PENNSYLVANIA, WILLIAMSPORT, LANDLORDS
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Guest
Trying, to establish. Looking, for others, with Purple Martin experience and success, in the Williamsport, Pennsylvania area.
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Fred Kaluza~MI
- Posts: 606
- Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:40 pm
- Location: Port Huron, Michigan
- Martin Colony History: Tried and tried and had some visitors but...not enough good insects around here to keep them interested.
Elongated Martins? That would be totally "tubular" dude! Good luck!
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Fred Kaluza~MI
- Posts: 606
- Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:40 pm
- Location: Port Huron, Michigan
- Martin Colony History: Tried and tried and had some visitors but...not enough good insects around here to keep them interested.
Sorry to confuse docgipe. I was simply making reference to the gourds shown in your photo, apparently they set a record for being the longest of some variety. Obviously they can't be used as Martin Housing. Your location in Willaimsport looks to be fairly hilly with a nice river. You may look for info from Cathy Brouse who is a PA resident and is pretty active on this forum. Stay tuned, interest in this site typically ramps up fast in the next couple months. Best of luck to you.
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Guest
docgipe, Fred is right; I'm a Pa resident. As a matter of fact, I live about an hour south of Williamsport outside a town called Middleburg. Ever hear of it? There are no colonies in my area, but perhaps there are in your area. I wish I could tell you more but I only get up to that area a couple times a year (when the family goes to the Lycoming Mall). There's not much to see along the main road on the way, so I don't know if there's anyone with a colony or not. With the family being along every time we go up, it's not like I'd get a chance to go around looking for martin colonies, although it would be nice. I don't even really have the time to do that in my area though either, so maybe there's one right down the road that I don't know about (yeah, right!). I know of one 30 miles away from me for sure, and possibly one closer than that. I hope that your area has more than mine does or I pity you. This is a very mountainous state. If you're trying to attract martins, I hope that you live in an open area and have a martin colony within a reasonable distance. I wish I could have been more helpful as far as if there are any colonies in the Williamsport area. You could try looking at the adult and subadult scout reports for the past few years (click on the scout report button up further on this page) to see if any of the towns are close to you. I hope you see some martins in the spring. I see that the first scout report (Florida) was submitted today, so they're on their way.
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Guest
Cathy,
Thank you, for the response.
Of course I know Middleburg. One can not get there without going two other places first.
We get chicken poop, for our American Giant Pumpkins and Long Gourds first farm South of Mifflinburg. I live ten minutes further up I 180,, from the Mall, between Williamsport and Montoursville. Have had Blue Birds, for several years. I do not know what the Martin presence is here. I will be going up, with a house and plastic gourds as soon as the snow gets out, of here.....well snow and ground frost. I have a couple, of decoys and the tape, to lure them if they are here. I will grow gourds this summer, for a more natural approach next spring.
No Martins....well then it may be four and forty blackbirds all in a pie.
Thank you, for the response.
Of course I know Middleburg. One can not get there without going two other places first.
We get chicken poop, for our American Giant Pumpkins and Long Gourds first farm South of Mifflinburg. I live ten minutes further up I 180,, from the Mall, between Williamsport and Montoursville. Have had Blue Birds, for several years. I do not know what the Martin presence is here. I will be going up, with a house and plastic gourds as soon as the snow gets out, of here.....well snow and ground frost. I have a couple, of decoys and the tape, to lure them if they are here. I will grow gourds this summer, for a more natural approach next spring.No Martins....well then it may be four and forty blackbirds all in a pie.
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CUL Lou~Mich
Docgipe. If those "Blackbirds" are European Starlings, one could surely shoot that many, but I'd hate to put them in a pie. ha ha. Cool looking gourds in the picture. Unfortunately, more suited to one of the PMs enemy. CUL Lou
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Guest
Hey Lou,
Those gourds were 98" long and first and second in Pennsylvania and top ten or so in the nation. 114" was the world record but if properly weighed and certified a Canadian pushed the bar up a few inches this year. I compete with Giant Pumpkins, Long Gourds, Tomatoes and Sunflowers. I grow broom corn and purple millet for the finches and other seed eaters, in the neighborhood.
I have seed from Jung Seed Company claimed, to be a purified strain, that produces more shapely and larger bird house gourds. I think the word purified came, from the hand, of a copy writer. Selfed, mutated or crossed with something is how gourds get changed genetics. When selfed gourds can go either way.....eliminate some so called bad traits or bring out the features, of any thing, that may have been, in the background. There will be nothing on or near my property, to create a bad cross, so if the so called purified strain produces the promise and the seed, from my gourd stays true, to promise I will have a proven seed worth, of sharing with anyone who might like, to grow some naturals.
I'm going to start another thread to ask a question or two that have not been answered in the site reading I have done so far.
Those gourds were 98" long and first and second in Pennsylvania and top ten or so in the nation. 114" was the world record but if properly weighed and certified a Canadian pushed the bar up a few inches this year. I compete with Giant Pumpkins, Long Gourds, Tomatoes and Sunflowers. I grow broom corn and purple millet for the finches and other seed eaters, in the neighborhood.
