Let's talk!

[taxidermy lady]

What are you going to do next year that you didn't do in the past?
I will not have any bird feeders!
I have cut several more trees!
Moved my poles!
Built a wooden 4 cavitity house with 6x12 cavities for cool spring nights! (They were all cramped up in a super gourd last year).
Adding some natural gourds! YEAH
Making some foam nest for wooden house and back cavitity of trio!
I am working on a 20' perch so they can have a good look out for predators!
I am preparing my soil now for my gourds next yr.
Put 2' extensions on my two gourd racks!
Wheww I need to rest!

[Anthony Neira]

Hey Sharon ! Great list ! You must be eating right to have all that energy ! ( as I take a sip of my Big Red soda! )
I will be adding my 4th, 2", 16' (14' + 2' extension) Multi Purpose Pole, in my back yard to replace 2, 3 section poles ! Only one of my MPPs Hubs is of a design of 4 plates bolted together, the other Hubs being made out of 3" square pole. After reading about how other PM landlords make a plate to bolt to a house, THEN to bolt both to the Hub's arms, I found out that if I leave the Trio M-12K Pole Bracket at the underside of the house, it SLIDES in between the Hub's arms, IF I remove 2 nut & bolts of the Hub's support arms & then bolt them back on !
I then become a Zip tie Artist ! BINGO ! it works ! So, I'm going to contact the manufacture to see IF they can get me a 3" hub to replace the odd one out ! ( I've seen other landlords add extensions to this kind of hub, and by doing so adding more weight, good for them, Not for me, MORE weight, MORE SWING motion during a storm ! ( I'll make the 4 flat support arms from the good old Hardware store !).
So that's my main "To Do" thing for next season, besides trimming the Heck out of the trees, celebrate my neighbors 2, BIG, Dying, trees coming down next to his fence in my back yard ( My PMs SHOULD Go NUTS !! !) Happy Harvest Moon ! EVERYONE !

[tonyg]

I'm going to strive to be a better landlord than I was last year...there is always room for improvement..

[Larry A Kronemeyer]

Owl cages! I want owl cages. Not big problem yet, but I know they are around and have visited our yard. Last night something took out a cluster of three dove decoys, one with homemade flapping wings,and all enhanced with a few glued on feathers. Wherever it was broke the flappy wings right off. And we had a bright, almost full moon last night. Previous suspected owl attacks all happened during a full moon late in the season. So now I want cages.
A new wench for my T14. That's one heavy house and it's getting harder to get up and down.
Need to check porches and entrances on the super gourds. They were well used this year and a few birds looked a frayed on the neck from going in and out. Want to re-check to make sure there are no burrs or other problems. Also need to repair a few of my vented lids.
This fall I will keep an eye out for discarded campaign signs to make sun shades for my gourds. It really does help! And the birds loved sitting on them.
Also this fall, about a week before Halloween, I'll go to the park near my house and rake up a couple of bags of white pine needles.
That's all I can think of right now. I can't do much about the tree situation (my husband wants a bit of shade and our neighbors just don't care that they have too big decaying trees that need to be removed). But I'm always hopeful.
I still have a feeder up, for the cardinals, nuthatches, titmice, chickadees, jays and finches. But that could change after the decoy attack last night.
Still scanning the sky, but less and less frequently now.
Time for a 5 1/2 month rest.....but not really.
Judy

[Rodger Drye]

Hi taxidermy lady "Sharon"
I'm like you getting started even now for next year - can't wait!! Will be cutting down 1 more big Oak tree. Still working on another 2" x 2" x 20' steel pole. I've welded perches at the top down to 17' 6" where my first row of gourds will hang. Have built a supplemental feeding station and next year will be my fist time experimenting with it. Have you done any supplemental feeding ? Sounds like you've been busy like me. I'm moving one of my poles a few feet down and putting up that new pole, the supplemental feeding pole, and I have a small pole that has (Predator Guards) facing in each direction.
Remember just put your priorities first, and good luck for next year. It'll be hear before you know it.
Rodger

[Dave Duit]

Paint gourd rack, build new owl cage floor since Mr. Owl figured out how to fly under the cage this year, replace old winch cables, replace old coated cable perch wire, start research with Iowa State University at public martin site, add educational sign at public site, start building nest boxes for other species for public park.

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks for the great read! I really enjoy reading about what everyone is doing to make our backyard nicer for the martins! It is such a joy for me to work at trying to get them to stay! Thanks to all and good luck!

