For us "Wannabe" Landlords 2016

[Rodger Drye]

Hey Peter,
Thought you'd be catching a good number of Starlings by now. Do you still use the V-Trap we talked about? I have 1 NBT and building another out of Polywood. Have caught 33 Starlings since first of the year, and 22 Sparrows. Last night a dark eyed Junco got caught in my Shop and just wouldn't fly out. When I opened the Door this morning he or she took off toward daylight.
Everyone hang in there for your Birds. They will come when you least expect it. I waited 25 years to have 14 Pair. Always had a few Birds each year but didn't have a Real Colony. If I waited 25 years you guys can wait a few. Of course I know it's not the same NOT having any Birds at all. Just remember to do all the right things. Evaluate your site each year and determine if there is anything you can do to make it better and more attractive for Martins.
Sometimes just the smallest of things can really make a difference. Good - Right Location for you Site. Correct distance from trees, the right kind of housing, Predator Guards, trapping Starlings & Sparrows and don't forget the "Dawn Song". It works - So Play It...!!
Rodger

[pmartinlover2]

2016 will mark 11 years that I've been a member of this "club". Thank goodness for all the encouragement, advise, and education from this forum. I have not made any changes for my single 6 gourd rack at my home. I think my husband has finally had his fill of our 2 huge sweetgum trees in the front yard. They're supposed to come down this Fall which will improve my chances of finally getting some martins to stay. But if the martins won't come to me, I've decided to go where they are at a satellite site. I have permission to put up housing at our local golf club which sits right on one of the two lakes in Hillsboro. I've just received my new deluxe 12 gourd rack from the PMCA and I'm busy adding porches and vents and pvc pipe to the hanging area of my THG. I'm excited to hopefully introduce purple martins to everyone who visits the club. I'm trying really hard to "remain calm and it will happen",,,,,,right Jose? Wishing everyone good luck this Martin season!
_______
Jody

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Some of you, I know via conversations on various forums while others like MamaBruff, I know personally. I don't know anyone I would like to see get a colony started more than her. Mary, we are all hoping this is your year to finally have your name removed from the "wannabe" club.

[Rodger Drye]

Hi Jody,
You go Girl, what ever you do don't let it whip you.! I like your determination,if you can't get the Birds at one location try another. Sounds like a great location next to the Lake and all. I'm sure the Martins will love it.
Cutting down the sweet gum trees will surely help. How far is you site (poles & rack) from the trees and your house.
Are you able to offer any source of water at your home site?
Rodger

[avesrun]

Jody that is great news on the golf course deal; you won't regret it for a second after the Martins take hold. How far is it from your home? Go for it and make it happen!
TimG

[pmartinlover2]

Thanks for the encouragement Rodger and TimG. My lone pole at home is 50' from the sweetgum trees and 55' from our house. There's another big tulip tree about 60' east of the pole and a small woods beyond that. Then unfortunately there's a line of trees to the north about 120' from the pole. There's an open flyway above our house and to the west. As far as a water source, our neighbor across the road has a pond. We are actually only 2 miles from the golf club and the 2 lakes in Hillsboro. My husband is there everyday playing golf and I will be too looking up for martins! Cutting down those sweetgum trees is probably the best I can do to improve my chances at home. Any suggestions are welcome!
______
Jody

[taxidermy lady]

Everything you do Jody helps a little! Your on the right track. You get a bunch in the area you just may get some at your house. BMF

[Peter Alberda]

Roger, I haven't talked to the dairy farmer for the past few weeks so don't know outcome to date. The last time he was up to 600 starlings. My new V-Top is at a farm about one and a half miles north of me. I'm chumming the area around and in the trap and left the door open. I'm hoping to get them used to it for a few days. When I see a good number of sparrows in and around the trap I'll shut the door and start collecting. Hope it works!

[Rodger Drye]

Hey Peter,
Way to go Man. 600 Starlings is an impressive number. Makes the rest of us look like amateurs. I've caught 33 in my NBT since 1st of Jan.2016, and 23 Sparrows in my Uncle Blain's trap, baited with millet. I'm presently in the process of building another NBT out of PVC Board (Poly Wood). Will send some pics when I get it done.
Good Luck with your Traps.!
Rodger

[MamaBruff]

Some of you, I know via conversations on various forums while others like MamaBruff, I know personally. I don't know anyone I would like to see get a colony started more than her. Mary, we are all hoping this is your year to finally have your name removed from the "wannabe" club.

Thank you Tim! You are such a kind person. If I can ever get at least couple pairs established, then the questions I pester you with will at be a little different! It's great to have a mentor a short drive away, too!

PS. I checked the established PM colony on Robertson St in Carthage, and their houses and gourds are all still lowered.

