Martins are here!!!!!

[Duck Nawteek]

Well guys those of you that are waiting on the martins to get here. I was at my dad's this past weekend and actually saw two come in from the "no O2 zone" in the sky. It was about 20 min before sunset and they cut up till even after dark. I have been lookin from them at my house but have not seen any yet. So those who have your gords up get ready they are on their way. By the way my dad lives up in scott county.

[MudHog]

I put up my two condos Sunday. Waiting for some to move in so I can try out my new camera on them.

[cwink]

Good I got some skeeters they need to get after..

[Wingman]

I'm still waiting. Had some friends report birds as early as Feb 6 about 5 miles from here but I am martinless as of yet.

They'll come.

[MSDuckmen]

All the Duck camp Gords are full. I love the sounds they make.

[mudsucker]

I think I heard that "scouts" are here now.

[MarshRat]

They have made it to pike county we have few right now

[TODO]

Think i'll put some up at my camp. Where does one go about acquiring some martin condos?

[Wingman]

S&K manufacturing has some good, inexpensive houses. Walmart sells them sometimes.

[LawDawg]

what size shot do yall use on them????

[MudHog]

The smaller the better, less damage to the meat.

You need some good decoys though, but haven't come across a LED Mojo Martin yet.

Decoy info: http://www.purplemartinhouse.com/purple ... sories.htm



On a serious note, that same website has the style houses I have (12 room) rectangle style. http://www.purplemartinhouse.com/naturehouse-3.htm I didn't pay that much, nor do I have that fancy safety or lift system that they sell.

[Duck Nawteek]

Well guys went out to break up my garden this morning and lord and behold I had 4 martins in my gords, I really was'nt expecting to see any this year as this was my first year to put them up on our property, I was glad to see em, now maybe they will put a hurt on our mosquitoe population.

[Wingman]

I've been trying to get my mom's martin houses squared away. She has about 11 birds now. I put up 2 gourds on Monday and the martins were poking their heads inside before I could get back to the shop. Went yesterday and there are martins in the gourds already.

I just finished a gourd rack and some natural gourds for my house and got it put up yesterday. The subadult birds are starting to filter into the country now, so there is plenty of time to attract martins this year (about 2 more months). One of the guys on the purple martin forum says that a huge wave of martins landed at his house in Corpus Christi Monday night and he expects that 75% of the total martin population has yet to arrive in the U.S.

Get those gourds and houses cleaned out or put up if you haven't already.

[Don Miller]

I had scouts show up about a month ago. I have 12 to 15 hanging around now.

[Po Monkey Lounger]

For the purple martin experts --- is there any particular nesting material that martins use that distinguish them from other birds? I have two bird houses (bluebird size) in my yard that I had never noticed any bird using until just this past weekend, when I observed nesting material in them ---dead leaves, twigs, etc. Have not actually spotted the particular birds using the houses yet. Are these likely martins, or something else?