When to put up a new p.m. house

[Guest]

I am new to the world of purple martins. I live outside of Pittsboro, NC and have noticed a couple of purple martins flying around when I'm on the riding lawnmower. I am assuming that it's too late to put up my new purple martin house. So my question is: should I wait until next spring to put up the house? Or would it be good to put it up now. Thanks for your help.

[Dale Davis]

Hi Dwain, Although it is late in the season to attract nesting birds, there are a lot of martins that will be migrating south from the northern states that may notice your house if it is up.

So my suggestion is if your pole and everything is ready, put it up until all the martins are gone for the season. Trying to start a new colony you have nothing to lose.

Also during the off season research as much as you can such as in the archives.

Good luck Dwain.

[Guest]

Thanks Dale,
I appreciate the info!
Dwain

[RC Moser]

IMO anytime, but why have it up in the off season . The house you select hopefully comes with plugs. In off season keeping it plugged will keep the Dreaded Starlings and sparrows from establishing cavity territory.

Some ideas in the off season? make some perches on top of the house, expand the compartments if not already, have some type of srehs to keep the starlings out. Place the house in the most open area with sparrow control in mind. Think about a repeating trap near by.

Also, two houses are better than one. Martins like to go from one to the outer chit chatting IMO greatly increasing you chances of getting them and that's why you might want to add some perches to the roof especially if you don't have an idea spot for martins.

[Guest]

Dwain,

Make sure those aren't barn swallows. They call they "barnies". Everytime I mow my yard the barn swallows are out following me around. The barn swallows fly low to the ground, where martins seem to fly higher in the sky. Check the tail, barn swallows have a split tail and are smaller!

craig

[Guest]

Hi Dwain - it's good to meet another North Carolinian! We have had a growing number of martins hanging out in a dead oak tree for a week now, and we're up to about 30-40 martins a day. I have ordered my pole and gourds and I'm going take Dale's advice to put them up when they come to try and publicize our place for next year's arrivals.
Good luck if your visitors are martins, too!

[Guest]

I bought a house with a small colony already established, altho poorly managed. I put up 3 new poles in June, 2 16 gourd racks and one house pole, not expecting to get nesters, but rather that they would get used to the new housing this season and wouldn't be surprised by their appearance next year. That's my theory at least... they were checking them out 10 minutes after they went up and roost on them regularly now.

Ian

[Guest]

I appreciate all the info. I have decided to put up the house and block the holes for now. I will take it down when they are gone. By the way, when will they be gone?

[Al Denton]

Dwain, Nice to see NC folks on the forum again. They all seem to have disappeared Good luck with the martins. Al

[Al Denton]

Dwain, One more thing...I seldom see many martins here after the middle of August. Al