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Just so you northern guys will know, spring is slowly creeping towards your area. My Purple Martins arrived this morning and the geese have already departed with their ‘V’ pointing your direction. I have flung open my shop doors with glee!
This has nothing to do with woodworking except that I made my 12 holer Martin box out of wood.
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Mike... Dont scare me like that. The term "purple martin" has another meaning for woodworkers.... the new german steel/concrete martins are purple with silver trim. We though you ordered some new toys! Already had the trip planed to your place with glee and some some sample projects.
*Mike, you ever notice how whenever you see the geese flying in the V formation, one line on the V is longer than the other?You know why that is?
*More geese in that row.SB
*SteveJust 70's, here it was 83 today its gonna get colder tomorrow the news said 70's friday and sat. Ill grab my coat..
*Wish I was one of those geese. Another month from now and all the good weather will have gone for the year, and in this part of the world (TX gulf coast) it will be like living and working in a superheated sauna again, but it'll only last until the end of November, if we're lucky. ;-) Slainte, RJ.
*Mike Taylor, so where is you at, I want to know how much time I have before the black flies hatch? Here in Northern Michigan we still have 20 inches of solid snow but it does look like spring will be a month early, April would be nice.
*I have learned not to get my hopes up. Our last frost will be around Memorial day just like it always is: if I start thinking in February that spring is on the way it makes March and April terribly long months!
*Mike,I made a 12 holer with my son last Summer and now I need to mount it on a post. Help me out. Where did you get a telescoping post and how did you mount it. The floor of my house is 3/8" thick if that matters.Will
*Will - I got a long 1.5" galvanized pipe. I cemented a 4x4 treated post in the ground sticking up 3'. I secured the pipe to it with two 1/2" "U" bolts. But, on the bottom bolt, I cut off one leg just where that leg would normally enter the post. That way I can undo the top bolt and then swivel the pole and all down. I cleaned my box out last week and yesterday the first pair arrived. 2nd pair arrived this morning. Really a cheerful lot with their chirping and flying. Hell on mosquitos too.Armin - I live in the beautiful snow capped mountains of Katy Texas!
*Scott -Geese can't count.
*I was from Michigan...now in NW Vermont about 15miles from Canada....we've chosen July 17 as the date for summer this year... 9 months of heavy winter, with 3 months of damn poor sledding.
*We're waiting for the hummingbirds to come back soon. Some are in this area (Puget Sound) all year 'round, but they tend to concentrate in communities other than ours since all we have in the wintertime are evergreen trees and the like.Wish we had Martins here -- I'd LOVE to build one of those boxes!
*Will - Get a pipe flange. Has a collar and a flat plate with 4 holes in it. Screw that to the bottom center of the house, then onto the pipe.
*Mike, I think I am missing something or your house is placed a lot lower than I am used to placing mine. As I understand it you suggest a 4X4 cemented below the frost line and coming out of the ground 3 feet. Then a galvanized pipe "U" bolted to the side with a flange at the top of the pipe that provides the mounting to the house. If I have that correct the pipe (and therefore the house) could only be raised and lowered a maximum of 3 feet, but realisticaly only about 2 feet. I'm used to putting the house about 8 or more likely 10 feet in the air so I would not be able to lower it enough to easily clean it out when needed. Am I missing something? Perhaps I mount my house too high.Also, If the screws that attach the flange to the bottom of the house come through the floor will they bother the birds and keep them from using those compartments? If so I am think of gluing an inch thick piece of wood to the bottom of the house for the flange to screw into and therefore keep the screws from bothering the birds. I am however worried about wind and rain causing it to fail and the house to come falling down if a mechanical fastener isn't used into the actual bottom of the house. I hope the birds don't mind a screw coming through the floor or do you know of a glue that you would trust with that amount of weight bonding at one relatively small point with fair amounts of wind and rain.Boy I'm sure you didn't bet on this much work from one simple "I'm glad it's Spring" type post. :) Thanks for the help.Will
*No, No, No! The pipe rotates and lays horizontal. The lower "U" bolt with the cutoff leg acts as the pivot point. Stand back 20' and imagine the pipe, house, and all rotating to the left or right with the cutoff "U" bolt being the center of the circle. I rotate mine and lay the pipe across a saw horse while I clean out the house.
*Will, I used flat head bolts (from the top) to fasten mine. A 3/4" board, glued with poly glue, would help strengthen the center of the bottom.
