be a Purple Martin landlord

I hear that just getting them to show up is the hard part—that they’ll remember now from year to year where the apartments are, and will tell their little bug-eating buddies as well. I adore seeing them swooping and wheeling around the yard.

Where the heck are the martins? Why aren’t they hanging out at my house? Do I have cooties or something? (And anyhow, even if I do have cooties, don’t they EAT cooties? They eat every other pest!)

My DH has a really nice martin house, and he put it up a few weeks ago. So far, we’ve had a few scouts, but that’s it. I’m really hopeful that we’ll have some birds actually move in, as I think purple martins are fascinating birds to have around.

I have the martin house.
I even saw martins flying by.
Come martins, come!