s signature here on the forum (hope she's doing great as well), that said "In Michigan, every Martin matters - including Fred's decoys".

Bill Hyde · Fri Jul 24, 2015 2:35 pm

I agree that martin colonies are sometimes difficult to establish in certain areas, but if you give up you will never know! When we lived not far from we are now, the neighbor put up a wooden house and had several pairs his first year of trying. We were impressed and thought we'd like martins in our yard too; but the martins did not cooperate. And so it went for several years.
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And so it went for several years. Our kids grew up watching the martins cavort in the neighbor's yard.
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Then we moved in 1995 to where we now live in a neighborhood on the edge of a rural area and near a medium sized river. Martins houses were everywhere, or so it seemed. But the landlords were getting older and some just decided to quit the hobby. I hoped for immediate success, but the birds did not cooperate; at least not the martins. Bluebirds were in abundance. Barn Swallows tried to build nests in the the rafters of our "under construction" home. My new Trio castle looked so inviting, but martins did not agree. And so it went for several years. The small trees I planted grew and grew, and the area I had picked out for "my martin colony" started to look smaller. I did not quit. Eventually a pair of SY martins liked it here.