Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
I was playing ball with Rusty. It was around 5:45pm. A beautiful black bi-plane was flying overhead. I stopped to take a closer look at the plane, when suddenly THERE HE WAS!!! A single ASY flying in large circles high overhead - feeding.
He flew around for about 15 minutes, his circles grew tighter and were centered more over the PM housing. He folded his wings to his sides and dropped out of the sky like a bullet and flew straight into his gourd without ever uttering a sound.
This bird chose a north facing gourd - probably the same one he used last season - it fledged 5. The temp dropped to 31 in Alvin last night. I had ice on my windshield this morning... I hope he had enough nest material to find a warm spot...
Congrats! Good news. I had something similar at around the same time, but the ASY male did not land on the colony. He was just cruising as I was out in the backyard. I was just hearing him chirp the familiar warning calls.
I'm a "nestcamaholic" Is 18 hours a day a bad thing? (I have 2 this year, luckily I have 2 eyes!)
Congratulations, Laverne I knew we would hear from you soon. And, we all know he had plenty of nesting material to keep warm because you spoil those martins.
Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Sparky: Your birds will be along soon - Did you watch that ASY constantly? That was my point - this bird could have been at my place for several days and I just got lucky and saw him this time...
Yes, Lanell - you know me - Mike asked me if I was going to put a heating pad in the gourd for him...
Happy for you Laverne. He could have been there overnight before, they are awful quiet at night when they first arrive..They are very vocal when the 2nd one comes...I now have 14-16 staying at night
Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Happy for you, too, Emil... that's quite a bunch collecting at your place. It won't be long before my skies are filled with purple commotion. It seems this winter went by very fast...
Congrats to all. Hope you keep them for a few more weeks. We had snow again here in Illinois and cold. Teens in the nights and bare above 32 during the day.
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gourds 10-05
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Steve Thomas (LeRoy,Il) trying since 2003, visitors 2006 & 2007 had 1 visitor.
2009 had 6 visitors, 3ASY & 3females(1 male serious)
2010 1ASY male & 1ASYfemale, May 9, 2010 I became a landlord
2011 They came back. Got cold .they left. Never came back. starting over.
2012 1 came by. 2013 (0)
Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
I'm usually asleep while many of you are placing your posts on the Forum!
I like your idea, Lanell. But, running an extension cord out to your PM housing would probably just spook the martins. Those microwavable warmer things sound like a good solution for landlords with extreme cold. I believe a well fed PM can survive a few hours of freezing temperatures during our Texas nights. I just make sure they have a cozy gourd full of nesting material. It was 31 at dawn and quickly warmed to over 50 with a high in the 70's. My lonely little ASY male looked great when he came in last night. He even sat on the rack and watched me for a while before going in.
I love Purple Martins! Thank you to all for your well wishes and congratulatons. I am confident that our colony will continue to be strong and healthy. We had 43 nesting pair who fledged 161 young last season. I'm putting up one more rack this season to offer 56 gourds - just in case there's some homeless hurricane refugees looking for a place to live. I feel heartsick when I think of the birds who will return to find their breeding grounds broken and their housing missing.
I knew we would hear from you soon. 
And, we all know he had plenty of nesting material to keep warm because you spoil those martins. 
