Purple Martin Forum

UNK, whippy suggested for me to downsize my pictures to 100kb in size before posting. I did that and was able to post a couple pictures successfully.

I love it when a plan comes together. As whippy suggested, I think that inner circle may very well have another layer of protection from aerial predators.

Sounds like you will be ready for when your Martins arrive. Pictures of your setup installed?

LMAO, the troubled webs we weave.

Good work Whippy, is the Jangly house replacing the Trio?

I agree with flyin-lowe. It's hard to beat the pine needles as they are. They won't hold moisture but make a good base layer for whatever the Martins want to add over the top of them.

It is recommended for a predator guard to be at a height of 4' off the ground and the guard itself 2' long and at least 6" in diameter. I made some diy ones from furnace duct work. Look at the ones for sale on this site and model them after that.

I have not used cedar shavings myself but have read on this site about it holding moisture more so than pine needles. Moisture is a bad thing for incubating eggs and hatchlings as it robs much needed heat from them.

It's good to hear everyone down South that lost birds to the extreme cold is starting to rebound now. I agree with only one sy male last year you should be able to hold steady on your numbers. Good luck.

x3 on the sevin dust

With 20 pair, that is a very low fledgling rate. Did you have other problems? The birds from older colonies will come back sooner than newer ones, that could be the case with yours. What date did they arrive at your place last year? I can't imagine if a snake got in one nest and you had 19 other suc...

Right on, the Purple army continues marching North.

Not round or crescent, but my gourds have the Conley ll entrances. Martins can go in with ease with a little practice and my colony was started with these. I was concerned of making it more difficult for them and they would move on, but that was not the case. I too have seen a total of one starling ...

After learning on this forum about prenesting with pine straw and then figuring out that is the same thing as pine needles, I indeed used pine needles to prenest my gourds. I kept researching on the subject for the next year and actually found some white pine needles and they were much better. The w...

Wow, it would take a heck of a poll to support that one.

Good news, glad to hear the South has made a strong turn for the better. Let the games begin.

Looks like the South is in full swing with new birds coming in daily. I enjoy the updates as I wait for returns in 3 to 4 weeks.

I think the 80' would be too far. The only way I would go that far apart was to let them decide which location they liked and accepted first and then be willing to move the other housing within 15' to 20' of it. I like the 15' - 20' so that they are as one grouping.

Someone can correct me if I'm wrong. I've heard sparrows are either in feeding mode or nesting mode. By that I mean if you can't bait them with food then it would be nesting materials and that's where the white feather comes in. They also use long grass stems and the like, you might try that as well.

I don't believe it will scare them away. When my firsy ASY showed up I continued to play it to cover all the bases so to speak. My thought was, while he was out feeding and trying to attract a mate the dawn song could draw in others that he was not in contact with. At one point I thought it was hind...