A Baby Purple Martins view from a gourd. HD video.

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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

This is one of my most favorite things I have caught on "film". I unscrewed the lid of the gourd and made a different lid that held my HD video camera. I push "record" and come back an hour and a half later when it either gets full, or the batteries die. Lots of editing...but well worth it. Here is the link to it on the PMCA Youtube channel
http://youtu.be/yFLflqUEycU
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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tonyg
Posts: 1520
Joined: Fri Feb 27, 2009 4:16 pm
Location: Olpe, KS
Martin Colony History: 22 year landlord, 14 at current residence..offering 9 racks and a homemade T-8 for 166 total cavities. 160 Pair in 2018 Racks consist of a Deluxe 12, AAA 16, Starburst 16, 2 K-18 Series, Super 24, 2 Gemini, Multi-purpose/two trio’s/4gourds and a T-8..Great hobby to be involved in..

Thanks for posting Larry! Very cool video..puts a whole new spin on a "birds eye view" .. :)
22 year landlord..9 Rack Systems for 2018 and my home built T-8 for a total of 166 cavities..160 pair in 2018 ..SUPER COLONY!!! Love You Bev... Fan of those St. Louis Cardinals!!!!!
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Tommie D
Posts: 33
Joined: Fri Jul 08, 2011 2:10 pm
Location: Kansas/Wichita

Excellent video. Thank You!
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LoneOakMartins
Posts: 166
Joined: Wed Apr 20, 2011 12:05 pm
Location: Lone Oak, TX

Love the video, thanks for posting.
2014 - 50 pair, 206 eggs, 179 fledge
2013 - 36 pair, 176 eggs, 148 fledge
2012 - 8 pair, 21 eggs, 15 fledge
2011 - 6 pair, 15 eggs, 11 fledge
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AvianStewardess
Posts: 342
Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
Location: Maryland/Cambridge

That's really fun! I wonder what it might look like in there on fledgling day... Thank you for sharing!
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
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dsonyay
Posts: 1677
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
Location: Louisiana/Broussard
Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.

2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)

2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.

2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged

2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(

2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.

2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.

Great video! I love all the calls coming from the parents.

At the end when you approach, the adults give out a warning type noise and the babies hurry and scoot to the back. Really neat to watch. :)[/quote]
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DebA
Posts: 1941
Joined: Tue May 04, 2010 7:43 am
Location: Pratt County/Kansas
Martin Colony History: Start 2009 with one pair. Upgraded from S&K houses to two Trendsetter 12's with gourds beneath in 2013. I have experienced job, pet, and parental losses since '13. The Purple Martins lift my spirits and remind me how life continues forward by flying their little selves from Brazil back to my yard. As one forum person once told me, chin up DebA, look at the martins. Danger all around but yet they soar in the sky without a care in the world.

Ah...Mama has such a nurturing chortle, except when she seems to be telling Papa...you go in first and check on them! Then with an Oh for heavens sake I'll go first...she is in.

I loved when the third baby popped up as if to say...what? What's going on what have I missed?

Speaking of nurturing voice...Larry I loved it.
Deb
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Jeff Robinson
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 3:32 pm
Location: Rogersville, Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2008 - Current
72 Cavities - 70 Pairs in 2021
PM Mentor

Great work Larry - doesn't get much better!

Jeff
PMCA Member - Bedrock Colony
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

Good !!
I'm glad yawl are enjoying it. You really can hear them "talk" to each other, can't you?
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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Jeff Robinson
Posts: 908
Joined: Mon May 04, 2009 3:32 pm
Location: Rogersville, Missouri
Martin Colony History: 2008 - Current
72 Cavities - 70 Pairs in 2021
PM Mentor

Oh yeah, all the chattering, then to see their quick reaction/retreat upon hearing martins sounding the alarm outside. Your videos are educational in many aspects, and likely different for each person.

