Purple Martins - I'm ready for them - 5 pics

16 years ago

I try to have the Purple Martin gourds prepped and hung by April 15. They arrived on May 10 last year; April 23 the year before.

Wes reworked the pole for me. He added a winch to replace the old pulley-and-rope system. We also got a two-tiered hub that can hold 8 or 16 gourds. He got everything installed, secured, and in working order Thursday (April 15). He did all this with a minimum of grumbling and very little blood-shed! LOL I'm so proud of him.

Meanwhile, I made pre-nests in the gourds and wired them to the arms. I sealed off five of the eight gourds to keep them starling and house-sparrow safe until I actually see Purple Martins. I'll seal off these three if I see any of the vermin checking them out.

Wes installing the new winch. Notice...he even used the instructions!

Hamming it up. The man absolutely hates heights/ladders. Small step-stools give him "problems" and it seems I'm always needing "get the tall ladder" help.

He's putting "self-tapping screws" into the winch straps so they won't turn slip around or slid up the pole.

I have the oriole/hummer feeder filled. It's still getting down to 30 at night, but I don't want to miss the hummers when they return.

Last year I didn't set out the sugar water until April 30 when I saw the orioles. Within an hour I had hummingbirds everywhere. That told me I needed to set it out earlier. After the first few hummers appear, I don't color any more of the sugar water.

The neighbor across the street runs a Day Care for pre-school kids. She seems to love the PMs as much as I do!

I let her grand daughter "help" me do nest checks.

I'm hope to "recruit" a dedicated, involved PM landlord even if I have to start with one still using a sippy cup! LOL

I have to finish adding tunnel entries to some natural gourds before I set out the lower level of eight gourds.

Since I don't really expect to go from four pairs last year to 16 pairs this year, I probably won't need the second level for a while.

The pole is about 15 feet high. The three "birds" are PM decoys to catch the attention of any early migrants passing through.

Sort by:Oldest

Comments (8)

lydia1959
16 years ago
I find this all very interesting Caroline! Thanks so much for sharing with us. Looking forward to updates and photos in the coming months.
kathleenca
16 years ago
We don't have purple martins in southern California, Caroline, so I'm finding this really interesting. Thanks so much for all the photos. Your husband is sure great about getting "bird stuff" ready, isn't he!
Related Discussions
Gearing up to go Purple (Martins!)
Q
Comments (18)
Socks, I'll also refer you to the link I posted earlier. There's so much information at the PMCA site that you may enjoy reading. Purple Martins have the unusual distinction of relying upon man made housing for safety while breeding. If there's not enough housing in one colony, they'll search for another place. If my housing were to be destroyed and not replaced, they would search for another but would come back here first to see if housing was available. If they didn't have housing, they would find shelter in trees but would not breed. Once breeding is over and the young ones have fledged, they will start to gather in large groups called "roosts" and prepare for migration. The smaller roosts will meet up with larger groups to form "super roosts" and these are visible from radar! The roosts are generally in trees and they gather for the night. As far as the same birds returning year to year, I can't prove it with my little colony but I do recognize certain birds from year to year. The only way to really prove that is by banding, but you have to be certified to band birds. There are couples that prefer certain housing units over another. We proved that this year by only opening the newer housing first. They kept on checking out the older ones and the minute we opened them, they swooped in and made themselves at home. The young birds (SY) will come back to where they hatched. If they find housing, they will settle in. If not, they'll search nearby. Here's a picture of my current 108 unit set up. Pay no attention to that leaning pole....it's been up for a while!
...See More
Purple Martin fledging starting
Q
Comments (2)
How exciting, caroline! When I'm lucky enough to see the actual fledging of baby bluebirds here, I'm sure angels are singing. Everything has been later than usual here this season. It stayed cool much later than usual and the summer hasn't been as hot as it usually is. Suits me, though, I'm not complaining!
...See More
What's in your gourd? 1 pic (Purple Martin)
Q
Comments (9)
Isn't it, Lisa! Don't you just want to kiss those yellow lips? I know I do! LOL (But I don't.) No, I don't over-handle them, but Purple Martins, unlike many other native birds, have imprinted on humans from before the time of Columbus, and are not put off by human "assistance" when done in a calm and safe manor. I lower the gourd rack nearly daily and check the nests...well "nest" this year. When the chicks are between 10-12 days old I remove them from the nest and put them in a basket lined with a towel. I loosely cover them. Then I quickly remove all the old nesting material, check it for parasites, and refill the gourd with clean wood shavings or pine needles. I add about 1/2 teaspoon of Sevin dust under the shavings, form a new nest cup toward the back of the gourd, and replace the chicks. I have the materials all ready and can change out a nest in less than three minutes if it's not heavily invested with mites or blow fly larvae. Thankfully I've never experienced the latter and have had only minor out breaks of mites that were cured with a nest change and tiny sprinkle of Sevin. I've had adult birds dash into the gourd before I was finished and wait for me to return their chicks. They swoop around and fuss at me, but they are not distressed at all. By carefully monitoring their PMs, landlords will have higher fledge rates (The number of hatchlings that live to fly off on their own at 28 days of age.) It's all a numbers game with them; "every martin counts." By offering larger, safer, dryer nest sites (such as gourds or large 7x7x12 wooden cavities) ...by offering pre-built nests to conserve the returning adults strength... ...by daily (or as often as possible) monitoring to head off any potential parasite or predator problems There will be stronger adult birds to produce more eggs, and more viable eggs, with hatch and grow quickly into more strong and healthy martins. The same holds true for our native blue birds, chickadees, nuthatches, and woodpeckers, and other cavity nesters that have been killed off at alarming rates, some (such as the blue bird to the point of near extinction) by the imported non-native European starling and English house sparrow. Some birds will abandon their nests and young if they are interfered with. It's best to study the species, talk to experts, consulst the Audabon society and your local bird clubs, and do your best. I'm happy to say that for the past four years I've had 100% fledge of all the PM eggs laid at my colony. Even if you just offer a large plant saucer of fresh water daily, you're helping our native birds. They're a gift from Heaven, enjoy them. I'll jump down from my "save the Purple Martin" (and all cavity nesters!) soap box now. LOL Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Martin Conservation Association
...See More
Purple Martins still laying; Tree Swallows hatching,
Q
Comments (8)
If at all possible, I will try to get a video. He was on top of the nest box just outside my kitchen window and facing the main tomato garden. Wrens are great for keeping tomato plants bug-free. He's hopping up and down on top of the box. Sometimes with both feet, sometimes on first the left foot - hop, hop, hop - and then the right foot - hop, hop, hop. Sometimes his hops take him up a couple inches; sometimes a foot or more. He has both wings dropped down with his head bobbing. Then holds first one wing and then the other out at various angles and contortions...all the while doing the multi-footed polka, and singing his fool heart out the entire time. He flies straight up a couple feet and then zig-zags back down to the nest box top. Again, singing that fool heart out. I expected him to have a major coronary at any second. She looked at him; she looked in the box, (a very fine Coveside chickadee box, with slate squirrel guard, by the way) did the birdy version of an eye roll, and zoomed off. Her mama raised her better than to hang out with that sort of boy. But then...good girls and bad boys...we know how that story plays out at times!
...See More
glenda_al
16 years ago
Great pictures!

