From: quezon@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Antonio Quezon)
Newsgroups: rec.birds
Subject: Re: pest control (was: Re: bluebirds return)
Date: 13 Apr 92 16:41:23 GMT
Reply-To: quezon@oasys.dt.navy.mil (Antonio Quezon)
Organization: Carderock Division, NSWC, Bethesda, MD

In rec.birds, palmer@chmsr.gatech.edu (Michael T. Palmer) writes:
>
>What are the interior dimensions of your martin condo?  If the compartments
>are only 6"x6", that may explain it.  Starlings don't like them that small.
>Unfortunately, according to the Purple Martin Conservation Association,
>neither do the martins if they have a choice.  The compartments in my house
>are either 6"x12" or 6"x9", and until I made them this large I had between
>one and three total nesting pairs per year.  Not good.  After the increase
>in compartment size, I had nine (9!) pairs last year even though there were
>fewer compartments (10 instead of 16).  90% occupancy is pretty good.
>

I recall reading in a previous message that you posted, the preference that
your Martins have shown for 6"x12" or 6"x9" compartments.  If I didn't have
about $200 invested in my aluminum Martin condo and pole set-up, I would
certainly heed your advice.  I wonder if manufacturers of the common
aluminum condos are aware of and offer houses with the larger compartments?

>
>my martin house.  By the way, a 4x scope helps (distance is 70+ feet).
>

What kind of pellet gun and scope do you employ, and where did you find
the scope?  I would like to get one.

>
>By the way, are your martins back yet?  My wife said that we have about five
>of them back, now.  They started coming in this past weekend (I'm in Atlanta
>right now, so I can only hear them over the cordless phone when she goes out
>on our deck).
>

I have had my Martin house up for three summers now, and have only had
one pair of Martins nest and hatch babies.  One of the two eggs was destroyed
by house wrens, the hatchling only survived for a day or two.  The Martins
(Ethel and Fred), left shortly thereafter.  I have had many Martins
investigate the house over a period of several days, but no takers since Ethel
and Fred.  I saw the first Martin of the season in my neighborhood on Sunday
(4/12).  Maybe this year . . .

>Also, have you heard about the Purple Martin Conservation Association?  They
>maintain a database of registered colonies (you do NOT have to join to
>register your colony - they want as much data as they can get) all over the
>country.  They are the BEST source of martin information around, and conduct
>research (they're affiliated and housed with the Edinboro University of
>Pennsylvania) to find answers to pressing problems.  I have copies of previous
>posts about them... if you're interested let me know.
>

Yes, I am interested in more info.  I didn't save your previous posting of
Purple Martin propoganda from the Purple Martin Conservation Association.
Maybe I should join up to get the newsletter.

>--
>Michael T. Palmer, M/S 152, NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton, VA  23665
>Temporarily a Techie: Center for Human-Machine System Research, Georgia Tech
>Voice: 404-894-4318,    FAX: 404-894-2301,    Email: palmer@chmsr.gatech.edu

A.J. (Tony) Quezon
Carderock Division
Naval Surface Warfare Center (CDNSWC)
Code 1282
Bethesda, MD  20084-5000
Work: (301)227-1645
Home: (703)435-3965
From: billg@hpspdla.spd.HP.COM (Bill Gingras)
Date: Wed, 15 Apr 1992 19:43:59 GMT
Subject: Re: Eagle-viewing at a lake in Santa Barbara county?
Organization: HP Stanford Park - Palo Alto, CA