When to put houses back up for a new season

[hopeathome]

Hi, I'm in mid missouri and this is the first time I have taken my houses down for the winter. When should I get them back up for the new season? I know I should record the arrival dates down each year but never do, I'm always just so excited to see them I don't think of it Any help would be greatly appreciated. Thanks, Hope

[Louise Chambers]

Hope,

Take a look at last year's scout arrival dates for MO:

http://www.purplemartin.org/scoutreport ... =2009&S=MO

Choose the town closest to yours to get an idea when the first birds usually show up - March is when scouts start showing up in MO. So you probably could put it up anytime, and leave most entrances plugged to keep house sparrows and starlings out for the time being.

Louise

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Hope:

The first scouts for Missouri usually arrive during the first week of March. From last years scout report, it looks like the majority of the first arriving scouts is around the middle of March.

You can go to the top of this page and click the oval that has "Scout Report". When the scout report comes us just click on the state of Missouri. You can then see when the first birds are arriving this year. Under the U.S. map you can click on different years to see the arrival dates in Missouri for both scouts and SY martins for previous years.

Tim

[hopeathome]

Thanks!! I will check it out and get ready!