Final numbers.

[John Evans]

I think..
Largest colony ever for us.
48 total gourds
37 occupied.
1 abandoned nest with 4 eggs
3 dead young (feathered) in same nest
5 unhatched eggs in random gourds.
125 fledged young

I would have raised the number of fledged by a few if I had known for certain
that all the jumpers I had over a week period had survived. I was able to witness a few take to the air eventually but I'm going to count them as lost.

First year using pine straw and it was interesting that many birds didn't add anything else but leaves to their nests. Also, no mud dams in any gourd.

May replace a dozen or so THG's with Excluder's. All gourds are down and cleaned. Drilled more drain holes in the bottom of the THG's.

All in all I'll take this season as a win.

[Rodger Drye]

Hey John,
I know for years I never used any pre-nest material. The few Martins I got always seemed to acquire the nest material they wanted. I followed what my Dad and others in this area seem to do. Just put the gourds up and let nature take its course. They did very few nest checks as the poles where heavy cumbersom lean down poles. What was confusing to me was my Dad literally had hundreds of birds using these small brown gourds - like you might buy at a hardware store. Now this was back in the 1960's & 70's, long before the PMCA. He (my Dad) had so many birds the town of Albemarle,NC actually made his property a Registered Bird Sanctuary. I on the other hand never was that lucky, I struggled to have birds in the single digits. Again, he (my Dad) lived right on the Pee Dee River. Call it location or what ever, man he had the Purple Martins. I always thought I had a good location, out in the farm country (lots of flying insects) and right across from a huge lake. This year I was determined, I cut down 2 large trees, took down half the small 6 x 6 brown gourds, replaced with Super, Excluder, Troyer and Big Bo gourds. And I think the most important thing of all - Started playing the "Dawn Song" at 4:00 a.m. to 6:00 a.m. Hey, let me tell you this really brought um in. Sure wish I had a mentor or someone who could have suggested these changes long before now. You're doing a lot better than I, keep it up. These birds need all the help we can give them.
Regards, Rodger

[John Evans]

Rodger, I was just like your father for many years. I fell in love with martins when I was very young mid 60's.We lived next door to my grandfather and he had an original Mussleman house he had bought at a hardware store. He had several pair for many years and I would spend countless hours just watching and interacting with these birds. He did no management of his colony at all.

For Christmas when I was 11 I got the original JL Wade martin book and tried to learn everything about them. In the early 80's I bought my first house I had enough room for a couple of Trio houses and became a successful landlord with no management of the colony. I bought JL's second book and subscribed to the Nature Society news although I believe it was called something else back then.
When I moved out of that house I left the martin colony and purchased a Trio castle and again got lucky and had several pairs for several years.

The next 2 houses I bought didn't have the space for martins but I bought houses anyway just to look at them and hope by chance.

My wife and I built a cabin on some property in the middle of nowhere a few years ago, found about the PMCA and started buying gourd systems but this time determined to take a more active role. I bought guards, feeding trays, Sevin and this past year pine straw. Little by little I'm taking a more active role.
again with no work on my part I was able to attract several pair my first year. My systems are all withing 30 feet of a 3 acre lake I built and we are in an Amish rich area of the state. I am convinced that and the lake has helped me a lot.
We moved up here full time last November instead of just being weekend warriors and that has helped in the management.

Last year I lost a whole system to racoons (predator guard wasn't installed correctly). I put it back up this season thinking there wasn't a good chance for occupation but to my surprise I had 4 pair nest successfully this year.

This was probably way more than you wanted to read but for some reason I just wanted to share my history and how much or little us early inexperienced landlords knew or did. Keep up the good work and best of luck in 2016!

John

[Rodger Drye]

Hey John,
Please don't apologise, I really enjoyed reading and learning more about your history with Martins. I think by learning about someone's past can help you understand more about their present and future. Just to know where they've come from and what they've been through is very appreciative.

Sounds like you have a pretty good location now with the lake close by. I do agree with you, I believe that a close proximity to water does make a difference. And when you think about it - it makes since. The birds really have to hustle especially when their babies are born. More feeding (catching insects) and more water for the young. I'm sure even to the birds to have a body of water close by the less flying distance for trips back to the nest.

We too, live out in the country with a huge lake (Mt. Pleasant water supply) just across the road. The Martins don't have far to fly to get water. Couldn't understand why I never got but just a few Martins. My Dad couldn't understand it either - looked like a Great location. Maybe when I cut those large trees down, I always suspected owls and hawks sitting in those trees watching my birds. I never seen any in the trees but I knew I had them. Could see the hawks in the daytime and hear the owls at night. Put up some of those solar operated Predator Guards facing each direction. But playing that "Dawn Song" I believe helped most of all

Caught 2 Black snakes in bird netting I put up, and to think I never use to kill a black snake because they eat mice & rats. But they will climb your poles and eat your Martins if given a chance.

Sounds like you've had a lot more luck than I have. This year was by far my most productive year. Had 17 ASY birds and about 17 SY birds. Fledged 22 confirmed. Keep up your good work and the birds will be good to you.
If I can ever help in any way please don't hesitate to let me know.

Regards, Rodger

[Jackel350]

Hi John, I often wondered where the Martins went when they left here headed west now I figure it was to your place! Was wondering if you had any martins there last part of August? Saw a very large flock behind and circling around the parking lot at Sam's Club in Chillicothe last weekend, there are a few large trees there that they may have been roosting in . I believe the gourds do seem to attract the martins better because it sure sounds like it is working for you. Good luck and enjoy your birding
Jack

[John Evans]

Hi Jackel, our birds were gone by the 3rd week in August. Interesting you may have seen a roost there at Walmart. When the young were flying their parents would take them east/southeast every morning, and return from that direction every night. Then when the parents stopped returning at night the young would go the exact same direction towards Serpent Mound. Could have been a large gathering area over that way and maybe even a roost. The country is so wide open out here would be hard to try and find.
If you're ever down this way stop by and bring your fishing pole. Take care and here's to a great 2016!
John