Purple Martin Forum

Doug;

Thanks for your kind offer.

Is there any way to hook the powerhorn up to a cassette boom box, as I already have that one set up, and I have a continuous loop cassette of the Dawnsong?

Bill.

In a recent post, Doug Falk mentions it is a good idea to use a power horn, for amplification of the Dawnsong, if you are isolated from other colonies. That certainly would apply to me, so I was wondering if anyone knows if you can easily attach a power horn to a standard cassette player boom box, a...

Hi Doug; Great news about your colony. Still no visitors here, or if there have been I haven't seen them. They must be using a different route to get to your site, than coming anywhere near me, still it is encouraging that you have so many subbies. You mentioned the power horn for the Dawnsong. I ha...

Hi Buckizig; You sound like me, trying to figure out what you are doing wrong. I am in my third year of trying to establish a colony in Western Pa. I have never even seen a Martin anywhere near my site. I know there are successful colonies to the North and South of me. The colonies to the North had ...

I am in my third year of trying to establish a colony in Beaver County, in Western Pa. I also have never seen a Martin, except when I have visited sites to the North and South of me. If I didn't know better I would think there wasn't a Purple Martin within 100 miles of me. I joke that I must be in a...

Today I got my first, first hand account of the damage House Sparrows can do. I had a pair of Tree Swallows nesting in a bluebird box, close to my Martin housing. After being away for a couple of hours this evening I noticed that there was no activity around the chosen box, and I thought I would che...

Hi Lewy; I am in my third year of trying to establish a colony in Western Pa., with no success so far. My housing also is on a downslope in my back field, and I have often wondered if this is a detrement to attracting Martins. My housing is in a wide open field with no trees close by except a couple...

Hi Doug; Great news about your colony, sounds like you are being paid back in one season, for all of those years of trying. Anyone that waited as long as you did certainly deserves your long awaited success. Still no action here. It's amazing that none of those subbies has made a wrong turn and ende...

With all of the bad weather around the country I was wondering the impact of it on landlords trying to start new colonies. I see many mentions of Martins disappearing during cold rainy weather only to reappear when the weather improves. I know we are having the worse spring I can remember here in We...

Toy;

It must be a good year for squirrels as I have more running around than I ever did.

Unfortunately I have no Martins yet, so I am missing the show as far as the Martins chasing them off. That is one show I would love to see, and soon.

Hanover Bill.

Phil; Thanks for posting those pictures. I have one that occasionally visits my backyard, very rarely. They truly are striking birds, always remind me of some pre-historic bird. I know he's around when I hear what sounds like a jackhammer coming from the trees, in the woods behind the house. I only ...

Hi Doug; I'd like to know what the flight path of those subbies is, how can they be getting to your site and missing me completely. It makes me wonder about migration routes, and the fact that if you aren't near one it cuts down your odds considerably. I remember reading once, an article that theori...

Hi Doug; Glad to hear you are having such a successful year. When the wife finally decides it's too many, just send the overflow down my way. I'm still waiting for that one male subbie to show up. Weather is getting better and we're entering prime time so I'm keeping my fingers crossed. Continued su...

How did you get him to sit still for that photo Bob, they seem like they are in perpetual motion. So far that is the only excitement I have had, the Tree Swallows and the Barnies doing their acrobatic aerial show for me. I have no shortage of either one. At least it gets the heart rate up, never kno...

Thanks for your response Louise. I figured there was no easy way to differentiate them in flight, but I thought maybe the experts would know something to look for. At least it gets the heart rate up when I see the Tree Swallows and Barnies flying around, I'm never sure if there is a Martin mixed in ...

Congratulations Delma. I have been following your trials and tribulations since I became a member of the Forum. I'm glad to hear of your success, let's hope they settle right in.

Best of luck to you.

Hanover Bill.

Is there any fairly easy way to differentiate Martin Subbies from Tree Swallows and Barnies in flight, They all fly so fast and erratic that I fear if I ever do get a visitor he will be lost in the crowd so to speak, unless he actually lands on my housing while I am right there. This morning I had a...

Doug;

Those subbies must be flying right over me to get up there to you. I hope one of them decides to take a little break on the way, and stops off at my sight.

Glad to hear of your success. Continued good luck.

Bill.

Bill;

That really is good news, could be the start of something.

I'm still waiting and watching the skies, the Dawnsong is blasting away as I type this.

Continued good luck to you.

Bill.

Grover; Your story is giving hope to me, and I'm sure many others who are trying to establish colonies. I am entering my third year of trying here in Western Pa., with no luck so far, but it's always nice to hear a story like yours. Makes us realize that it can still happen even after years of tryin...