I am hanging a few old gourds on shepherds hooks and though these gourds are barely 4 1/2 feet off the ground, I am sure they will be taken. Every year I get a pair to take up residence in the shepherds hook gourd so this year I added 2 more. Hay, why not? If they are desperate enough to nest in some of the houses I see them in,. why not a shepherds hook. Of course I use a predator protector to keep raccoons and other creepy crawlies from getting an easy meal. This picture was last years ASY takers and they fledged 4 (if I remember) from this gourd. Every morning there is a few ASY males giving tours to interested ladies but at this point many are still playing musical gourds so I can’t tell if they are serious. But I will let you know.

Speaking of serious, the first egg of the 2010 season has been reported. On March 27 in the Orlando area. (Congrats James M!) Mine usually follow by several weeks.

So back to when I started my website, it was mainly to express my love of Purple Martins through my art and show people what a cool, relaxing, family-oriented hobby, being a Purple Martin Landlord can be. Well, the site may have evolved, but I still had the desire to convince others that a close encounter with nature could be right in their own backyard!

Which brings me to Lion Country Safari. My family and I go there pretty regularly. Being only a few minutes away, it is an amazing place to go with the kids and have fun without driving up to Orlando. It’s NOT just a 4 mile drive through preserve with over 900 animals. It’s a carnival meets zoo meets water park. My kids beg to go to “Lion Country Far-Away” all the time and I have always thought to myself, “What a great place for Purple Martins!”

I had called and spoke to a fantastic lady called Brenda Irvine, the Animal Curator at Lion Country Safari and told her what a great location they had for Purple Martins. We met and looked at several great spots that would be great areas to attract Purple Martins. She pitched the idea to the powers that be and Lo and Behold, they decided to purchase an CUEnt 12 unit Purple Martin Gourd rack and 12 Troyer horizontal with SREH tunnels!

They are very excited to help Purple Martins in Florida and I am glad that they decided to help too. Now my Purple Martin babies will have some where to disburse to!

The starlings won’t be a problem with the SREH (Starling Resistant Entrance Holes) but the English House Sparrows (HOSP) may be. I offered to help them with trapping, if needed.

I will keep you all updated on their site!

I wanted to let you all know that I had long term plans to place a web/nest cam on my site. Though the linking in to my site is still in development, I have started a streaming webcam of my site PurpleMartins-R-Us.com. This BirdCam site will eventually (I hope) have LIVE streaming video of my colony site. I will also keep you updated on that.  But check back and I will keep you up to date with that also.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

I am in the process of trying to gather information for a database of South Florida Purple Martin Colonies and have been placing flyers on mail boxes of homes that have martin housing up. On January 21st I will be going to the 2009 Space Coast Birding and Wildlife Festival in Titusville for 4 days. I will be giving 2 presentations on Purple Martins along with tending to my exhibitor booth. I am planning on being at the Folke Peterson Wildlife Center on Jan10 for the “Call Of The Wild” event, again to give a presentation and run an exhibitors booth. Then add all the web site development stuff I have undertaken, I still need to buy the cement for the ground stake, and get my new CUENT gourd rack up. I had planned on increasing my capacity this year but I may have to be satisfied with a slight increase. Last year I had 12 gourds and 7 compartments in my house. I had about 85% occupancy.

This season I plan on slightly increasing gourds offered to 17 and 6 compartments in a new Sunset Inn house. I MAY be able to add a live webcam this year and somehow integrate this feature in my website PurpleMartins-R-Us.com .

One thing I DID get to do was put another coat of paint on the “little repeating nest trap that could”. The paint may be the only thing holding this trap together at this point. The wood is warped, but the lines on this house were never straight to start out with. My husband is still in shock that it actually works and it was proven again when last week I put the trap up. I had thought I heard a Starlings wolf whistle amongst a large flock of Grackles. Long story short the “little trap that could” did not catch the starling but the next morning I awoke to find another Eastern Screech Owl in the holding cage. Off you go little guy, go get some sleep.

