What a great set-up you have. It looks like you have a nice open area to host the martins. And if I'm not mistaken, that is a nice bluebird box in the background with a proper guard on it as well. Sure hope your Martin season goes well.

Yes it is Kendra. I usually have four pairs of Bluebirds in my yard every year plus the ones on my BB Trail that winds around the meadow you see in the background. I really enjoy the bluebirds and the martins so very much along with the tree swallows and all native American birds. I maintain control over the House Sparrows and Starlings and never let them get a foothold here at all. This way the Bluebirds can live in peace and harmony like they did for years in this country before the House Sparrows were introduced. What a tragic mistake that was.

Anyway thanks again..The Martins are simply breathtaking as they soar and dive in the sky overhead and if you were here on a warm late May evening as all 120 plus pairs came in for the night you would be blown away. My colony fledged over 475 young martins last season and many new colonies in my area have been started recently thanks to the breeding power of the 120 plus pairs I have here. I had one pair in 1999 and now after 10 years of eliminating starlings and House Sparrows the martins plus many other songbirds have becamse common birds. Any new colony I have helped start here I stress the importance of using the clinger entrance like you see on these gourds here. It is so vital and insures the martins that attempt to start a new colony are safe from their number one enemy..the Starling.

Martins and Bluebirds are special in every way kendra..glad you like them too..Mike

I am crazy about them. I put up a Purple Martin house (T-14)last year with SREH within a 1/16 of an inch to the porch to keep out the starlings. I followed all safety instruction for guards, etc. Have decoys that I will put up once the Martins are arriving in my area. And I play the dawn song every day. While I didn't attract any last season, I will keep trying for as long as it takes. I just love all the swallows. I have a shelf for Barnies under my porch roof, and have had a successful tree swallow nesting last year as well.

Kendra,

Do you have the house away from tall trees? Martins are nor like helicopters smile..They like to zoom in and zoom out. The best way I like to tell people is imagine they are the fighter jets and your house is the aircraft carrier or the airport. Nothing can block the flight path to the runways and consider the open areas near your colony the runways. It is the martin's nature not to want to slow down when entering or exiting the colony site. This puts them at greater risks of getting caught by the Cooper's or Sharp Shinned Hawk. If the martins do not have these open flyzones to and from they will not colonize a new site.

Give them everything they seek Kendra is my point. You may also want to try hanging about 4 well natural gourds under the T-14. Martins love gourds but make sure these gourds are also starling resistent like your house is. That is very good that you have taken the steps to protect the martins from those no good murdering starlings and that is a huge step at getting a martin colony started. Anyway I just thought I would give you some tips and if you try and envision your martin setup like it is the airport and the martins are like F-16's you will see what I mean. You acnnot attract a nest seeking woodpecker to an open field Kendra and you cannot attract a martin to a woods or in the midst of tall trees or even buildings that may block the flyzones. Now at the same time make sure the martin house in within at least 120 feet of your house without blocking the flyzones. Martins like nesting near man because they have learned that the threat of hawks is not as great.

Glad you love the martins Kendra..I know I do. Just keep on trying and make sure you do not allow the Hosue Sparrows to nest in the house either. They are just as bad for American birds as the starlings and there are traps for dealing with them...Mike

I have done everything "by the book". I have the in-box nest trap from the PMCA. I put it out in the middle of the yard, well away from any trees. I have a snake/raccoon guard, and owl guards on it. The only thing I don't have in my yard is the water source, but the conservation area where there is a pond is 1/3 of a mile away. I read everything I could get my hands on before starting this project, and I continue to read every day. The only reason I am not putting up gourds is because of my location. My understanding is that the PUMAs prefer wooden housing in the north, due to its insulating properties. One of the reasons I thought this would be worth the attempt is because the air around here literally fills with dragonflies in the summer. The air is just thick with them, so why not try to attract a bird that loves to eat dragonflies? We have lots of Tree Swallows, Barn Swallows and Chimney Swifts in this area, so it should be good territory for the Purple Martin as well.