advice
This is my first time posting here and also I am still learning. Been trying to attract martins for about 5 years. Although the last 2 years of being serious about it. Up until last year I had a plastic house & a couple of gourds. Last year beginning in June I had about 4 to 5 that would come every day at about 8:30 and stay for a couple of hours. That lasted until about mid July. Since then I have tried to learn as much as possible about these guys. I have built a T-14 house, expanded my gourds to 6 with the extension tunnels and the plastic house I have removed some of the interior walls to make the cavities bigger. I have added a couple of decoys and I am playing a tape in the mornings. Sunday I had my first one here and it was a ASY male. (last summer never seen the ASY's.) Today I had 5 here 3 were ASY's. My question is should continue to play the tape? And is there anything else that I should or maybe should not be doing? Thanks
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Bret
You are a lucky guy.
I think all the martins you are seeing are ASY -- the ones with light-colored breasts are ASY females. You may well have one or two pairs already.
Sub adults, which are easily confused with females, are not in your area yet -- probably not until early to mid May.
There are different opinions on the dawn song, but I think most folks think you should stop using it once you are getting some martins to stay. It distracts them, and at worst may attract hawks at a time when the martins are looking for the source of the tape and not watching out. But mostly, I get concerned that it may keep your females from settling in and paying attention to the real males.
If the martins at your site disappear for a day or so for no reason -- and the weather is mild -- you might then resume playing the dawn song, but I think you are already on your way.
Carlton, a frequent poster here, is from Delaware. He may chime in.
Good luck this season.
John M
You are a lucky guy.
I think all the martins you are seeing are ASY -- the ones with light-colored breasts are ASY females. You may well have one or two pairs already.
Sub adults, which are easily confused with females, are not in your area yet -- probably not until early to mid May.
There are different opinions on the dawn song, but I think most folks think you should stop using it once you are getting some martins to stay. It distracts them, and at worst may attract hawks at a time when the martins are looking for the source of the tape and not watching out. But mostly, I get concerned that it may keep your females from settling in and paying attention to the real males.
If the martins at your site disappear for a day or so for no reason -- and the weather is mild -- you might then resume playing the dawn song, but I think you are already on your way.
Carlton, a frequent poster here, is from Delaware. He may chime in.
Good luck this season.
John M
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Bret,
This is Carlton and you better not be stealing my Martins
Just kidding this is rdfalk. Carlton will chime in soon I'm sure. Hopefully he has a sense of humor.
If you have that many martins hanging around I do not think you need the Dawnsong. You must have had some SY birds hanging around last year to have interested birds already.
Or
Some of these may be migrating through and find your site an attractive place to stay for a day or two. So see what happens. John has good advice for you.
Or
These really are Carlton's Martins and he really might be angry.
This is Carlton and you better not be stealing my Martins
Just kidding this is rdfalk. Carlton will chime in soon I'm sure. Hopefully he has a sense of humor.If you have that many martins hanging around I do not think you need the Dawnsong. You must have had some SY birds hanging around last year to have interested birds already.
Or
Some of these may be migrating through and find your site an attractive place to stay for a day or two. So see what happens. John has good advice for you.
Or
These really are Carlton's Martins and he really might be angry.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
Did not play my tape today nor did I see any activity. Of course it was raining and a little overcast. I wonder if what I saw was Martins passing through? I think if i don't see any activity tomorrow I will resume the tape.
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~Ray~Gingerich
- Posts: 2122
- Joined: Mon Jan 05, 2004 10:24 pm
- Location: Delaware/Dover
Make sure you keep sparrows and starlings out,use preditor guards on your pole. I use PVC pipe, bird netting and electric fence. On the houses I use 2x4 fencing.
Stop by some time and I will show my set up.
Stop by some time and I will show my set up.
~Ray~ Gingerich
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
1999 1pair, 2006 2 pair, 2008 2 pair,
2009 23 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 67 pair,
2012 115 pair, 2013 160 pair,
2014 152 pair, 2015 174 pair, 2016 178 pair
2017 187 pair, 2018 200 pair, 2019 171pair
2020 233 pair
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Caroline94535-ND
- Posts: 337
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 10:12 am
- Location: North Dakota/Larimore
- Martin Colony History: Will add later
Here are a couple suggestions that worked for me. Daytime Chatter and "musical chairs decoys" has been very successful at both my old site and this new one.
I hang the gourds up a couple weeks before the Purple Martins are expected. I seal off the entries with duct tape to keep the scum-birds out.
I set out several decoys and I play the Daytime Chatter CD instead of the Dawn Song. Daytime Chatter supposedly mimics the daytime sounds of an active colony. The birds are preening, and chattering, and fussing, and cooing, and generally making "Happy Purple Martins live here!" noise.
I move the decoys around at least once every day. I think it makes the site look "busy" since the decoys are always changing positions. I know moving them around entertains the neighbors and confuses the hawk.
As soon as I see the very first martin, I open several of the gourds and take down some of the decoys. I leave two or three out and continue to pose them daily. I still play the Daytime Chatter at least once a day, too.
As soon as I have four or five martins checking out the place, and hanging around for several hours at a stretch, I stop the Daytime Chatter and open the rest of the gourds.
I offered eight gourds the past couple of years. If all goes as planned, I'm expanding my rack to offer 16 gourds this year.
It sounds as though you're going to have a colony this year! Congratulations in advance!
I hang the gourds up a couple weeks before the Purple Martins are expected. I seal off the entries with duct tape to keep the scum-birds out.
I set out several decoys and I play the Daytime Chatter CD instead of the Dawn Song. Daytime Chatter supposedly mimics the daytime sounds of an active colony. The birds are preening, and chattering, and fussing, and cooing, and generally making "Happy Purple Martins live here!" noise.
I move the decoys around at least once every day. I think it makes the site look "busy" since the decoys are always changing positions. I know moving them around entertains the neighbors and confuses the hawk.
As soon as I see the very first martin, I open several of the gourds and take down some of the decoys. I leave two or three out and continue to pose them daily. I still play the Daytime Chatter at least once a day, too.
As soon as I have four or five martins checking out the place, and hanging around for several hours at a stretch, I stop the Daytime Chatter and open the rest of the gourds.
I offered eight gourds the past couple of years. If all goes as planned, I'm expanding my rack to offer 16 gourds this year.
It sounds as though you're going to have a colony this year! Congratulations in advance!
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
I do not mind sharing as long as you leave me a few pair. Just don't get greedy! :-)))
It sounds like you have a fine setup. Wishing you a full house this season!
My martins do seem a little slow to return this year. So far I only have 6 or 7 back - mix of ASY m's and f's.
My site fledged 90 or so young last year so they will all be out searching DE for homes soon.
Mine continue to only go into the T.H gourds with tunnels. Other years they were more into the Trio MSS-8 house. Very strange. I guess they feel safe tucked in way back in there.
It sounds like (bad pun) you can stop playing the Dawnsong CD. Your martins should bring others back as they soar around searching for food.
Carl
It sounds like you have a fine setup. Wishing you a full house this season!
My martins do seem a little slow to return this year. So far I only have 6 or 7 back - mix of ASY m's and f's.
My site fledged 90 or so young last year so they will all be out searching DE for homes soon.
Mine continue to only go into the T.H gourds with tunnels. Other years they were more into the Trio MSS-8 house. Very strange. I guess they feel safe tucked in way back in there.
It sounds like (bad pun) you can stop playing the Dawnsong CD. Your martins should bring others back as they soar around searching for food.
Carl