Purple martins FINALLY

[seedcorn]

20+ years ago, Dad gave me a purple Martin house he built. Never got a Martin. 1.5 years ago, someone gave me their Dad's old metal one. I put it up. Tonight walked out their and a pair is checking it out. Seem to be happy as one stays while the other was bringing nesting material.

Now to get off my lazy butt and make a bat house. Am I too late?

 

[thistlebloom]

Yay for Purple Martins nesting in your birdhouse!

I don't think you're too late for a bat house. Just take a few from your belfry.

 

[Nyboy]

That is so cool how many apartments does your Martin house have? Bat houses are a waste I read they are more decorative then functional.

 

[seedcorn]

12 compartments. Design I saw to make was anything but decorative. Good to know.

 

[thistlebloom]

We don't get Purple Martins over here on the correct side of the Rockies.
But they must be good bug catchers, similar to swallows and Bluebirds?

Maybe the timing was just off previously and it's nothing to do with the particular bird house. I hope you get a full house this year.
Do you still have the one your dad made?

I have a bird house I salvaged from moms garden on my last trip when we cleaned everything up. It's one I had given her years before and it's made to look like a barn. I need to fix it and hang it up in her honor.

 

[seedcorn]

No, we put it on telephone pole. HUGE mistake. The thing weighed a ton. Didn't take care of it well, so it got destroyed by sparrows.....

Dad made it, mom painted it but way too heavy. Took 2 men to mount....

Suppose to be great at eating bugs.

 

[Zeedman]

One of my uncles (the one who taught me gardening) had a purple martin "hotel" in the center of his garden, mounted on a tall pole (about 20' up). It had holes on opposite sides, I think about 20 total. He claimed they were good at catching bugs, which they probably were. They were pretty good at chasing me out of the garden, too.

Glad to see this thread, it reminded me that I want to put up a similar purple martin habitat on my property. My rural garden (6 miles away) has plenty of purple martins, they are nesting under the eaves of the barn nearby.

 

[seedcorn]

Looked today. Evidently, my location, house, etc., did not pass inspection...... They are gone.

 

[thistlebloom]

Maybe you just don't have enough bugs to make them happy. They are probably on their way to TEXAS right now to eat at @baymule 's house.

 

[baymule]

Stupid birds! I try my best to promote Indiana as a great place to live and seedcorn messed up his opportunity!