[Rodger Drye]

Sharon,
Actually, I was just like you for many years. Could only attract a few (6 or 7) PM's each year. Then last year I cut down two large trees and started playing the "Dawn Song" for the first time. "Dawn Song" in the morning - 4:00a.m. to 6:00a.m. and "Daytime Chatter" in late afternoon - 4:00p.m. to 6:00p.m. My daughter took an I-Pod and put these recordings on a continuous 24 hour loop and it works great. It really brought em in. Had 17 ASY birds and about 20 SY birds. Fledged 22 confirmed and I couldn't even get 1 old pole down to do nest checks. I had 16 gourds on that pole and I estimate at least half had babies. When my birds left for the last time on August 05,2015 I counted 66. It was like a revelation or something you'd see out of a Movie. When I walked out to my Martin Poles, talking to them like I always do, they all just swarmed me. It was really AWESOME !! I think it was they're way of saying Good-Bye, because I haven't seen any PM's since that day. It's taken me 25 years to attract this many birds - so be patient. There may be some little something about your Martin Yard that they don't like. In my case I feel like Hawks and Owls were sitting in those trees I cut down. Also put up 4 Solar activated "Predator Guards" facing in each direction. Purple Martins are very particular.
Rodger

[Dave Reynolds]

Sharon --- Hang in there ,,,, I'm having the same trouble, but will try again in 2016... 2016 may just be your year... I'm rooting for ya...

Dave

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks Rodger, I am so excited for next year! Glad you are getting your colony to grow now! That's what we strive for! I am thinking the Hawks are just taking over! I see too many! I'm just trying to get as far away from the trees that I can. Thanks again and good luck next year.
Yes Dave we will do this one day. It will have to happen someday. If we keep trying to better things they'll stay. Good luck

[Rodger Drye]

Hey Sharon, like I said don't forget to play that "Dawn Song". I really think thats what did it for me. Do you have a body of water close by? My Dad lived right on the river and he had hundreds of Martins every year. I have a large lake right across the road - convenient access for my birds. Rodger

[taxidermy lady]

I have a river about 1/2 mile from me. The Kaskaskia River. We have a pond on the farm it's close but there's a lot of trees around it. The barrow pit, that's right next to my house only stays full when it rains. Which this year was over flowing. But it has trees on the one side of it. It spreads out into the field when it's full. I also have a lock and dam close by where the Kaskaskia flows into the Mississippi River. They have 5-6 houses out there and it's wide open and high on the levees.
I have the martins here. I just have to get my poles far enough away from the trees in my front yard and on the south side of my house. The south side where the large ones are is not my property. I have cut a lot in the front yard. Like you said they are picky and getting pickier as predators get more numerous.
My poles are about 130-150' away from the trees now. They should feel safer. I will keep cutting trees in my front yard if I have to. I have no shade in the middle of the summer now. Since the sun is more at an angle I get a little in the afternoon now. I live in an in ground home so it's not hard to cool.
I've played the dawn song. It does bring them in but it doesn't make them stay if they don't feel safe. Ok thanks Rodger

[Rodger Drye]

Sharon,
Gee, Sure sounds like you have a wonderful place for purple martins - with all that water around. One question, what exactly is a barrow pit?? I would think on the pond if you cut down some trees on one side so the birds can have a good avenue to swoop down to the water, that would be ideal. Talking about it is a lot easier than doing it - I know with all the work involved. I've got a friend who has an outside water stove that heats his house and shop. He takes all the wood I'll give him, and he & his Dad come and cut it up. I too also have a 20' wide creek that runs through my property. It has a great dam and a good place for martins to swoop in for a drink. But like you I'm gonna have to cut the trees down on both sides. However, priorities first and that big Oak tree is definitely coming down. I hate to loose the shade it provides but my PM's come first. I've communicated with Chuck Abare "Chuck's Purple Martin Page" and he informed me not to play the Dawn Song once you get a good number of birds. Because it confuses them, so after about 2 weeks I stopped playing it.
Rodger

[taxidermy lady]

A barrow pit is a place where they barrow dirt to raise a highway. When your traveling down an interstate you will see lakes and ponds and most likely it was from the workers digging it out to get extra dirt to build a highway. This is what I was told a long time ago. The one by my house is shallow if it rains a lot it really spreads out. So it would be good for the martins with a rainy spring. Like this year. I always hear them feeding above it. If we had a spring going through our property, oh yeah I would build a nice body of water. Thanks

I'm sorry it is spelled borrow pit! I looked it up!