Now for the babies :o)
phyllis__mn
16 years ago
Thanks....I've been waiting for your pics!
caroline94535
Original Author
16 years ago
Now Glenda, you know...

"First comes love, then comes marriage, then comes Purple Martins with baby-egg carriage!"

I guess I have to wait until "First comes the first arrivals" which may not happen until the first week in May.
mariend
16 years ago
Wondered when those nest would be going up. Thanks for sharing.
Marie from ND
socks
16 years ago
How wonderful!! Your DH is just a peach to be so helpful.

Where are the PM's coming from? Do many people in your area have the nests for them? I have never seen anything like this in my life!

Caroline, don't forget to roll out the red carpet! Do keep us posted, and I hope you have great success this year.
caroline94535
Original Author
16 years ago
Kathleen CA - I'm checking with some of the PMCA members to get all of the facts correct, but there are small numbers of Purple Martins in California. They nest differently though; where the martins in the eastern half of the country are human-imprinted and colony nesters, the ones that have moved to the west coast tend to nest in smaller, or solitary, groups and not near people.

I know there were several larger colonies forming around Sacramento. The birds have discovered the drain pipes built in to some of the larger highway overpasses were excellent places to nest. They also nest in pilings and piers along the coast.

I'll get back with you when I get more info. I don't know how far south they go.

Socks/Kathleen CA - Yes; Wes has been a great help with the my Purple Martin hobby/obsession. When we moved from the base to the new/old house in Larimore in 2007, one of the very first things he did was to dig the 36" deep, 12" wide hole and set the ground stake in cement so it could cure and hold the pole before winter. The pole slips down 30" into the stake. This is the same set up I had on the base.

We had a nearly-impossible-to-budge rope-and-pulley system until now. I don't know why it never worked correctly, but the manufacturer replaced the entire hub system with a new and improved one! Since it can hold two layers of eight gourds each, we bought a boat winch to "power" it.

The system was easy to install on the old pole and it works beautifully.

It would have taken me weeks to put together and install the winch, pulley and hub if I had to do it on my own. It would have involved blood, bruises, pain, and probably broken fingers. Wes had it all together in an hour or so. "I think I'll keep him!"

There have been four Purple Martin "scout" sightings in North Dakota since April 11. Two in Mandan, and one each in Devils Lake and Coleharbor. I have three "martineering" friends in Grand Forks and Bismarck. They have not seen birds yet.

Purple Martins are native American birds that migrate to and from Brazil each fall. They return in the spring to nest from Florida to north of Winnipeg. At one time they were in danger of extinction because of lack of properly monitored housing (the vast majority of the birds only nest in man-made housing) and predation by non-native European starlings and English house sparrows.

Here is a link that might be useful: Purple Martin Conservation Association

Purple Martins - I'm ready for them - 5 pics

Comments (8)

lydia1959

kathleenca

Related Discussions

glenda_al

phyllis__mn

caroline94535
Original Author

mariend

socks

caroline94535
Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

Purple Martins - I'm ready for them - 5 pics

Comments (8)

lydia1959

kathleenca

Related Discussions

glenda_al

phyllis__mn

caroline94535Original Author

mariend

socks

caroline94535Original Author

COMPANY

BUSINESS SERVICES

GET HELP

CONNECT WITH US

caroline94535
Original Author

caroline94535
Original Author