Housing Up and Open

[Thomas Maddox]

Do you have your housing ready to go? I usually don't get PMs until February (mid), so I wait until the end of January. Im not worried about HOSPS as I monitor closely.

[C.C.Martins]

Yessir! Everything is up and ready, nothing blocked off. Sparrows won't be a problem. only thing to do now is put spare o doors on the trap houses at the preserve. Can wait on that, less wear on em.

end of jan beginning feb here. Soon my friend, we shall have visitors!

[brent]

I’m going to get all the nest trays ready this week and get them into the houses. I’m ordering more crickets in the event we get a cold spell after they arrive. I already have about 5 thousand in the freezer but I will need more. Plus I have some frozen meal worms. Last year, to my surprise, the martins did take my flipping food to them. I could never get them to take the food before. I’ll wait to open up once I see my first arrival. I generally open a few then as I see more open up the rest. It’s getting close. My first arrivals were January 29th of last year. Good luck. I’ll post once I see my first arrival! Good luck everyone!!

[Bird Brain]

Got mine all cleaned up and ready a month ago. I leave everything up all year long just in case a house sparrow ventures by. This will be my third year! Hoping for a full house!

[Thomas Maddox]

I have decided to put mine up this week. I may get lucky and pick up a few new ones or give some a place to rest before moving on. I'll even let HOSPS hang out for a day or 2. Ha. Best of wishes for everyone!

[LCM]

Good evening all of my purple Martin friends.
Mr Brent, where may I purchase food trays and the worms crickets etc?
I have a trendsetter, is there a place on that particular house I could install feeder trays?
Secondly are food trays generally placed on their own posts?
Any of my friends, please jump in here with expertise that I know you possess.
Thank you so much.
Linda

[C.C.Martins]

LCM,
Know you went through a move, hope this is your year!!!!

Food treys can be as simple as you wish. Dont need to be on the house itself. A simple elevated platform, probably with a ledge to keep the food from blowing off. Some folks here used simple pie baking pans on a post, guess you should poke holes in it for drainage.
Just my preference, but I like critter depot for crickets and superworms...free shipping!

[brent]

LCM,
I bought trays from PMCA and put them on post. Lifted them up but was never able to get the birds to take the food. Last year, something strange happened. It got very cold and I noticed birds were sitting on my roof out of the wind. Never had any luck flipping crickets but just out of curiosity I decided to try to flip crickets to those birds on the roof. Wham!! One took one and then another and before you know it I must have had 60+ birds attracted to the flipped food. This went on for a few days. They ate all my crickets, beetles and meal worms. Happy birds and happy me! Good luck. Brent

[LCM]

Good evening gentlemen and to all of my pm friends.
I really appreciate you both in taking time to answer. I apologize that I’m responding late. I am going to do better in the future.
I soooo enjoyed your explanation of flipping crickets and other insects. Truly an amazing experience, I am sure.
For some reason, I don’t know why, for the life of me, I can’t explain this, but I feel like I am going to have to learn this technique for early precious Martin babies.
That’s another reason I’m getting my list of what and how to do.
My house is still covered.
That brings me to say this, one of my Louisiana friends said it right in another post in that, most times around Valentine’s Day, is first arrival of scouts or other returning Martins.
I’m already dreaming of arrival of the Martins . It seemed like, night before last, I dreamed about them all night long.
Additionally, and then I will close, I CANNOT WAIT, to read the words in the upcoming post that reads “BUDDY IS BACK.”
Lord Bless each of you reading this post.
Sincerely,
LCM

[C.C.Martins]

LCM,
Its so worth the time spent, whether a platform feeder, your roof, or flipping up in the air, a colony "trained" to accept supplemental food has a great chance at surviving, it could very well be possible your colony could be the seeds for the whole area should bad weather take hold of a region.
Martins won't give up if you don't give up. When that one bird takes the food, its unforgettable.

[LCM]

I truly believe that. It’s the 5th of February, 2026 and I am still waiting for that shrill, (unlike anything there is to hear) announcement from our PM friends.