Purple Martin Advice

[Nimrod777]

Scavenged up a pair of 20' well pipes, and thought this might be a good chance to get a Purple Martin house up into the air. Doing a little research though and it looks like I'd better buy a telescopic pole so I can evict sparrows if they try to squat.

So I need to buy a house, and pole. Any advice on when to get it open for business?

 

[Diehard Hunter]

As soon as possible.

 

[in the dog house]

ASAP

 

[SES]

BB gun will evict the sparrows

 

[AllOutdoors]

ASAP. I have better luck with the gourds.

 

[fairchaser]

Near water where they have room to swoop. They already have scouts looking so get going.

 

[in the dog house]

Water, or the most wide open area available. You will notice a difference in your bug population.

 

[Allen Sullivan]

Need to get them up soon as others said, we have been seeing them here for about a week.

 

[thirdwilliam]

Need to get it in like yesterday. The scout pairs of birds have started showing up in Middle Tennessee. Saw 2 scout pairs over the weekend at the farm where we have 3 houses up.

 

[Allen Sullivan]

I bet we had 20 plus here 2 Saturdays ago. So they are heading back.

 

[Slaughter-06]

How high off the ground?

and what are y'all talking about water?

 

[Nimrod777]

I know they like to have a water source that they can skim while in flight. We don't have anything on our paltry acre, but there is a creek on the next property over, so I'm hoping that will suffice.

In the area that I'm considering mounting the house, there are some power lines. I know they like to be a minimum of 30' away from buildings and such. Will the power lines bother them, or will they just utilize it as additional perching space?

 

[in the dog house]

They will use them for sure.

 

[Nimrod777]

Cool!
I've ordered a house, will be here Thursday, and I may forego trying to rig or buy a telescopic pole, and see if I can use what I have on hand.

I've seen where you can rig an anchor piece that basically hooks up to your existing pole as a pivot point. I don't have the know how to actually DO that, but I'll have to look around and see if they can be purchased. Maybe I'll hit up Tractor Supply, just in case.

 

[shopson]

TSC may be out this time of year. Here is a good place to order.
http://www.skmfg.com/

This is my third year with a barn on telescoping pole and all I have had is a pair of bluebirds. Going to put some gourds up with it next year if nothing shows this year.

 

[Nimrod777]

TSC may be out this time of year. Here is a good place to order.
http://www.skmfg.com/

This is my third year with a barn on telescoping pole and all I have had is a pair of bluebirds. Going to put some gourds up with it next year if nothing shows this year.

That's the barn I ordered, because it has a combo of good reviews and low dollars. I'm gonna have to figure some way to make it accessible. Maybe I can get a pipe a tad bigger than the pole and use it like an insert. Wouldn't be pretty to take down, but at least I could

I did get a new bluebird house mounted onto a tree in the yard this week, and a pair are already paying it a lot of attention.

How high did you place your martin house, shopson?