Those decoys are a pain in the butt to attach and unattach with a screwdriver. These metal spring clamps are at Home Depot with all the other clamps that they sell. They cost about 35 cents apiece. You have to drill a hole through one handle of the clamp and screw it into the decoy. It makes moving the decoys around a lot easier. Mine have endured heavy winds without slipping. Electrical tape is not necessary either. If it gets moved, then something attacked it.
Well done, and a good idea... Hope they have a good grip... Mine have been hit by a hawk or a owl and they just spin around and end upside down. Just a thought..
How long have you tried this is it strong enough? a lot of times I watch my martins sit on the decoys head. Is it strong enough for them not to spin it?
I am unable to perform the industry standard "Martin on the Decoy Head" test at this time. I don't have any martins yet. I think it would pass but I can't say for sure. I did perch a chicken on the decoy head and it failed miserably. So maybe you are right.
Martin Colony History: Mom n Dad had a plastic 12 unit martin house with some martins as long as I can remember. In 2013 they had 1 pair. I don't think they fledged any. I then started learning how to take care of martins and in 2014 we took that house down and put up a Troyer 18 gourd rack. We had 7 pair with 28 fledged.That summer I built a T-14 (I was only 12). I was also given 4 natural gourds that I hung beneath the T-14. In 2015, we had 23 pair although only 22 pair fledged young. They fledged 88 young. In 2016, we had 36 pair, 210 eggs, 163 hatched, 149 fledge!! One pair fledged 2 broods. In 2017, I had 36 pair with 35 fledging young. They laid 204 eggs, hatched 155, and fledged 152.
I use dove decoys with a clip very similar to yours. I have them clipped on the barbed-wire fence and they clip perfectly on the barbs. They will shake a lot when they get pumped but then settle back just how they had been.
Like the barbed wire idea marcus! Will not help around my martin pole but one of my blue bird houses is near a fence.
The clips Bird Brain is using are very strong, probably a lot stronger than the ones that came on my dove decoys. Still might rotate if used on a round rod. Below is how I solved this problem.
Only have one real purple martin decoy (so far!) and since it only came with a cheap plastic 'clamp' I screwed a conduit hanger directly to it. Had been up for about two weeks on an otherwise empty arm. Moved it today to inside a gourd with just its head sticking out since I read in another thread this is less intimidating to the ones I'm trying to attract.
Pole up 2017, retired (and trying harder!) 2024, Purple Martins since ???
Martin Colony History: Mom n Dad had a plastic 12 unit martin house with some martins as long as I can remember. In 2013 they had 1 pair. I don't think they fledged any. I then started learning how to take care of martins and in 2014 we took that house down and put up a Troyer 18 gourd rack. We had 7 pair with 28 fledged.That summer I built a T-14 (I was only 12). I was also given 4 natural gourds that I hung beneath the T-14. In 2015, we had 23 pair although only 22 pair fledged young. They fledged 88 young. In 2016, we had 36 pair, 210 eggs, 163 hatched, 149 fledge!! One pair fledged 2 broods. In 2017, I had 36 pair with 35 fledging young. They laid 204 eggs, hatched 155, and fledged 152.
Great idea, those clamps can put a good squeeze on the end of your finger. They are often used in construction trade. Adding a little hockey tape to the clamp and the perch rod, would give it a better grip. As it is currently on your picture, steel on steel does not have much friction.
2011- first year trying, a few visitors.
2012-One ASY pair, raised two young, lots of subby visitors. So thankfull.
2013-daily subby visits.
2014-Six SY pairs
2015-18 pair, 83 fledglings
2016-36 pair, 147 fledglings
2017-52 pairs, 192 fledglings.
2018-60 pair, 246 fledglings.
2019-59 pair, 238 fledglings.
2020-62 pair.
2021-65 pair.
2022-63 pair.
2023-60 pair
2024-62 pair
