Mail Box Cavities
-
randyM
- Posts: 254
- Joined: Thu Jun 18, 2015 2:30 pm
- Location: Long Lake SD
- Martin Colony History: * 2016 - 1 pair (ASYM + SYF) 2/3 eggs hatched 2 young fledged.
* 2017 - 4 pairs, 16/17 eggs hatched, 16 fledged, 16 banded - 2 banded SY returned in 2018 (12.5%)
* 2018 - 10 pairs, 46/52 eggs hatched, 45 fledged, 29 young banded - 3 banded SY returned in 2019 (10.3%)
*2019 - 32 pairs, 145/160 eggs hatched, 139 fledged - 87 young banded - 12 banded SY returned in 2020 (13.8%).
* 2020 - 35 pairs, 180/199 eggs hatched, 178 fledged - 150 young banded & 42 SY returned (28.0%)
* 2021 - 89 pairs, 363/446 eggs hatched, 355 fledged - 150 young banded & 19 SY returned (12.7%)
*2022 - 116 pairs, 495/579 eggs hatched, 471 fledged - 150 young banded & 27 SY returned (18.0%)
*2023 - 160 pairs, 708/828 eggs hatched, 572 fledged - 150 young banded & 38 SY returned (25.3%)
*2024 - 235 pairs, 950/1153 eggs hatched, 865 fledged - 100 young banded & 18 SY returned (18.0%)
*2025 - 200 pairs, 795/953 eggs hatched, 739 fledged - 200 young banded
Looks interesting....have you used this type of housing before? Perhaps the exterior of the boxes could be spray painted white to help keep the internal temperature of the box a bit cooler during hot and sunny weather.
Good luck!
Good luck!
-
Dale D
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
- Location: Orlando, Fl
- Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004
Hi randyM, These are the first ones I have tried but I built an aluminum T-10 for last season with 12" deep cavities and it had 5 pairs in it. I painted the outside white and I really don't believe painting the inside white would make any difference. With the 2 " round louvered vents on each side should give them a good air flow and a place for any heat to escape. Here is a photo of them painted white and inside pic also. Some gourds that are used have black interiors and it makes no difference.
- Attachments
-
- 4.JPG (37.21 KiB) Viewed 16431 times
Last edited by Dale D on Fri Aug 17, 2018 4:18 am, edited 1 time in total.
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
-
mwren
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:43 pm
- Location: OH/Athens
- Martin Colony History: I have had my martin colony on the dam of one of my ponds for nine years. The colony has grown each year, but I am now concentrating on helping friends and acquaintances who have shown interests in martins. My colony consists of three T-14's with 8 Troyer gourds attatched to each T-14, a Troyer gourd rack with 12 gourds, and another gourd rack with 18 Troyer gourds for a total of 96 nest cavities. I am having serious predation issues with hawks and owls and am experimenting with various hawk guards and "screens". Established successful supplemental feeding the last few seasons and have had a blast flipping mostly meal worms and some crickets. Faculty from Ohio University are using my colony as a research site to study parasites that target cavity nesting birds. In exchange for access to my bird trail nest boxes and martin housing, they are banding all birds involved in their study.
Dale D,
I am curious how you are going to mount your mail box cavities, and what type of hoisting method you will be using to raise and lower the boxes.
I am curious how you are going to mount your mail box cavities, and what type of hoisting method you will be using to raise and lower the boxes.
Mike "Bird" Wren
-
Dale D
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
- Location: Orlando, Fl
- Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004
mwren, I have designed to slide onto my existing GMA's and pinned the same as gourd. I have 3 poles all with winch and cable. These 4 mail box cavities will go on my B&B rack with 4 Bo9 gourds. This still has to be painted white.
- Attachments
-
- 8.JPG (58.56 KiB) Viewed 16400 times
Last edited by Dale D on Fri Aug 17, 2018 6:41 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Did you go this route because they were cheaper than gourds?
The Martins will definitely use them. A guy on our lake put a mailbox with the door open on the end of his boat dock. Martins built a nest in it and raised young. It did have shade in the afternoon from trees on the shoreline.
Seems like they would be really hot during the summer in Orlando.
The Martins will definitely use them. A guy on our lake put a mailbox with the door open on the end of his boat dock. Martins built a nest in it and raised young. It did have shade in the afternoon from trees on the shoreline.
Seems like they would be really hot during the summer in Orlando.
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
-
Dale D
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
- Location: Orlando, Fl
- Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004
Spiderman, price had nothing to do with it. I simply enjoy building my own housing and racks and trying types of non traditional housing. I have 20 gourds hanging and a T-10 house I built with aluminum. Everything is well vented and has posed no problem for me since 2004. Everything you see in this photo with the exception of the gourds I built myself including the replica AAA-16 rack. The box in the photo still has to be painted white. I just posted it before painted to show how they would be mounted.
- Attachments
-
- 2018 Setup.JPG (89.9 KiB) Viewed 16376 times
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
-
Dave Duit
- Posts: 2146
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2026, 88 pair with 333 fledged youngsters. 110 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and a homemade PVC / metal 28 compartment unit, 1 fallout shelter. Hawk and owl guards included. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook link: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1627283871068161 Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
Great idea and construction Dale. I guess you could say you were thinking outside the box. Yes, pun intended. I really do like the concept of a larger cavity such as this mailbox, easy to do nest checks and vented. Good job Dale.
-
Dale D
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
- Location: Orlando, Fl
- Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004
Thanks Dave, I placed a vent on both sides of the box to get good ventilation. The nice thing about these is 3rd vent could be place on the back of the box as well if wanted.
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
-
Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 2444
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged
Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged
Thanks Dale --- For posting all the pictures... They (the mail boxes) look very professional .. Well done..
Dave
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Little Hocking, Ohio
The T-10 is Beautiful. I bet that took some time to build from scratch.
You have a really nice site. I'm sure you take Excellant care of your Martins.
You have a really nice site. I'm sure you take Excellant care of your Martins.
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
-
Dale D
- Posts: 329
- Joined: Tue Jan 30, 2018 10:11 am
- Location: Orlando, Fl
- Martin Colony History: Landlord since 2004
Thank you, Spiderman. The aluminum T-10 in the this picture took me twice as long to build as my old wood T-10 that I retired after 11 seasons. The old wood T-10 weighed 82 lb and this aluminum with nest trays weighs 50 lb.
Orlando, FL Landlord since 2004
Offer 42 Cavities Total
Offer 42 Cavities Total
