Thank you for taking the time to reply and to offer future assistance. Don't be surprised if I reach out, I like to be sure!
SK
If you could give 1 piece of advice to New Landlords, what would it be?
-
sharonkayford
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:15 pm
- Location: Lake Murray SC
terrific advise! especially on the decoys! I will be keeping close watch and I'm super excited to do the nests checks
Thank you for taking the time to reply and to offer future assistance. Don't be surprised if I reach out, I like to be sure!
SK
Thank you for taking the time to reply and to offer future assistance. Don't be surprised if I reach out, I like to be sure!
SK
-
mwren
- Posts: 174
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:43 pm
- Location: OH/Athens
- Martin Colony History: I have had my martin colony on the dam of one of my ponds for nine years. The colony has grown each year, but I am now concentrating on helping friends and acquaintances who have shown interests in martins. My colony consists of three T-14's with 8 Troyer gourds attatched to each T-14, a Troyer gourd rack with 12 gourds, and another gourd rack with 18 Troyer gourds for a total of 96 nest cavities. I am having serious predation issues with hawks and owls and am experimenting with various hawk guards and "screens". Established successful supplemental feeding the last few seasons and have had a blast flipping mostly meal worms and some crickets. Faculty from Ohio University are using my colony as a research site to study parasites that target cavity nesting birds. In exchange for access to my bird trail nest boxes and martin housing, they are banding all birds involved in their study.
Sharonkay,
I am curious if you are aware that Lake Murray has been the location of a fall migration roost used by thousands and thousands of birds. I can't remember the name of the island in the lake where the martins roost, but I am sure that you will be able to find it if you do some research, and ask some questions around the area. This roost location is one of the first large migration roosts found and publicized by landlords.
Have you been to this area of the lake, or heard about it ??
Good luck this year!
"Bird"
I am curious if you are aware that Lake Murray has been the location of a fall migration roost used by thousands and thousands of birds. I can't remember the name of the island in the lake where the martins roost, but I am sure that you will be able to find it if you do some research, and ask some questions around the area. This roost location is one of the first large migration roosts found and publicized by landlords.
Have you been to this area of the lake, or heard about it ??
Good luck this year!
"Bird"
Mike "Bird" Wren
-
sharonkayford
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:15 pm
- Location: Lake Murray SC
The place is called Bomb Island. Its about a 15min boat ride from where we live and we go there often. It is truly a sight to see! There are so many PMs on this lake! I hope I have success with getting a colony of my own! When they are in full swing towards the end of the summer there are thousands of PMs that put on a show for us right at our houses, I guess gathering before they head to the island? When they get into the 10's of thousands and fly like that I am amazed that they NEVER hit each other??? I have video and pictures of it, not sure how to add those on this forum? You can see it on YouTube clips and I also move my live cam around the area and show them as well...when I can:) www.lakemurrayosprey.com
Thanks Bird, for replying and for sharing the migration info.
SK
I went to the FAQ page and figured out how to post an image!! YAY! This picture was taken in 2012.
Thanks Bird, for replying and for sharing the migration info.
SK
I went to the FAQ page and figured out how to post an image!! YAY! This picture was taken in 2012.
-
sharonkayford
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:15 pm
- Location: Lake Murray SC
Trying to see if I can post a video
https://youtu.be/u9cTGHGiaOI
hmmm, guess not. still happy I figured out picture posting
https://youtu.be/u9cTGHGiaOI
hmmm, guess not. still happy I figured out picture posting
-
sugarcreek
- Posts: 252
- Joined: Sun Mar 27, 2016 10:43 am
- Location: Sugarcreek, Ohio
- Martin Colony History: 2016 First Yr.
Lots of great advice, one two add is please don't open your box too soon. One of the worst mistakes new landlords make is opening it as soon as they see Martin's in their area, and those are usually site specific martens Wait until you see sub adults in your area that is your best opportunity for starting up a new colony.
