When to start playing dawnsong...

[Guest]

Hi Everyone,

Since my last posts I have put up 6 gourds and opened only 3 holes on my heath house, one of which is housing a martin decoy coming out of the hole. My question is, when should I start playing the dawnsong. I am in the memphis area and have noticed that TN has started having some ASY arrivals. I know the chances of getting any ASY's is slim, but I would like to try incase someone has closed down housing or something. Anyway, when should I begin playing the dawnsong?

Thanks![/u]

[Guest]

Aaron, keep watching those scout reports, and whenever you are out driving, try to find other martin houses in your area. Keep a watch on these and the scout reports, and when you either see a martin somewhere or see that the reports are getting near you, start playing your dawnsong. It's good to keep some notes about your colony every year, so next year you will know just what to do. Good luck!

[JoLita]

Hello Aaron,

I live approximately 150 miles north of you and I had martins the last day of February last year. I say go ahead and play the dawn song. It just may bring them to you. Once when I was trying to get martins, I played the dawn song and happened to look out and saw a martin sitting on the handle of the boom box! I believe they find comfort in it!!! Just my opinion.

Good Luck to you!
Jo Lita

[klcretired]

AaronD83
I would start playing the dawnsong right now, start about 4:30 am if you can and play thru noon, don't be negative about not getting someones birds, be positive, I have seen it happen alot of times before so be ready and play the dawnsong and play it now, you could very easily get someones martins or even martins flying overhead that you can't see, it's funny, i have martins right now, i have 8 so far and when they are off forageing/eating and plumb out of site the minute i play the dawnsong here they come out of nowhere, i had a friend to visit me from the Forum, you know him as Chipo, while he was at my house with no birds in sight to show him, i turned on the dawnsong and here they came, soooo, yes please do play it now...it works...

[zoefluf]

Like everyone has said, the dawnsong works!

Play it until you attract your first Martins, then, there is no need to play it anymore. They will do your work for you and attract the rest of your colony.
Jeanne