Small world!! I have a Purple Martin colony too. Mine started back in 1998. Most of the Purple Martins in PA were wiped out during the 1972 Agnes Flood (rained for over 20 days straight). 5-6 birds visited my yard daily for a couple weeks in 1998, so we got them a house & they've come back every year since. I live in a small town that once had many martin houses. Sadly after the flood no martins returned & those houses fell to ruin.
The Audubon Society has told me I'm the only one, in our county, other than a few Amish farms that has Purple Mrtins. There are none straight north all the way to the NY border that we know of. Too many trees here. I have been asked to host a small group from the Audubon Society this summer. Bird clubs drop by to see them every year.
I have 2 T-10 houses & get 10-12 pair every year. So far I have 6 ASY Males, 2 ASY Females & 1 SY Female back. I have trained my colony to supplement feed via flipped crickets. Took me 3 years, but I have saved many due to bad weather or lack of bugs supplemental feeding. Trust me it's no fun bundled up in a Parka, blanket over legs, fingers freezing flipping crickets while it's snowing!! Done that a few times, but saving the Martins was well worth it. I was out in the rain twice yesterday flipping crickets. The night before we had golf ball size hail during a bad storm.
I too enjoy the few months they are here. I love taking care of them. Watching them fly high into the clouds totally out of sight when feeding. It's amazing how quickly they accept you doing nest checks. I've reached in & picked up an adult female off a nest to check for eggs/chicks.
Photos are the greatest, but here's 2 of my colony. 1of my T-10 houses & the other is Mom feeding a chick a dragonfly.
Last edited by Feather3; 04-22-2015 at 10:05 PM.