Purple Martins

[carpetman]

Here we are in the midst of an ice storm,not too bad here. Temps hovering around freezing,maybe a low of 25 and some warming during the day above freezing,but not a whole lot of moisture. All of this and purple martin arrival here probably within a month. Their arrival is not a sign of spring,every year we have some more winter weather after they arrive. Arrival dates vary around the country. Some years they do arrive here in January but usuall mid February. So now is the time to clean the houses if you already have them. If you have never had a martin house,good time to be getting it and putting it up. For more info www.purplemartin.org I am maxed out and wont be putting up more houses--I have 76 compartments and doubt I'll ever have 76 pairs. Last year I did move a 12 compartment house from my grandsons house to my neighbors. It had been at my grandsons for a few years but never attracted any martins. It attracted a few pairs at my neighbors. Strictly on cast bullet topic as you'll also attract sparrows and starlings and they make great pellet gun targets.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Ray, I thought is was a little early for the first purple martin post of the year, but thanks for the reminder to clean the purple martin house. Maybe I can convert it over for ptarmigan. Cold as it is right now, that's the only kind of birds likely to show up for a while.

[sundog]

I had to beat two inches of clear ice off the mail box today, and you want me to worry about the purple martin box? Are you nuts man? The dogs can't even stay upright long enough to go to the tree line with all this iccccccceeeeeeeee. Forcast for next day or two is no thaw. sundog

[ron brooks]

Looks like we have more coming. Will be snowing and winter mix in the Texas Panhandle Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. :cry: Explain Global Warming to me again, please.

Ron

[NVcurmudgeon]

Looks like we have more coming. Will be snowing and winter mix in the Texas Panhandle Friday, Saturday, Sunday, and Monday. :cry: Explain Global Warming to me again, please.

Ron

I'll get back to you as soon as Al Gore explains how the Norwegian colonists managed to raise cattle in Greenland c. 1000 A.D. Sure wasn't because of big American cars!

[carpetman]

NVCurmudgeon ---Clean your purple martin house? LOL. NV seems to be a state that doesn't get them according to the link www.purplemartin.org . We have about 3" of snow here now,with more forecast. Guess I'll wait a few more days to clean my houses.

[Gussy]

Don't forget to build a ramp for the cats. They could get hurt jumping for diner (:>)
Gus

Pretty icy here too. It'll make it's way down there in a few days.

[wills]

Down where? The ice we have is enough.

[NVcurmudgeon]

Correct, Ray. the complete absence of purple martins in Nevada makes cleaning their house an easy job. I just brush the dust off with a foxtail brush, and it's all ready if any come by.

[Scrounger]

Wow!!! That must make you a Purple Marten Slum Lord. The truth, Ray, you only house the birds to attract cats, admit it.

[Topper]

I'm in South Central Texas, and the Purple Martin scouts usually arrive early Feb here.
My father-in-law gave me a house, but there is little open area around my house, required for their feeding habits, so I haven't put it up.
Maybe if I top out my Ash tree in the front yard I can attach a pole and house to it.

[carpetman]

Topper--If conditions are not right you will not attract martins. Proximity to a tree is a factor. The old theory was that martins have "scouts". Newer theory is that the first arrivals which previously were thought of as scouts are actually birds that have nested there before. These birds in turn attract other birds that are nesting for the first time. So with a new house you are competing for birds that have never nested or birds that have and their old house no longer exists.

[NVcurmudgeon]

The concept of "scout" birds always makes me smile. Swallows are famous for showing up on the saint's day at Mission San Juan Capistrano in California. If any birds appear early they are called "scouts." What do people think the "scout" birds do, fly back to Mexico or South America to escort the rest of the birds north?

[Topper]

Thanks Carpetman,
Learn something new every day;-)

[carpetman]

NVCurmudgeon---What do "scout" swallows do fly back to Mexico? Nah the INS catches them and flys em back to Mexico. BTW martins are swallows--largest member of the swallow family. Topper you are welcome for the info. Something that I observed seems to help substantiate the new theory. I have a 12 compartment wooden house that I built years ago and it has had martins using it for years. Couple years ago I built a 24 compartment steel house and mounted it on a pipe with a crossarm so that the wooden house also mounted on it.(it is raised and lowered with a boat winch because of the weight). The wooden house was in it's previous loacation,just mounted differently. The two houses set side by side probably not a foot apart. When the martins started arriving,the wooden house was getting martins and not one landed on the metal house for several weeks. It was long believed that purple martins eat gobs of mosquitoes. Ive read estimates of 2,000-10,000 per day. Somebody did a study of stomach content of baby martins and decided they don't eat mosquitoes. Hmmm. Baby martins are helpless and the parents feed them. There are 3-7 babies per nest with 5 being the norm. The parents have to chase down each morsel that is fed to these constantly hungry babies. You think they are going to chase down mosquitoes one at a time to feed them? Be like Japanese feeding their babies one grain of rice at a time and have to go pick each grain of rice---I'm sure they'd put em on a potato diet. I think the adult martins eat mosquitoes,but don't feed them to the babies. I do know that I'll seldom get a mosquito bite while the martins are here. The martins leave here around the 1st of August and after that mosquitoes become a problem. Stomach study of Texas babies would probably reveal Texans dont eat steak or drink beer.

[9.3X62AL]

Those first swallows at San JC aren't scouts--they're "coyotes". :-) So, Ray--our swallows are just purple martins in Class B uniform, then? I see. I rather think that Ray builds the martin houses as decoy display cases--like carved mallards in shadow boxes, just more lively.

[MT Gianni]

Stomach study of Texas babies would probably reveal Texans dont eat steak or drink beer.

Ray, That reminds me of the study our Dairyman neighbor told us about as a kid. "Government tested affects of milk on babies. Injected 100 baby rats with 1 quart of milk each and they all died, proving milk is bad for babies". Always understand the test before you bragg about the results. Gianni.

[carpetman]

It was about 70 here today,so I lowered all my martin houses and cleaned them. Did my neighbors too,I knew he wouldn't.

[carpetman]

Really have my martin houses tready now. I trapped a cat last night,first one in awhile.

[Scrounger]

Really have my martin houses tready now. I trapped a cat last night,first one in awhile.

Oh, goodie. Now you can have your famous breakfast pizza, made with your mouth-watering Siamese Sausage...

[carpetman]

Was in my sun room having first few cups of coffee for the day. Didn't have my glasses on yet,and caught a glimpse of a bird on one of my martin houses. Went for my glasses and it was gone when I returned. Pretty sure it was a martin. Usually the first day I see one for the year,it will be here briefly and then be gone several hours. I'm guessing I'll see it later this afternoon. It's almost 70 here and very windy. If this is a martin,not a sign of fair weather. Every year after they arrive,it's a given there will be some more bad weather. The sign of spring is mesquite trees leafing out.

[carpetman]

Yes it was a martin I saw---had atleast 5 out there this morning. Nice to have coffee on the patio and hear them. I enjoy all their noise. For sure beats rap.

[Boz330]

ANYTHING beats Rap!

[redneckdan]

.45s beat rap...hands down.:Fire:

[Scrounger]

Yes it was a martin I saw---had atleast 5 out there this morning. Nice to have coffee on the patio and hear them. I enjoy all their noise. For sure beats rap.

Now I understand why you wear the tin hat!