Austin Martin
I need help getting martins
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Guest
Hello I'm Austin Martin from Seguin Texas. I recently went to a Purple Martin convention at a nursery in Marion and entered a drawing to win a new MSS-8. I won it and set it up the next day. I need help and tips on purple martins. I have already consulted a friend of mine, Dave VanBooven, about this. Can ya'al give me some tips?
Austin Martin
Austin Martin
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Adam Romain
- Posts: 289
- Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 5:40 pm
- Location: Texas, Fulshear
Since you are new Austin, there is a wealth of information found in the Archives area of the Forum found at the following link. Other great sources of info are mentors and it looks like you have one. Once you've reviewed the archives and can't find an answer, you find that many here are glad to help. Welcome and I hope you have great success this year!!! 
http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archives.html
http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archives.html
Adam
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- 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.
Hi Austin Martin.
Welcome to the wonderful world of the Purple Martin Colony host.
There is a great man who is landlord to thousands of Purple Martins right there in Seguin. Maybe he will jump in here and give you some pointers.
In the meantime, you can do a lot to educate yourself. This website offers more information than you will usually need. But, the Martin FAQ would be a good place to start.
Did you place the housing according to the PMCA's specifications? If you have an open site (meaning fairly clear of trees), you should be able to attract some PMs this season. Be sure to keep the nest competitors out of your new house (the European Starling and the English House Sparrow). Come up with any specific questions and we'll all be happy to help you out any way we can.
Welcome aboard and best wishes for a successful season.
Welcome to the wonderful world of the Purple Martin Colony host.
There is a great man who is landlord to thousands of Purple Martins right there in Seguin. Maybe he will jump in here and give you some pointers.
In the meantime, you can do a lot to educate yourself. This website offers more information than you will usually need. But, the Martin FAQ would be a good place to start.
Did you place the housing according to the PMCA's specifications? If you have an open site (meaning fairly clear of trees), you should be able to attract some PMs this season. Be sure to keep the nest competitors out of your new house (the European Starling and the English House Sparrow). Come up with any specific questions and we'll all be happy to help you out any way we can.
Welcome aboard and best wishes for a successful season.
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I agree the archives have a lot of great information but here are two of the most important things:
1) put your house in a wide open place somewhere in the vicinity of your house, and as far away from trees as you can get it
2)) predators try to get the martins after you have some, so use a snake guard on the pole, use deep compartments that are 10 to 12 inches deep to protect them from owls, use starling resistent entraces to protect them for starlings, and trap or shoot any sparrows and starlings that show up at your place, and protect the martins from mites.
good luck
1) put your house in a wide open place somewhere in the vicinity of your house, and as far away from trees as you can get it
2)) predators try to get the martins after you have some, so use a snake guard on the pole, use deep compartments that are 10 to 12 inches deep to protect them from owls, use starling resistent entraces to protect them for starlings, and trap or shoot any sparrows and starlings that show up at your place, and protect the martins from mites.
good luck
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Guest
Hi Austin....love your name! Everyone here is already giving you good advice so it's hard for me to add to it. Just keep browsing and clicking through the PMCA website and ask all the questions you want and you can't go wrong. Good luck attracting those martins. It's a great hobby!!
Sheila Martin
Sheila Martin