For instance, I just re-faced many of my Troyer Conley II entry gourds with the Excluder II entry set at 1/8" above porch. Everyday I watch the few martins I have yet, who are easily traversing the crescent and Conley II, I then look at those Excluder II entries on my Gemini and wonder how difficult it will be for the martins that return to those gourds. Your video showed how easy it is once they learn. Thanks again Larry!

Jeff
PMCA Member - Bedrock Colony
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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

So cheerful, all those martins talking away. Thanks so much, Larry - better than a cup of coffee in the morning!
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

Thanks Louise. Pretty good, but I don't know if it tops my morning cup of green coffee. (ice cold Mt dew) my KY coffee!
Jeff, I am a real fan of the Excluder II. I did not have the entrance in mind, just the young birds. It's really neat what cameras catch. The parents were hesitant, and the young were tucked away... Cautious of the camera I put on the gourd lid. Dad would take good peeks, but it was mom that could not be stopped from checking on her babies. She slid right in the Excluder II, and exited as easy as leaving a big 2-1/8 inch round hole. Makes me feel good that the babies are out of a starlings reach.
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

Great video Larry!
You are doing some amazing work my friend.
Image
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Davlyn
Posts: 624
Joined: Sat Jan 24, 2004 8:55 pm
Location: Ga/Pavo

Hey Larry , I Love , Love that video ! I also took a look at some of your other videos and I can see your daughter looks like she loves the martins as much as the rest of us ! Thats great to see at that age .

Best of luck this season .
April McClelland


PMCA Member
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dsonyay
Posts: 1677
Joined: Fri Jul 02, 2010 3:10 pm
Location: Louisiana/Broussard
Martin Colony History: 2010-2014 located in Slidell LA. Gourd rack with 16 gourds. Max of 2 pairs during this short period in Slidell. Plenty of fledglings.

2014-present.. moved to Broussard LA. Same Gourd Rack but added a 6 room house (modified from a 12 room)

2020: after a long drought of nothing, 4 pairs and 4 nests, 23 eggs total.
6 fledges.

2021: 9 pair, 47 eggs
36 hatchlings
30 fledged

2022: about 12 pairs.. many eggs, all fledged.. only had one hatchling die.. probably because of our schnauzer. :(

2023: 16 pairs. So far about 60 chicks with about a dozen eggs to go.

2024: 13 pair. About 60 eggs
2025: 14 pairs .. 69 eggs.

Great video! I love all the calls coming from the parents.

At the end when you approach, the adults give out a warning type noise and the babies hurry and scoot to the back. Really neat to watch. :)[/quote]
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Ed Pace
Posts: 680
Joined: Tue Feb 08, 2011 3:31 pm
Location: NY/Jamestown

That was great Larry a real neet idea. Do think they need the little step plate on the inside of the tunnel? I did not put them in but maybe I should. Most of mine are made with 3" tunnels , so the step may not be quite as deep. I still have time to add them. Ed.
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

Ed, although I don't personally have any 3 inch tunnels, I hear lots of good things about them. Maybe someone will chime in here and add experienced thoughts, but I would guess you may be alright without the added step on the inside of the entrance to aid the Martins exit. Glad you liked the video. I just put a camera in there. The Martins are the stars! They are like our pets. It's really amazing that banding studies have proven that these adults can very well be my same Martins from last year. They could literally have your backyard on their minds as they are heading north leaving their winter vacation homes in south America.
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

Bumping this up for those that haven't seen it yet. I really think this one is neat. Just as if you were one of the baby martins waiting on Mom and Dad.
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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Dave Reynolds
Posts: 2444
Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged

Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged

Larry -- Great video... (Thanks We love it).. :lol: By The Way, " good to see your report on your new arrivals" Keep up the good work. :lol:

Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
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LarryMelcher/KY
Posts: 675
Joined: Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm
Location: Kentucky/Shepherdsville

Thanks Dave! Glad you like the video. Neat, ain't it!
I manage 2 public sites, and one at home, for a total of 172 cavities. Board Member / Non Profit PMCA.
Find videos that I edit for the PMCA Youtube channel at http://www.youtube.com/user/PurpleMartinPMCA
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