Need TX SY Reports

Larry D · Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:34 pm

This is my first year trying. I see on the Scout Reports SYs reported in FL but nowhere else. Is it because it's still too early or just no-one reporting? I was given a couple of 12compartment houses. I converted one, installed all the predator guards and have the Dawnsong CD on a timer, so all I need now are some birds!!

M.Stephens · Fri Mar 11, 2011 10:45 pm

SY's won't show up till close to end of April in your area.

Guest · Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:01 pm

Hello Larry- I'm in the Weatherford area, as is Parkerdes- She already has a few martins, I haven't seen a single one here yet. I expect to start seeing some ASY's in around one week, then there will probably be a showing of SY's around mid-April until Around mid-May (at least that's how it seems to go here):)

Larry D · Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:13 pm

Thanks for the replies. So should I just keep the houses closed up and lowered until April? I'm certainly not eager to clean out unwelcome birds.

Guest · Fri Mar 11, 2011 11:18 pm

I just opened mine yesterday, mostly because I didn't want bluebirds nesting in any of them, and it appears they have chosen my BB houses. You can wait if you want, but I like to have a house open when any martins are passing through. I figure you never know if an ASY may arrive at his usual nesting site to find it gone or otherwise unsuitable. I like to have every advantage I can.

As for unwelcome birds, try to get rid of them before they start nesting behaviors.

Chriscreole · Sat Mar 12, 2011 8:51 am

I'm in Hutto Texas East of Round Rock and both my neighbor and I have new PM housing set up and we already have several Martins. I have 3 pairs in my housing, 2 pairs in his and several younger males and females always flying around. We think that a 3rd neighbor 5 houses down has had a sucessful few years and has a large colony and we are steeling some of his returnees. Our housing track back yards all face a real nice park and green belt with a creek and water plant, we also have a lake near by se we have a good location for the Martins. Our Martins are playing and flying between our two sites that are about 40/50 feet apart. We sit every morning and afternoon watching them play.

BTW I have room for 22 pairs and have it all open, none have chosen any gourds yet. Maybe when we see more of the SYs come in they will.

VikingRaider · Sat Mar 12, 2011 7:36 pm

I had three land on my housing today (1st year landlord)---2 adult males and what appeared to be an adult female---but it could have been a juvenile male, didn't stay still long enough for a good look. They cheked out all the compartments and eventually flew off, but they are still in the neighborhood (lots of landlords here). They're the first three I've spotted this year and so far (6 hours later) they're still the only ones in my neighborhood.

FYI I'm just west of "downtown" (lol) Haslet, which is a little northwest of Fort Worth.

parkerdes · Tue Mar 15, 2011 10:11 am

I had a few SYs checking out my site in 2008 & in 2009, I finally had an ASY male start my "little" colony. I am just east of Weatherford & so far I have at least 4 of the 6 pair from 2010 back as of this past weekend.
I didn't see SY males until mid to late April in 2009 & 10.
Liz is right, there might be returning ASYs that come home to an overtaken site with "nasties" or to a site that is no longer there & you just might start your site with ASY birds. I think my ASY male was an SY male the year before that hung out for several weeks...but there is no way to know for sure!
There are a lot of martins in our area & also, there is a lot of housing being offered...especially around Lake Weatherford.
It took me 6 seasons before I had 2 pair my first year. I originally had a house up close to my home but my trees & my next door neighbor's trees had gotten huge. I had a single ASY pair late in May in 2006 but they didn't return the following year. I then moved my housing out to an open 3/4 acre pasture to make my site more favorable for the martins closer to my other neighbor's home. I read up on how to best attract martins on this site as well as got a lot of great advice & help from experienced landlords.
I had 5 successful pair fledge 21 last season & a late 6th pair that abandoned their 5 eggs because it was so late in June. My down the street neighbor had 1 pair his first year(2010) & fledged 4!
HOPE THIS WILL BE YOUR YEAR!!!!! & GOOD LUCK TO ALL "Wannabees"!!!

Craig Dyer · Wed Mar 16, 2011 11:29 am

Hi Larry,

I usually see sub-adults the first or second week of April. If I were you I would raise and open all the housing. You might just attract some adults, and they have been here since mid February. Try to be patient. There are lots of martins in Texas. Best of luck to you.

John Barrow · Wed Mar 16, 2011 12:29 pm

Larry,

I have posted arrival of a single male SY martin I observed on my goliad house system this morning. This coincides with some previous years of very early arrivals at this colony. However, regular and heavy arrivals will not occur until after the first of April. Peak arrivals historically have begun around April 9-10 along the Texas coast, lasting 4-6 weeks, when migration will begin to taper off.

klcretired · Wed Mar 16, 2011 2:41 pm

Hi Larry,
Do you have up any Decoys???
Decoys are a Great Attracting tool to use along with playing the Dawnsong

Larry D · Wed Mar 16, 2011 9:30 pm

I have 2 houses and they are both up, but only half of the holes are open. There are 2 decoys on each. I'll open all the compartments and start playing the Dawnsong the first week of April. I have a CD/Radio with dual alarms set for 4:30 and 5:45. I may have to make some adjustments because of Daylight Savings Time.

Chriscreole · Thu Mar 17, 2011 5:11 pm

Hey Hey Hey! got home from work today and between my neighbor and I we now have about 15 Martins at our housing, 5 pairs for sure a few ASY males and we found we have 2 SY' females in the group at my colony they are very light colored chest area and still a little greybrownish on their back sides.