House is up, when to open doors?

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summer85cowgirl
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:57 am
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Martin Colony History: 2015-put up the house, as is, and no takers.
2016-Modified the house for larger rooms, added two gourds, and played the dawn song daily. First pair arrived! 5 eggs, all hatched, but only 4 babies remain. None have fledged yet, but any day now!! Update: 3 out of 5 babies made it to fledgling! All flew off!

Hello all!
Last year was our first year to get a little martin family (3 babies!) and everything went well.

This year we put up the house around March 1st, but closed the entrances to keep out starlings and sparrows. I know martins are supposed to show site fidelity and return to their breeding site, but my question is: how long will they stick around if they arrive and the house isn't open yet? I'm concerned because I work full time and won't be home to open the house until after 5pm (or open it early in the morning before leaving for work).

I haven't noticed any martins flying around the neighborhood yet. I have heard 'partial' martin calls, but I'm 99% that it is our resident Mocking Bird!! haha!

I'm just worried they'll land, see that it's closed up and move on. Suggestions?

Thanks!
Abby
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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 !

Abby, when did the PMs arrived last year ? I'm not saying that they will arrive at the same time/date this year, just to keep an eye /ear opened before & after that date. I like to open mine when my first PM arrives, I Scramble out & lower the pole & at least open 2 -3 rooms to give him a choice ! Good Luck ! Keep us posted ! :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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summer85cowgirl
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:57 am
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Martin Colony History: 2015-put up the house, as is, and no takers.
2016-Modified the house for larger rooms, added two gourds, and played the dawn song daily. First pair arrived! 5 eggs, all hatched, but only 4 babies remain. None have fledged yet, but any day now!! Update: 3 out of 5 babies made it to fledgling! All flew off!

Anthony, the purple martins were first seen on 4/29/2016 in our backyard (central OKC). I didn't know if they would be earlier this year since last year was their first time nesting at our site? Thanks for the tip though. I'm running to the window at every black bird flying over the house!! :grin:
*I meant to ask when your PMs return, do they sit on or around the house and wait for you to open it up? I'm hoping if mine show up while I'm at work they will at least come back again around early evening/dusk to check to see if it is open yet.
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MichaelH
Posts: 586
Joined: Fri Mar 27, 2015 10:10 am
Location: IL/Gillespie
Martin Colony History: 2015 28 cavities 2 pairs
2016 big upgrade 56cavities 16 pairs great year
2017. 76 cavities 36 pairs
2018. 146 cavities

My asy male arrived a few days ago and I only see him in the morning briefly and haven't seen him return at night or go in a gourd yet. My first few birds did this last year to and as more came they started coming back more through the day ,this year I waited till I saw one then open about 10 cavities ,trying to keep the s n s away ,good luck
Mick
2018 146 cavities.
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klcretired
Posts: 2174
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 3:06 am
Location: Grand Prairie,Tx

summer85cowgirl wrote:Anthony, the purple martins were first seen on 4/29/2016 in our backyard (central OKC). I didn't know if they would be earlier this year since last year was their first time nesting at our site? Thanks for the tip though. I'm running to the window at every black bird flying over the house!! :grin:
*I meant to ask when your PMs return, do they sit on or around the house and wait for you to open it up? I'm hoping if mine show up while I'm at work they will at least come back again around early evening/dusk to check to see if it is open yet.
Go to this page from the scout report page and scroll down , you can see who & when their Martins arrived in OKC
you can click on any name and it will take you to a page that has all their reports over the years.
hope this helps, you could also contact some of the pm Land Lords by email or message to talk w/ them
hope this helps you

https://www.purplemartin.org/research/s ... +City&S=OK
Pictures Taken with Canon Rebel XT Digital using a Sigma 50-500 Long Lens.

Wishing everyone a Great Martin Year
Happy Martining for 2022 to everyone,

K.C.

[email protected]
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Dan G
Posts: 446
Joined: Thu Jun 12, 2014 7:52 pm
Location: PA/Bellefonte
Martin Colony History: Several colonies with in 6 mile radius.
Have had visitor every year 2014-24.
Two large trees removed in fall 2024 and moved T-14 to a more open location.
2025- 1 SY pair. Fledged 2.

The Martin's are arriving in central pa so I decided to open a couple cavities on my T14. I opened it last evening and this morning at 730, a starling was sitting on it. Dang things. They just keep coming. That particular one won't though.
Bellefonte PA
2014, 1st year-a few lookers, no nests
2015-23. Visitors each year. But no pairs.
2024- most active year. 2-4 SY male’s hang out most days.
2025, 1 SY pair. 2 eggs, 2 fledged!! Other martins visited daily.
Still eliminating starlings and sparrows.
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summer85cowgirl
Posts: 13
Joined: Sun May 01, 2016 7:57 am
Location: Oklahoma City, OK
Martin Colony History: 2015-put up the house, as is, and no takers.
2016-Modified the house for larger rooms, added two gourds, and played the dawn song daily. First pair arrived! 5 eggs, all hatched, but only 4 babies remain. None have fledged yet, but any day now!! Update: 3 out of 5 babies made it to fledgling! All flew off!

**Update**
This morning (4/5/17) at a little after 7am I saw a dark male purple martin coming out of one of the compartments and trying to get into another one (the one that they nested in last year) and he kept struggling to get it. I got nervous thinking there was something wrong, so I walked outside and suddenly another martin (lighter chested) pops out of that cavity and they both sit on the house and start singing to me!!! Then suddenly a THIRD martin appeared, out of the same compartment!!! 3 martins!! No wonder he was was struggling to get in...he couldn't fit! haha! So finally they have made it back! Don't give up yet if your martins haven't returned. :) They're a'comin'!
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Okie
Posts: 541
Joined: Mon Apr 11, 2016 3:26 pm
Location: Claremore, OK
Martin Colony History: 2016 Informed landlord now Have 2 pair returning from 2015 That is a miracle. Hoping for a very successful year, sparrow population on decline.
First house was plastic with crescent holes Had martins within a few days. Ignorant landlord gradually lost them
Then got Trio House and still lost most of them. Lots of sparrows

Whoppeeee
What a thrill. Been watching mine today as he arrived yesterday. Hopefully I will have at least 3,,,,or 4 birds too
Happy bird watching.
Okie
PMCA member
2016 Started with 2 pair, 1 pair abandoned after HOSP destroyed eggs
1 pair= 6 eggs, 6 fledged
2017 1 pair so far, But they abandoned before nest complete for ?reason? Now Bridless and joined the Wannabes
2018 One pair ASY male SY female 5 eggs, 5 fledged
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