[Rodger Drye]

Sharon,
Well I've learned something again. And actually you were right the first time. I looked it up too. There is a barrow pit described as a roadside borrow pit dug for drainage purposes; also called (bar pit, bar ditch). So you were initially right. Its amazing where or what or when you might learn something new. Rodger

[ShawnK]

Hi Sharon,

I take of my father-in-law's colony since he passed away four years ago. I have since been trying to start a colony at my house which is about 9 miles away from his. I have been slowly reworking his housing trying to bring it up to more modern standards such as increasing the compartment sizes on the trio houses and replacing some home made housing from 6" PVC end caps. They are too small and very heavy. Also there their are trees encroaching the area around the colony so this winter I am clearing that out.
This is some of what I am doing to get ready for next year.

Shawn

[Matt F.]

Hi Sharon,

I take of my father-in-law's colony since he passed away four years ago. I have since been trying to start a colony at my house which is about 9 miles away from his. I have been slowly reworking his housing trying to bring it up to more modern standards such as increasing the compartment sizes on the trio houses and replacing some home made housing from 6" PVC end caps. They are too small and very heavy. Also there their are trees encroaching the area around the colony so this winter I am clearing that out.
This is some of what I am doing to get ready for next year.

Shawn

Great work taking care of your late father-in-law's colony.
Keep us posted on that project.

[MamaBruff]

Almost gave up due to a number of things beyond my control. Big ticket items like my Health. So I am going to try something new for 2016.... "One more year"...
The Trendsetter12 is coming down, and I am going to put up a AAA gourd rack on the new ground stake we dug in this spring. The HOSP have driven me NUTS with the TS12 house, and ignored the gourds for the most part. I wore out the winch with all the ups and downs! I have 4 THGs (2013) and 4 TVGs (new), all with tunnels and Conley II entrances. I have a friend that is going to let me borrow his dawnsong to play to see if that will help. So far, I am liking the looks and weight balance of the TVG. Plus they have a little plastic traction inner porch that hopefully will stand up to the sunlight. I had to replace the rubber traction treads in the THGs. Seems a shame after so much work and expense to have no martins. My site is open, and fits the "requirements" list.... HOWEVER, there are some mature Oaks and Hickories out back, and I hear GHOs at night calling back and forth. Husband is not willing to cut down trees, and keeps planting more in the perimeter, so this may be a futile effort in the long run. I have already warned him that we'll need to build an owl cage if I am able to get a PM colony started... Hmmm. After re-reading this post , I sound like I am totally nuts to fight an uphill battle. And so we shall see.

[pmartinlover2]

Mary it sounds like you have a plan! Hang in there---they have to come sometime! I've been trying for 10 years. We share some of the same problems. My husband won't let me cut down any trees either. Thank goodness he isn't planting any! He's kind of a neat freak so he doesn't like the looks of the gourd rack in the yard and he practically hides my repeating trap. But I'm not giving up! He helps me put up and take down my gourd rack due to my osteoarthritis in my back, hips, and knees. I'm having knee replacement surgery on Nov. 11th so I'm hoping I will be able to do more then. Since I've not been able to attract any martins here in town my plan is to try and put a gourd rack up at our local country club golf course. John Miller planted that seed in my head! I picked out a place on the course this summer so I just have to present my idea to the club board. But I will keep my rack at my house too because I won't give up. Yesterday I found out a fellow I know 2 miles down the road from me has martins and is as obsessed with them as we all are. He knew nothing about the PMCA or the forum. We as landlords and wannabes need to spread the word. I'm excited and I hope you are too. I hope you are able to continue. May 2016 be the best martin season yet!
______
Jody

[Rodger Drye]

Hi Mary,
Like they say - Don't ever give up... I've hosted Martins for 25 years now with very little success, until last year (2015). My advise is to cover all your bases. Traps for Starlings & HOSP, bird netting at base of every martin pole, cylinder predator guard on every pole - all mostly for snakes. I also use Solar Predator Guards which activate at night and keeps anything that hunts at night away from your Martins. Including Owls, Raccoons, Foxes, Coyotes, basically anything that hunts in the dark.

And sorry to say but yes, do cut down your big trees, and play that "Dawn Song". I cut down a huge Tulip Poplar and a huge Brackenberry last year (2014). Started playing Dawn Song about April 01, 2015. It really did start bringing them in. Fledged 22 confirmed, 2 nest jumpers perished and my old pole was full but was unable to do any nest checks.

When they did leave on August 05, 2015 I counted 66 birds, it was absolutely Amazing.

I've learned that these PM's are finicky birds, and if everything isn't just right they're not going to nest. I do believe site has a lot to do with it. My Dad had hundreds of Martins the first time he put his Gourds up, but he lived right on the Pee Dee river.
Martins love large bodies of water - thats always a plus.
Be patient and Don't give up...Rodger