Purple Martin Update Part 2
Purple Martin Update Part 2, last week we put up the Purple Martin House and the same day we had two visitors stop by to check out the new apartments. Both of which are males, the males have the purple sheen to their feathers.
I was so surprised to see visitors the first day. They are so much fun to watch, very acrobatic at times. Now they only came around in the morning and would sit on top of the house. Then fly around the fields, appearing to just be checking everything out and they would leave in the afternoon.
Now this week, another Purple Martin has arrived. My husband and I are making up stories as we watch what these birds are doing. We figured they were starting to like the apartment complex and decided to invite the mother in law to check it out. But after viewing the photos, I see all three are males, which are probably scouts and young males at that. They usually have to leave a colony and start a new one elsewhere.
Everyday they stay a little longer. Watching what we are doing as well. They are used to my dogs and they really do like having us around. They have figured out that people keep predators away, just by being out and about.
Now there is fun news for next week. We put up another bird apartment house, to try and have ample room for a colony to eventually live here. But the exciting news, today a female has arrived, with her mate and I believe she likes the place.
Have a Wonderful Weekend
Purple Martin Update Part 2
41 Replies to “Purple Martin Update Part 2”
Oh what a wonderful update!! Congratulations on the arrival of the first settlers to your Martin colony.
They sure are acrobatic and how nice for them to have a secure and warm house for those rainy days. You’ll have the double the fun with two feeders and be rid of pesky bugs to boot.
I read they eat a lot of bugs, and do not lay their eggs until there are more bugs around.
That’s smart of them to do that … scoping out possibilities first. 🙂
Miss your blogs and your visit to my blogs, hope you are fine
Hello, yes I have been very busy with spring planting and being outdoors, I don’t get on the computer as much as I do in the winter. Hope you are having a great weekend. 🙂
Good to hear that you are fine Sandra. I like to send messages to all my friends here from time to time
I appreciate that, thank you. 😊
Wow I love the pictures Purple Mattins are so cool Pretty soon you’ll have Red Henrys and Blue Phillips and everything
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Laugh, People want to see your teeth
Lol, those would be great names for birds. I love how you think. 😊
My thinking is warped
It is unique 🙂 laughter is the best medicine 🙂
marvelous images! It’s beautiful.
Thank you very much 😊
smile
🙂 always 🙂
Now that is a fancy Purple Martin house – marvelous color!! And your images of the Martins are just beautiful!
Thank you very much 😊
Seems like your Purple Martin house may not be occupied by Purple Martins rather what appears to be Tree Swallows based on the shots above. Purps usually do not have the stark white contrast. Still equally adept at ridding the areas of those pesky insects! Nice shots.
Thank you very much, yes as long as they eat the bugs, there are plenty of those.
I just looked it up, and you are right. I have never heard of a tree swallow. I will be checking the houses this weekend. It said tree swallow will use feathers in their nest and purple martins do not. Thank you for this.
I monitor a trail of nest boxes used by bluebirds and tree swallows. Tree swallows seem to be pretty cooperative, e.g., defending others’ nests, coaxing young to fledge. It will be so interesting to follow how many tree swallow pairs nest in this group setting.
I have been watching the female gathering nesting material. She is putting it in every apartment in the one house and has been trying to fill up the second house while the male stands guard at the first house. 😊
One of the rare bird species that depend entirely on humans, if I remember correctly. Native Americans used gourds? Your visitors are living in style! What a lovely thing to behold outside each day. Have a wonderful weekend. 🙂
Thank you Mary, you to. 😊
Thanks for the update, Sandra. This is a great new story line.
“But after viewing the photos, I see all three are males, which are probably scouts and young males at that. They usually have to leave a colony and start a new one elsewhere.”
This reminded me of New Testament apostles. An apostle is defined as “one who is sent.” Apostles were sent to create new Christian communities from scratch. They would go where the Lord directed them, preach and minister, make converts, train them as disciples, appoint elders, and then move on to do it again. The apostle Paul was especially noteworthy of this and extremely successful.
So glad to see you having initial success with your new Purple Martin “Community.” Blessings
Thank you RJ, it is so true, everyday there are lessons right in front of us, parables in a way, to remind us of the journey that brought us to where we are now, through the life of those so long ago. He teaches us history with what we see now. I love that. Have a wonderful weekend RJ
I”m sure they will find you benevolent landlords.
They sure are fun to have around.
The birds are suspicious at first but since a female has just arrived, a male must have found the hotel to his liking.A second hotel is planned, it’s great!We’ll have a blast, and you first.
Have a nice week end.
Yes, I have been watching her gather nesting material also, so I believe this one pair will be sticking around for the summer. 😊
They seem to like your house….. succes with your second house 🙂
Thank you, it may take another season to attract more to the second house. But it is a start. 🙂
Super Fotos Sandra. Das leuchtende Rot das Vogelhaus dazu der blaue Himmel geben einen tollen Kontrast. Das hast du sehr gut gemacht.👍👍👍
Liebe Grüße Werner der Vogelknipser.
Thank you very much Werner 😊
OMG! They have a TV antenna?!!! So, so cool! Love it! 🙂
They seem to have taken a liking to this house, she has been taking nesting material into the house the last few days. 😊
Excellent! I expect lots of great pictures with your new tenants and, in the future, with their little ones. 🙂
Yes, I have been watching some videos on how they raise their chicks. It will be exciting to see.
How lovely Sandra to have such activity in your bird apartments, it looks like a fun time ahead for you both. Our resident Crested Pigeon has begun nesting in our courtyard while their Bottlebrush Tree is dormant, so we await another clutch in a couple of months also.
Birding is so much fun, I love seeing them nest and taking care of their young. I also have a pair of ravens that nest around here. You should hear the young raven after he has learned to fly, when he is calling to the parents that he is hungry. He doesn’t stop until he is full. 😊