Blog & Photos Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin/ PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

 I asked as to why is he not being released. The receptionist said that there was something wrong with him as he “Does not display the normal fear a bird should have” and that he may be released the end of NEXT WEEK!!!!!!!!
I am in tears and so upset. I asked to speak with the vet-no she is busy. I asked to speak with a tech-no, busy. The receptionist listened patiently while I went through the whole thing about Native Americans putting up gourds for these birds, that this side of the Rockies they just don’t nest in natural cavities, that us landlords do nest checks and that I did nest checks on these birds every 3-5 days WITHOUT fail, that this birds mother would sit on the nest while I did nest checks before they even hatched. That without his group to teach him what he needs to know his chances are slim.

I am so upset. I don’t even know what to do. My hands are shaking and all I can think is that bringing Beau to this rehab facility was the biggest mistake I could have made. 

If I go there and ask to speak to a supervisor/vet, I know I will be looked at as a kook and my cause will not be helped. I am doing some serious prayers. Praying that God open their eyes to another opinion; that he continue to gain strength and endurance in his captivity despite his geographic limitations so that he can survive without his family when he is freed.

I ask that you all pray too…

My 20 babies look fat and happy. Their eyes are still closed so they just eat and sleep at this point.

The real shocker came when at final count I have 46 eggs! About 4 of those nests may not be done laying-so more eggs coming. Also, there is nest building in one of the natural gourds that was occupied by a lone ASY male. I suspect that the pair that was in the gourd hanging off the shepards hook relocated. Now a SY male attempts to attract a mate at that gourd. 

 All in all a great check.

On a side note, another capture of a dreaded Starling in the nest trap. It makes me smile when I think of how many Purple Martin eggs and babies I have saved at my site by controlling these pests. My husband doesn’t agree…he says it is survival of the fittest and if natural selection wants the Martin to go in favor of the Starling, so be it.

Of course, I disagree. What mother could let the town bully beat up her children? Isn’t that natural selection? If a person is stronger and more aggressive, it should conquer the weak, right? Of course not. Because we have compassion, we protect. Because we cherish diversity, we protect those that can’t protect themselves.

 I have been working on 2 more gourds and am waiting for the caulk to dry before I hang them. But for now the “No-Vacancy” sign is up. I am not sure how many birds I have turned away due to lack of room but I have counted upwards of 30 birds.

Blog Contents Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin / www.PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

The morning broke cool in the low 60’s but is pleasantly warming and turning into a spectacular spring day. The pair of mockingbirds that is building a nest about a yard away from my lawn chair is happy, despite my 2 children running and screaming a few feet away. The birds quietly slip in with twigs and sticks much to my delight. Apparently the Mockingbirds have also come to appreciate my lawn and the “no hawk” zone that, together, the martins and I provide.

Another nest is being built in a natural gourd and it would seem that the 4 nests that I checked are being incubated.

When I did nests checks the other day, the most curious thing happened. I lowered the pole and was going from one gourd to another. I began to open Gourd #2 (which I knew to be an active nest) when I looked inside to count, I found myself face to face with the ASY female who refused to give up her eggs. She had moved to the side enough for me to count but did not fly out. She was, literally only inches from my face. It was one of the most spectacular things that I have ever experienced. She must be quite experienced at nest checks, is my conclusion. She could have easily flown away at any time. I closed the gourd, continued to check all gourds the raised the house back up. Only when the house was almost completely up, did she dart out-very quietly. Off for a snack, then she returned a few minutes later.

On the business side of things, www.Purplemartins-r-us.com is making small baby steps towards launching and I hope to have some inventory and items by end of month.

Blog Contents Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin / www.PurpleMartins-R-Us.com

 I was disappointed that the completed nest that was “attacked” by the starling has been abandoned by the ASY pair. The beautiful nest now houses a lone ASY male. Several other nests that I have seen nest building activity seem to be in a holding pattern. Could be due to some on and off rainy/windy weather that may have postponed things. Though today was pleasant, the weather turned windy and cool with temps expected to go into the 50’s tonight. Nest building, I am sure, will resume in a day or two. 

 It appears some SY males and females that may have decided to stay but no compartments are available. 2 birds were attempting to get into compartments well after sunset in almost complete darkness. One finally squeezed into a compartment under the obvious protest of its current tenants. The other may have flown off into the dark to roost in a tree. Tomorrow I will attempt to hang 1 or 2 more gourds.

Blog Contents Copyrighted 2008: S.Halpin / www.PurpleMartins-R-Us.com