Here we go! One pair in N GA

Welcome to the internet's gathering place for Purple Martin enthusiasts
Post Reply
1 Ron Vasser
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:26 pm
Location: Georgia/Rome

Hi folks...I hope everyone is doing well!!

We just had an ice and snow event and some really cold weather for GA. Yesterday was the first nice day we've had in a while so I started putting up housing and completed the job at dark, 3 T-14s and 108 gourds. I had a feeling they would have occupants soon and this morning at 11:00 a pair came home. I usually have a single male or female to show up first but this year I got both.

Last years martin. Hope to see him this year!
Image
Ron
Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

Congrats, Ron! What a beautiful photo - your martins should be lining up for their photo sessions ;-)
Sue
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 4:57 pm
Location: GA/Cohutta

Oops! We better get our gourds up! Usually get arrivals same day as you or the day after. Congratulations and I hope you have a wonderful season.
dhjohnson
Posts: 478
Joined: Thu Jan 26, 2012 4:24 pm
Location: North Carolina/Clayton
Martin Colony History: 5th year hostess. Currently 58 confirmed breeding pair. 218 Fledged, 35 older nestlings, 2 new nests with 8 nestlings. 100% occupancy

Congratulations Ron!
That truely is a great photo!
Have a great martin season!
Debbie
Debbie Johnson
Clayton/NC (Archer Lodge)
2012 New Site 6 pair, 21 Fledged
2013 24 pair, 102 eggs, 94 hatched, 89 Fledged. What a great year!
2014 37 pair, 211 eggs, 193 Hatched, 178 Fledged, 1 nest of 5 young left! Late start but picked up speed quickly!
Ladybug
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:09 pm
Location: Indiana/ Jamestown
Martin Colony History: 2005-2019. Lots lookers, 2 successful nesting's.
2010-1 pair nested, 4 eggs destroyed(Wren).
2012- 1 pair nested, 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2019- 1 pair nested, 4 eggs, 4 fledged.
2021- 10 pair, 40 babies fledged.
2022- 17 pair, 10 eggs not hatched= appxy. 57 fledged.

Beautiful Adult Martin Photo. I photograph birds and flowers.
Was wondering what type camera you use?
Thank you.
Joanne
PMCA Member.
2000-2009 Visitors only.
2010- 1 pair nested, 2 eggs, Wrens destroyed.
2011- Lookers.
2012- 1 pair, 4 babies fledged.
2013- Lookers only.
Joanne
Don~VA
Posts: 391
Joined: Fri Mar 13, 2009 11:01 am
Location: Virginia/King George
Martin Colony History: Had a colony many years ago which dwindled over a couple of years and then did not return. Kept trying each year for almost 20 years and finally had a small success in 2011 with two pairs nesting. Colony has grown slowly each year with 22 pairs in 2015. In 2016 my gourd rack of 18 gourds filled up so I added 4 more gourds and then put up a small rack of 6 gourds. All of those were claimed within a few days so I believe I have at least 25 pairs this year.

Congratulations Ron! Glad to hear your martin season has started. Looking forward to more of your beautiful photos this year. :) Have a great PM season!
Don~Northern Neck of Virginia-PMCA Member
1 Ron Vasser
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:26 pm
Location: Georgia/Rome

Congrats, Ron! What a beautiful photo - your martins should be lining up for their photo sessions ;-)
Thanks Louise.
Oops! We better get our gourds up! Usually get arrivals same day as you or the day after. Congratulations and I hope you have a wonderful season.
Thanks Sue and you need to hurry, I have 5 martins splashing in the pond this morning!
Congratulations Ron!
That truely is a great photo!
Have a great martin season!
Thanks Debbie and a great season to you also!
Beautiful Adult Martin Photo. I photograph birds and flowers.
Was wondering what type camera you use?
Thanks Joanne! I use a Nikon D300 for my photos.
Congratulations Ron! Glad to hear your martin season has started. Looking forward to more of your beautiful photos this year. Smile Have a great PM season!
Hi Don and I hope you have a great season also!
Ron
~Ray~Gingerich
Posts: 2122
Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
Location: Delaware/Dover

WOW! That's a nice photo, been missing your photos. Thanks for posting.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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..

