Attracting Purple Martins with Dawn Song CD

[CBader]

We have a large population of returning martins that use condos and gourds near a large pond on our Golf Course at Leisure World Maryland. We are replacing older worn out condos and gourds that cannot be monitored with the new nesting gourds. We also have new gourds in two other places.

We have a 6 gourd set in our Community Garden about 1 mile away. Purple Martins have nested in past years in the Community Garden in outdated condos. Last year was the first year for the new gourds in the garden and we did not attract purple martins. We did leave the older condo up.

We'd like to use the Songbird Magnet sold here, but we do not have an electrical outlet near the new gourds. Has anyone figured out how to use the Dawn Song CD using either batteries or solar power? We'd like an on/off feature. I know promoting a product here is not permitted. My ask is what type of set-up can I use which will play the Dawn Song CD every morning automatically.

Maybe we'll need to use a type of MP3 player instead of a CD player?

Is there a way to plug the Songbird Magnet into a portable power source?

We'll appreciate any advice in attracting martins to our new gourds.

Cheryl
Chair of the Leisure World Purple Martin and Bird Club, Leisure World Maryland.

[flyin-lowe]

How close is the nearest electrical outlet to the unused housing? If there is no building around, this might be more of the problem. Martins are believed to find safety in housing near humans. I have heard people say that martins would not using housing out in the middle of nowhere, not sure if it has been actually tested or not?

I started two different colonies and both times just had a CD player alarm clock plugged in. on on my porch and one under the eave of my pole barn. Even if it's hundreds of feet away, once they drop down to check out the sound they will see the housing. Based on my experience the player doesn't need to be super close. As the martins are dropping down they will see the housing well before they would pinpoint where they are hearing the martins at.

[PurplePupil]

From an image I found on Google Maps, it looks like the PM houses are fairly close to human housing.
Not to promote a product either, but I believe you could buy a solar panel from Amazon like this one (https://www.amazon.com/MARBERO-Powered- ... B0DFGYWPDQ?) and be able to play the dawnsong from the sun's energy. I also think, (don't have the Songbird Magnet) that it has a automatic turn off and on feature? Edit: according to the PMCA store website, "Leave it outside - comes on at dawn and automatically shuts off".

Some specifications on the caller are:
1.8w
12v
According to: https://www.globalindustrial.com/p/bird ... actant-sbm
On the solar panel it is:
110v
18w

So, you can do the math if you want to, but what I found is that with 2 hours of sunlight, your 18W, 110V solar panel will be able to run the 12V, 1.8W caller for 20 hours.
Hope this helps!

[CBader]

Thank you for your responses. I'm still researching and your information helps.

Cheryl