16 - 14 Cavities 4 Act. Ne 9 fledged, 2.25 Fl. per Act. Ne
17 - 36 Cavities 18 Act. Ne 65 Fledged, 3.61 Fl. per Act. Ne
18 - 54 Cavities 43 Act. Ne 169 Fledged, 3.93 Fl. per Act. Ne
19 - 108 Cavities 67 Act. Ne 209 Fledged, 3.12 Fl. per Act. Ne
20 - 108 Cavities 72 Act. Ne 243 Fledged, 3.38 Fl. per Act. Ne
21 - 112 Cavities 91 Act. Ne 313 Fledged, 3.44 Fl. per Act. Ne
22 - 114 Cavities 101 Act Ne 355 Fledged, 3.51 Fl. per Act. Ne
17 - 36 Cavities 18 Act. Ne 65 Fledged, 3.61 Fl. per Act. Ne
18 - 54 Cavities 43 Act. Ne 169 Fledged, 3.93 Fl. per Act. Ne
19 - 108 Cavities 67 Act. Ne 209 Fledged, 3.12 Fl. per Act. Ne
20 - 108 Cavities 72 Act. Ne 243 Fledged, 3.38 Fl. per Act. Ne
21 - 112 Cavities 91 Act. Ne 313 Fledged, 3.44 Fl. per Act. Ne
22 - 114 Cavities 101 Act Ne 355 Fledged, 3.51 Fl. per Act. Ne
-
sharonkayford
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:15 pm
- Location: Lake Murray SC
Thank you for that information. We are adding starter pine straw nests today. Getting ready!
-
KathyF
- Posts: 3522
- Joined: Thu May 24, 2007 1:57 pm
- Location: Missouri/Licking
- Martin Colony History: Colony started - 2007 with one pair
As of 2018 - 84 cavities offered, max # of pairs hosted - 82.
Sharon, welcome to the world of PM landlording! It's addictive.
I mentor a lot of landlords (newbies & oldies) here in Missouri. There's one thing that a lot of the 'oldies' have in common - they didn't use predator guards because they didn't think a snake or raccoon could climb their poles. More than a few of them have lost their colonies because of that.
Once you attract them, you certainly don't want to lose them to a predator, especially where it is so preventable. Sooooo, my piece of advice to landlords always is put a predator guard on your pole.
Best of luck this season!
Here is a post I made with lots of information on DIY predator guards and others:
https://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com/2020/0 ... e-and.html
I mentor a lot of landlords (newbies & oldies) here in Missouri. There's one thing that a lot of the 'oldies' have in common - they didn't use predator guards because they didn't think a snake or raccoon could climb their poles. More than a few of them have lost their colonies because of that.
Once you attract them, you certainly don't want to lose them to a predator, especially where it is so preventable. Sooooo, my piece of advice to landlords always is put a predator guard on your pole.
Best of luck this season!
Here is a post I made with lots of information on DIY predator guards and others:
https://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com/2020/0 ... e-and.html
"Sometimes", said Pooh, "the smallest things take up the most room in your heart."
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
2023 - 82 pair
2022 - 80 pair
2021 - 75 pair
2020 - 78 pair
2019 - 80 pair
http://kathyfreeze.blogspot.com
-
sharonkayford
- Posts: 15
- Joined: Thu Dec 31, 2020 1:15 pm
- Location: Lake Murray SC
Excellent advice!!! I 100% agree!! I bought the pole guard that fits the Gemini pole I got from the Purple Martin Products peeps. I had a snake get in one of my wood pecker houses and that did not end well for the woodpecker! I have flashing on those trees now and 6 ft of flashing on our Opsrey nest pole, baffles on the wood duck boxes. Guards everywhere!!
Thanks for posting and I might be reaching out to you for info!
SK
Thanks for posting and I might be reaching out to you for info!
SK
-
birdy girl
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
- Location: Mississippi/Dumas
For those trying to star a new colony, make sure you have an open site. No trees close by to your housing. Keep starlings and sparrows away. If any Martian’s in your area, play a song bird magnet, to lure any passing thru martins to take a look at your new place for them. Martin decoys might help also.