Hi Ron, love your photos. What type of lens do you use? Congrats on your martins return. Thanks.
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!!!!!
Matt F.
Posts: 3978
Joined: Mon Feb 28, 2005 9:48 am
Location: Houston, TX

Congrats Ron!!!!!
Wonderful photo!
That Martin looks like he's doing a "bank and yank".
Image
klcretired
Posts: 2174
Joined: Tue Nov 18, 2003 3:06 am
Location: Grand Prairie,Tx

Congrats Ron!!!!!
How exciting, we can't wait for your pictures this year, good luck hope you have a stellar Martin Year!!!!!!
Pictures Taken with Canon Rebel XT Digital using a Sigma 50-500 Long Lens.

Wishing everyone a Great Martin Year
Happy Martining for 2022 to everyone,

K.C.

[email protected]
birdy girl
Posts: 1179
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
Location: Mississippi/Dumas

Ron,
What kind if lens do you use? May invest in some type if good camera this year. I look forward to seeing your martin pictures this season. Thanks for posting them.
1 Ron Vasser
Posts: 584
Joined: Sun Apr 18, 2004 8:26 pm
Location: Georgia/Rome

WOW! That's a nice photo, been missing your photos. Thanks for posting.
Thanks Ray and have a good season!
Hi Ron, love your photos. What type of lens do you use? Congrats on your martins return. Thanks.


Thanks Tony. My pictures are with a Nikon 300mm F2.8 or a Nikon 200-400mm f4 lens.
Congrats Ron!!!!!
Wonderful photo!
Thank Matt....hope you're doing well.
Congrats Ron!!!!!
Thanks klcretired...wishing you a fine season also!
Ron,
What kind if lens do you use? May invest in some type if good camera this year. I look forward to seeing your martin pictures this season. Thanks for posting them.
Hi birdy girl and thank you. The lens I use are posted in Tony's reply. I hope you have a great season and taking pictures will show thing that are too fast to see clearly.

like a drink of water
Image
Ron
baileysambone
Posts: 131
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:38 pm
Location: Louisiana/Baton Rouge

Ron,
Have you ever thought about publishing a book with your pictures ?
They are breath taking.
Yvonne
2011 visitors
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
James Strickland FL
Posts: 2249
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 8:04 pm
Location: Reidsville NC
Martin Colony History: 2017 Had a lot visitors no Matins nesting, hoping 2018 will be different.
2018 Had 1 pair
2019 had 30 pair

:grin: Great News Ron.
PMCA MEMBER
baileysambone
Posts: 131
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:38 pm
Location: Louisiana/Baton Rouge

Ron,
Have you ever thought about publishing a book with your pictures ?
They are breath taking.
Yvonne
2011 visitors
2012 1 pair ASY male, SY female 9 eggs, 8 hatched, fledged 5
2013 5 pair fledged 8
2014 4 pair fledged 15
2015 7 pair fledged 25
2016 10 pair fledged 31
2017 17 pair fledged 69
2018 18 pair fledged 69
2019 21 pair fledged 52 (biting gnats lost babies)
2020 17 pair fledged 53
2021 16 pair fledged 62 ( hard freeze in Feb for days. Lost 39 birds. My oldest and wisest)
2022 11 pair fledged 43
Bulldog1
Posts: 700
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:33 am
Location: Mississippi/Hamilton

Spectacular photography. Great work. Gets me fired up for this season.
PMCA member
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
birdy girl
Posts: 1179
Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
Location: Mississippi/Dumas

Ron,
One more question: Do you use a tripod with your camera for stability when taking pics of your martins?
Kevin-GA
Posts: 76
Joined: Wed Jan 05, 2011 3:00 pm
Location: Georgia/Nashville

Congrats and Thanks for posting! Your photography skills are truly amazing, keep up the great work!
Kevin
PMCA member
2010 (1 pair) 4 fledged
2011 (19 pairs) 79 fledged
2012 (58 pairs) 264 fledged
2013 (112 pairs) 448 fledged
2014 (116 pairs) 522 fledged
Post Reply