The bird magnet???

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AndyShutterbug
Posts: 31
Joined: Mon May 18, 2015 10:58 am
Location: Midland, MI
Martin Colony History: 2013 Heath hexagon 12 cavity...no birds
2014 T14 added. Couple of visitors only.
2015 Four birds? At least one pair? 5 eggs in three different cavities! Abandoned.
2016 Heath house not put up. Only visitors.
2017 Only visitors
2018 No activity
2019 Visitors 20May only
2020 Visitor 22May, 3 birds suddenly 20Jun!?
2021 Nothing
2022 Sudden flurry 04Jun. Pair hanging out. High hopes!
2023 Few visitors. Disappointing...then moved from this house.

My magnet sits out in the sun and rain. I have it horizontal (to the south-southeast) to prevent rain from building up on the tweater element. I've had to put a big piece of duct tape across the lower section with the photoeye. The cover appears to have deteriorated and is gone. I don't use the photoeye anyway. I've got it set to run all the time and I control the power to the unit with an outdoor timer. I've got it up in the air about as far as I can. Oddly enough, the first time I ever noticed a PM at my house, the unit had been blown over and was playing towards the ground (up on its wire platform. So they can probably hear their own call pretty well (like hearing your name in a crowded room?). Last year, the only visitor I got landed on this platform with the speaker and really checked it out. Hopefully he wasn't confused as to why the chatter/song was coming from somewhere other than the nesting box.

Good luck!
AndyShutterbug
Central Michigan
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Thais G
Posts: 93
Joined: Mon May 05, 2014 6:37 pm
Location: CT/Darien
Martin Colony History: Started at unsuitable location in 2008. Many lessons learned since. Two tentative locations: Rogers International School and the "Fish Church" (downtown.) One pair in 2015; no fledglings though. No pairs 2016.

Mine will last for one season only - next season I have to buy new.

I leave it horizontal when it rains and place it facing up if weather is clear (I have easy access to it.)

I have noticed it can last "ok" for a season, but then it eventually oxidizes... Every single one of mine did not work the following season.. I have been told you should put silicon around it to try to prevent water from going in. (I don't think it is designed to take the full blunt of water - as in "facing straight up")

Best,
Thais
Thais Gherardi
Wannabe Landlord in Stamford, CT (2 tentative sites):
- Rogers International School (S&K barn since 2013; Alamo House installed 2016)
- "Fish Church"/downtown Stamford (Alamo House installed 2016)
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Ryan
Posts: 308
Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
Location: Eganville, Ontario
Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.

I've been trying to figure out what's the best angle for sending the dawnsong as far as possible. How high up are these birds travelling? I've been at about a 45-55 degree angle but maybe I should be more upright with the power horn angle?
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
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