*AHHH, Got it Mike, thanks. I would have never thought to have the house swing down horizontally -- very nice. I bet it gives and squatting Sparrows a hell of ride too! I remember that if the Sparrows had nests before the Martins the Martins would not stay, but if the Martins established their nests they would tollerate Sparrows in the unused wholes. Has that been your experience? How often do you clean out the Sparrow's nests? I seem to remember having to do it daily. What ever the amount of labor is required Purple Martins are surely worth it. One year when I was a kid my parents and I were able to watch as the Martin parents taught their young birds how to fly -- pushing them off of the railing and showing them how to land on it again. You only get the opportunity to see that one day per year and there is no telling when it will be. Within a couple of days the Martins had migrated south. It was easy to tell when they left because they weren't there to eat the bugs anymore and you could appreciate how much they ate every day -- best bug control I have ever seen.Will
*Will -The Martins generally kick the sparrows out or will tolerate them. I clean my box once per year, just before they start arriving which here is generally the last two weeks of February. I have 3 pair now but expect several more in the next few weeks.A box should be close to highline wires so that the parents can set and watch and coax out the youngens. Last year I had maybe 2 dozen young ones all trying to learn to fly at the same time. Was hilarious!
*Shop doors are closed! Gees! I guess one shouldn't pi-- of the gods of the north!
*Hey Will -Don't know if this will help ya or not.The wife bought a flagpole right after 9/11. It is sectional and goes up, golly its gotta be 18 - 20 ft or so.You could probably buy one of those flagpole rigs and adapt it for the martin house.Depot or Lousy's (Lowe's) or may be a garden center.Joe
*Hmmmmmm, Joe that sounds like a viable alternative, thanks for pitching in. I'm going to compare what I feel are my three legitimate options: yours, Mike's and locating a telespoping pole specifically for bird houses. Does anybody know if it is possible to put the house too high for a Purple Martin. I know that they don't want to be too close to trees and want a glide path which is hard to provide in my back yard so going up 20 feet might help if the birds will take to it. Pick little devils aren't they.Will
*Whew! Maybe the Gods of the North have finally relented! These latest two blasts were kind of a shocker for us warm-blooded critters.Anyway, more Martins are arriving! Will - what did you decide to do about the pole? I had a telescoping pole when I lived in Tulsa.
*yesterday was finally warm enough for me to do some work in the shop. today it's snowing. i can't wait for warm weather now, or a nice big heater to put in my shop
*Mike, I found a 15 foot telescoping pole that I am considering for $90. As a practical matter I think that I will be more likely to properly maintain the house with the telescoping pole than with the "tilt-down" method that you described. On the next warm and dry week-end that we have I will probably decide if I am feeling cheap or not. If so I will go with the "tilt-down" pole setup, if not I will splurge and get the telescoping pole. By the way, should the wholes to the rooms face North-South or East-West or the direction that will give me the best veiw from my porch?Will
*Will - I place one face towards the house so I can see them. If you get the telescoping pole, make some small wooden slivers and wedge them between the pipes where it telescopes. That keeps it from rattling in the wind. Once the Martins arrive, you don't want to disturb the house till after they leave in mid summer. I wait until a week or two before their next arrival to clean it out. Some people take the house down in the fall, clean it, and store it away till the next season. Don't want to be in to big of a hurry to take it down, cause they come back occasionally for a month or so.Better get yours up soon. I'm setting here at the computer on the 2nd floor looking out at my crew right now.
*Sounds like it will be this weekend's project. I made the mistake of mentioning the price of the telescoping pole to my wife [who usually likes telescoping poles hehehehe ;) ] and got "my wings clipped". Looks like I will be using your tilt pole design. I'm glad to hear that I over estimated the amount of cleaning that is necessary. I seem to remember my parents cleaning it out daily until the Martins came. We had some active Sparrows in Tulsa that made nests in there nonstop. And you are correct of course -- Once the Martins arrive its hands-off and enjoy the new neighbors.Will
OK Mike my Purple Martin house is up. Got it up 14 feet in the air using your method. I have a 1 1/2" (inside diameter) galvanized pipe, with the house on it it was quite heavy - even scary walking it up into position but I have 4 U brackets holding it to a 4X4, seems rather sturdy.
Boy the Sparrows were checking it out within about a half hour. Are you sure that I don't need to be worried about them keeping the Martins away? Particularly since this will be the first year for the Martins in this house? Let me know what you think, in the mean time I will be brushing up on my aim with the old pellet gun.
Will
Hey Will -
Just the other day I saw a martin wrestle a sparrow clear to the ground then continue there for a few seconds. Some sparrows are still there but the martins seem to be holding their own. I've never know sparrows to be much of a problem. ps - I have a telescopic sight on my pellet rifle. I can put every shot in a 1/2" group at 50'. I wait till the martins are away then pop a few of the sparrows.
PlaneWood by Mike_in_KatyPlaneWood
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