No more whining; because they're here!

caroline94535

15 years ago

5:19 p.m., Friday, May 9, 2008 Larimore, ND

The Purple Martins are here.

Purple Martins are in my gourds!

I have an ASY (After Second Year, fully-mature) male in Gourd 3

I have an ASY female in Gourd 1

I have more flying in.

Wes was on the computer and I was in the bedroom folding laundry. We hear the familiar "krieeek" call; nothing else sounds like it. Wes said, "They're here!"

We run out to the patio and there's the male, chattering and whistling out of Gourd 3. We run inside to the living room window and see a female peeking out of Gourd 1.

Boy, oh Boy! They're here. Now I have to wait for them to leave, lower the rack, and unplug the rest of the gourds. I keep them plugged to keep the vermin-sparrows out until the Purple Martins arrive.

They're here!

They're here!

They're here!

They're here!

They're here!

They're here!

They're here!

I'm so happy I could do flips!

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Comments (9)

kacram
15 years ago
Yea!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! they found you! LOL
User
15 years ago
Photos, we want photos please!
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Punk, Thanks. Me, too! Thanks Prosp, It's good to 'hear' your voice! I've been thinking about you a lot lately. Wondering what you've been doing. Give us an update. Thanks Jay, I love them. And yes, Jane is a Doll. Jane, So what'cha saying, Girl? It was worth it to shut up my whining!!! LOL I have a confession to make. I still hadn't gotten to the store so I could make my pumpkin soup, so Monday I decided to just make some chicken/veggie soup because it was a cold fall day. I figured - soup is soup - and I could set a table with my new bowls. It was a win-win situation. I got so busy frying up some apples that someone had given us, trying a new carrot cake recipe, fixing a dinner tray for my sick neighbor, making some cornbread muffins that Aunt B had requested. YEP, you guessed it. I grabbed some bowls out of the cabinet, dished up the soup and it wasn't until bedtime that I remembered my precious pumpkins sitting in the china cabinet! MAN! I wanted to kick myself! As soon as I get over this strep throat that my Gkids gave me I'm going to set a table with them and they can just sit there looking pretty 'till I make the soup! You can stop laughing now. :) Kathleen, They ARE delicate. I'm glad you were able to fix your's. Hey, Christmas 'LIST'. Nah... Better not press my luck. lol Besides, I already got what was at the top of the list. Everything else would be fluff. You're right, Lucky. Hot water would probably taste good out of them! Lee, I DO love this forum. This family is special. Punk, I'm glad you listened to Luvs. She's a smart Girl! WOW! What a great idea Lynn! See... y'all come up with the greatest ideas! I just have to follow the leader. I think I overslept the day they were giving out creativity and missed out. lol Thanks, Bonnie. I put them in the china cabinet in the living room because that is the one room where I won't let the kids play. I know that may sound mean, but my Boys are REALLY active to say the least. One night my 15 year old DS was plsying hide and seek with the 5 year old DGS and decided that he would fold his whole 6'2" body up in his bathroom cabinet under the sink. Tiny cabinet. He broke the water line and water was everywhere before DH could get it shut off! It's never boring at my house! Still smiling, Betty
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nodakgal
15 years ago
I know it makes your heart happy! I remember all your hard work in G.F.
Glad they followed you.
Daisy7
15 years ago
Caroline, I am so very glad for you!
tannatonk23_fl_z9a
15 years ago
I just knew they'd find you, Caroline!!! I can hear the excitement in your post and I'm very happy for you! I get like that when the hummers finally show up and they are here now. I spent a good part of the morning just watching them.

~Betsy
grammahony
15 years ago
Caroline, I just had to let you know, my Purple Martins are back (well some of them). I had a lot more last year, but was really late getting my house up this year. I didn't even really get to watch/count as I was just there from about 2:30 yesterday until 2:30 today. Now, I'm off to the shower, I feel so grungy.
Leslie
caroline94535
Original Author
15 years ago
I have four Purple Martins now. This is so sad. When I had the 11 gourds set up on base, I'd get 50-100 birds all fighting for the 11 homes.

I guess is will take a while to build a colony here. I'm very thankful I have the two pairas; and it's not too late for more to join the party.
joyfulguy
15 years ago
Birds and Bases don't go together very well, do they?

I guess that'd be larger, higher flying birds, e.g. cranes, ducks, geese or swans. Do they have noise-makers, etc. to frighten them off?

ole joyful
caroline94535
Original Author
15 years ago
Hey OJ!; The wildlife and A/C pretty well all co-exist. They actually have an office that has sole responsibility to monitor, maintain, and encourage as much natural and native wildlife and plants as possible without impacting the main (flying) mission.

The layout and location of the runways are so far from the rest of the base that the birds adjust.

There are some strikes during the goose/duck migration, and I know they have some sort of sound deterrent on the runway itself, but for the rest of the base they try to encourage as much natural wildlife as possible.

We had a couple wonderful colonies of Purple Martins, two long bluebird trails, scores of native birds that were nesting, and a large herd of deer.

We also had a visiting bear on base our first year here, but the state game commission, in it's infinite wisdom, shot and killed it because they "forgot" to bring a tranquilizer dart. The base officials called the state officials to "remove" it to a safe area. The goons shot it instead of relocating it.

I was livid.

Wes and Harry found a bear while out scouting last weekend. They went one way; the bear went the other and everyone's happy.

No more whining; because they're here!

Comments (9)

kacram

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No more whining; because they're here!

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kacram

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