[Rodger Drye]

Hey Jody,
Yes taking down those Sweet Gum trees will most definately Help. Not to mention not having to clean up all those gum balls. I used to tell my Grandkids those gum balls were Porcupine Eggs - LOL, they believed it for a long time, Ha Ha.
Is the tulip tree a small exotic or a large Tulip Poplar? If it's the large Tulip Poplar it may have to come down too.
Everything else seems to be alright, and your birds have access to water at your neighbor's pond across the road.
Just got back from a friend that lives on the Pee Dee River about 15 miles from me. He already has 12 ASY Martins.
He lives right on the water - Good location.! He said his brother built him a beautiful Martin house out of wood with 12 cavities in it. He kept it up for 5 years and never did get a Martin to stay. Finally after he took it down about 5 years ago and put up some white gourds he had every cavity occupied. The birds are very sensitive and can be picky.

I took down a huge Pin Oak tree about 75 feet from my Racks last winter, giving a full fly way straight to the Lake across the road. I'm hoping that this change will not hurt my chances on attracting Martins this year. Last year from time to time I would notice my birds perching up in the top of that Pin Oak tree. I keep a place about 20' X 20' scratched out with my tractor. I've noticed the Birds getting down in the dirt quite frequently gathering grit and dirt to make a mud dam in some of their nests.

That's funny how some do this and some don't.?
Like I said these birds can be picky.
Rodger

[pmartinlover2]

Thanks for your help, Rodger. Yes the tulip tree is a poplar but I don't see it coming down anytime soon. It's beautiful when it blooms in the Spring. After raking gum balls for 36 years my husband has had enough---so they're coming down. Yay!!! Now it's time to sit back and WAIT and WATCH!!!
_____
Jody

[Rodger Drye]

Jody,
When you cut your Gum trees down, get someone to take the wood and clean it up. When I cut that Oak down I found a man that wanted the wood. Since we don't burn wood any more, unless the power goes out, it all worked out.
It was a huge tree and provided a lot of good hardwood. The man was scared to cut it down so my deal was that I'd lay it down and he would have to cut it up and get up all the wood and limbs etc. He agreed.

He and 3 other men came one Saturday, cut the whole tree up and hauled off the limbs.
That was a good lick - because all I had to do was cut it down, they actually did all the work.! Everyone was pleased, he was happy to get the wood, and I was happy to get rid of the tree.Like I said before, left a wide path and flyway open for my Martins, straight to the Lake across the road.

That Sweet Gum tree will make good firewood for someone needing Wood. You ought to split it while it's green because when it gets dry or seasoned - it gets hard as a Rock.
Good Luck Jody with your Birds and all your projects!!
Keep me informed about what's going on, especially about your Purple Martins!!
Rodger

[phldave]

Put my house and 4 gourds up the 5th of March after I saw they were almost to Iowa. Built an oyster shell feeder yesterday, hope to get it installed this week. Have already started vocals. Closed up the back side of the house because the starlings have already been a nuisance. Come on feathered friends, enough screwing around, lets get down to it.

[taxidermy lady]

Yeah Dave I know how you feel! But we will just keep trying, and trying year after year! Bring it on! Good luck Dave!

[avesrun]

Best of luck Dave. The starlings too are quite active on my side of town. I've shot and trapped with my mini s&s controller around a half dozen or so thus far. I've yet to see a house sparrow though. They don't like my place too well after the havoc I wreaked on their population last season. But they will be showing up to some degrees soon I'm sure. Been watching the scout reports closely. Still no Tree Swallows at the quarry site so it could be until later in April for Martin action. My guess is around April 10 for first sighting.
TimG

[DebA]

Ed is so right on about the forum.

I extend a big group hug to all of you. May you all graduate from anguish to FRET. Remember that, Tim? With nesting pairs come fretting but it's oh so worth it.

I like to read about forum landlord's returns, green leaves, eggs, babies, etc... But I LOVE to read if a wannabe has all of these.

Deb

[taxidermy lady]

Yes you are all right. There will always be a wannabe. But darn let's make a graduation date for some of us.

[Russel Loire]

This year is my year. I have another month before the first Scouts show up. I've purchased and set up a new house. Recently ordered 4 Supergourds, 2 decoys as well. I'm looking to trim a few trees back, as well as string up a cable for them to sit on. I've procured some pine straw and will mud the cavities. All that plus the dawnsong from 4am until noon everyday has to work!

[mulebarn]

My First Post! New landlord "wannabe" here in central Indiana.

For years we have had a plastic snap together PM house mounted on a 15 foot pole in the field behind our home. It was in bad shape and mostly occupied by sparrows. I moved this house a few hundred feet away and plan to install the newly built PM house. Our location is ideal PM's with a 1/2 acre pond on the property and wide open grass lands. We get all kinds of birds here since we like to keep most of our 20 acres in prairie grasses and wild flowers. Last year we had barn swallows nest up under our front porch. The past week I have built a 16 compartment wooden house with 6x12 compartments. Below the house I plan to hang 4 Troyer vertical gourds. The house goes up this week!

I am encouraged by all the dedication of people in this thread and I hope to get some PM action soon! Regards, John