I have seed from Jung Seed Company claimed, to be a purified strain, that produces more shapely and larger bird house gourds. I think the word purified came, from the hand, of a copy writer. Selfed, mutated or crossed with something is how gourds get changed genetics. When selfed gourds can go either way.....eliminate some so called bad traits or bring out the features, of any thing, that may have been, in the background. There will be nothing on or near my property, to create a bad cross, so if the so called purified strain produces the promise and the seed, from my gourd stays true, to promise I will have a proven seed worth, of sharing with anyone who might like, to grow some naturals.
I'm going to start another thread to ask a question or two that have not been answered in the site reading I have done so far.
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Guest
Docgipe, Yeah, you could probably get a lot of chicken poop in this area. lol This is a rural farming area but more and more farms are turning into developments, unfortunately. We live 10 miles or so from Mifflinburg.
Congrats on having those prize gourds; they sure are long. I can't say I ever really saw any like that. I was growing the kettle (birdhouse) gourds for a few years but have decided to quit that. It was okay for awhile, but seeing that I don't have martins, I don't the point in continuing to grow them.
I bet you enjoy your bluebirds as much as I do mine. I've had mine about as long as I've been trying for martins and they've been faithfully coming here every year ever since the first year I put a box up. They're really fun to watch.
I don't know what martin house or gourds you plan on buying. There are some good houses and some not-so-good ones. I hope the starlings and sparrows aren't too bad in your area. I don't know how you feel about eliminating them, but that's what a lot of us do because of their being a danger to martins. None live in my housing. I have a Trio house that I put Universal sparrow traps in (they also trap starlings), and I have other two NB compact traps up. The starlings can't seem to resist either type of traps. I still haven't gotten too great at shooting because I always seem to find something else to do other than target practice, so I basically rely on my traps to catch s&s.
We've had snow on the ground for probably a month now, but with the rain we've gotten today a lot of it has melted. I think we've actually gone for almost two weeks without any snowfall. I wouldn't care if we wouldn't see any more the rest of the winter, but we have a lot of winter to go yet. I hate to think that it's actually just beginning.
Even if you don't see any martins or know of any right in your area, I would play the tape anyway because you just never know when one might be within earshot and stop by your place. Good luck to you.
Congrats on having those prize gourds; they sure are long. I can't say I ever really saw any like that. I was growing the kettle (birdhouse) gourds for a few years but have decided to quit that. It was okay for awhile, but seeing that I don't have martins, I don't the point in continuing to grow them.
I bet you enjoy your bluebirds as much as I do mine. I've had mine about as long as I've been trying for martins and they've been faithfully coming here every year ever since the first year I put a box up. They're really fun to watch.
I don't know what martin house or gourds you plan on buying. There are some good houses and some not-so-good ones. I hope the starlings and sparrows aren't too bad in your area. I don't know how you feel about eliminating them, but that's what a lot of us do because of their being a danger to martins. None live in my housing. I have a Trio house that I put Universal sparrow traps in (they also trap starlings), and I have other two NB compact traps up. The starlings can't seem to resist either type of traps. I still haven't gotten too great at shooting because I always seem to find something else to do other than target practice, so I basically rely on my traps to catch s&s.
We've had snow on the ground for probably a month now, but with the rain we've gotten today a lot of it has melted. I think we've actually gone for almost two weeks without any snowfall. I wouldn't care if we wouldn't see any more the rest of the winter, but we have a lot of winter to go yet. I hate to think that it's actually just beginning.
Even if you don't see any martins or know of any right in your area, I would play the tape anyway because you just never know when one might be within earshot and stop by your place. Good luck to you.
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Guest
As I'm sure you are aware Williamsport is the home of Little League Baseball.
A few years back before i knew what a Purple Martin was I saw this strange looking birdhouse near the park which is located behind the Little League complex.
I don't recall seeing any PMs but then i didn't know what they were at the time.
This i can tell you, the Williamsport area is right for PMs.
If you live in the valley there is plenty of open space which the PMs prefer.
PMs love water and with that huge river (sorry forgot it's name) running thru the middle of town.
All the PMs need is housing.
Have a Great Day- Jim
A few years back before i knew what a Purple Martin was I saw this strange looking birdhouse near the park which is located behind the Little League complex.
I don't recall seeing any PMs but then i didn't know what they were at the time.
This i can tell you, the Williamsport area is right for PMs.
If you live in the valley there is plenty of open space which the PMs prefer.
PMs love water and with that huge river (sorry forgot it's name) running thru the middle of town.
All the PMs need is housing.
Have a Great Day- Jim
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Guest
Jim,
I am a still wet behind the ears newbe. I have arrived at the conclusion you just mentioned. I have found out that mine and another new house is going up this spring. One old site may be getting elder care, in an effort to repopulate the site. Still another site is registered on this forum registry in my area but the landlord provided no way to reach the person.
I've been reading and taking away as many reasons for failure as possible. This site surely has a wealth, of data available. Persons like you have offered good solid advise.
I am a still wet behind the ears newbe. I have arrived at the conclusion you just mentioned. I have found out that mine and another new house is going up this spring. One old site may be getting elder care, in an effort to repopulate the site. Still another site is registered on this forum registry in my area but the landlord provided no way to reach the person.
I've been reading and taking away as many reasons for failure as possible. This site surely has a wealth, of data available. Persons like you have offered good solid advise.