My treeswallows are back and they are now going in and out of gourds on the rack. Of course they have their designated gourds in the yard on sheperd hooks.
Since this is the first year I have a large returning colony should I just let them get pushed to their gourds as the Martins show? or still close off the Martin housing and direct them there. Right now it is all wide open 42 compartments total on 4 poles.
What do those with colonies and TS do? Thanks
Doug
Should I worry about TS this year?
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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.
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.
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DornCounty
- Posts: 2169
- Joined: Tue Feb 14, 2012 3:58 pm
- Location: Rural SE Kansas
- Martin Colony History: .
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Trio-Jedi
Tons of info on this subject here: http://www.drugfreeworkplace.com/~Dan/T ... GENCY.html
2017 - Home & Public Colonies - 300 Cavities
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
- Posts: 6208
- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
Doug,
I don't think you need to worry any more about TRES running off martins. You can still choose to manage them, mostly to cut down on fighting later - but that's up to you. At PMCA's Edinboro site, we did not manage, and some years a pair of TRES would raise a brood in a martin gourd, other years the martins evicted them, even after the TRES had eggs.
I can't remember if we ever had bluebirds use a gourd on an active martin system or not. But I know some landlords have had flycatchers share - all of this at established martin sites, of course. Letting other birds claim housing at a site with no martins would be a BIG problem. The site Dorn listed has great info for new sites that must manage TRES and/or bluebirds.
I don't think you need to worry any more about TRES running off martins. You can still choose to manage them, mostly to cut down on fighting later - but that's up to you. At PMCA's Edinboro site, we did not manage, and some years a pair of TRES would raise a brood in a martin gourd, other years the martins evicted them, even after the TRES had eggs.
I can't remember if we ever had bluebirds use a gourd on an active martin system or not. But I know some landlords have had flycatchers share - all of this at established martin sites, of course. Letting other birds claim housing at a site with no martins would be a BIG problem. The site Dorn listed has great info for new sites that must manage TRES and/or bluebirds.
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Connie Roman ~ NJ
- Posts: 43
- Joined: Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:42 pm
- Location: Pennington/New Jersey
- Martin Colony History: Attracted my first pair in 2006.
I now have 5 gourd racks, offer 66 Gourds, and average 50 pair a year.
I keep all my martin housing closed until martins arrive; just to avoid hassles with the tree swallows. I open housing up gradually as martins return. My tree swallows have a dozen gourds to choose from.
2006 - First pair fledged 2
2013 - 53 pair fledged 128
2013 - 53 pair fledged 128
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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.
Thanks for replies.
I am very familiar with Dan Drew's page.
I used that protocal for 20 years. It is primarily for those trying to attract their first Martins. I am expecting 30 pairs this year and was looking to see what others are doing at similiar sites up north.
Last year the TS were late nesting because of cold. I had one pair pushed to nest on a hook and another pair that kept getting the boot from the Martins and eventually got ousted from their nest with eggs on the rack. I felt bad for them.
Just not sure what to do with them right now. Hoping the first Martins will begin to stake claim before they get nesting. But with this warm weather the TS may be getting started soon. I have moved their nest successfully from rack to hook many years in the past.
Doug
I am very familiar with Dan Drew's page.
I used that protocal for 20 years. It is primarily for those trying to attract their first Martins. I am expecting 30 pairs this year and was looking to see what others are doing at similiar sites up north.
Last year the TS were late nesting because of cold. I had one pair pushed to nest on a hook and another pair that kept getting the boot from the Martins and eventually got ousted from their nest with eggs on the rack. I felt bad for them.
Just not sure what to do with them right now. Hoping the first Martins will begin to stake claim before they get nesting. But with this warm weather the TS may be getting started soon. I have moved their nest successfully from rack to hook many years in the past.
Doug
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.
Doug. I had tree swallows nest in one of my martin gourds a couple of years ago. I lowered the rack, and the Ts stayed with the nest. Then I removed the nest and put it on the ground below the other gourds. The TS stayed with their nest. Then I kept moving it maybe ten feet at a time to a location where I wanted them to be. They stayed with their gourd and nest. Then I secured the gourd to the place I wanted them to be, and they raised their young there. They had a real site fidelity to their gourd, and followed it all afternoon as I moved it across the yard to about 30 feet from the martin gourd rack. Then i replaced the gourd I had removed for the martins to use.
I have found, though, that keeping the gourds closed until the martins arrive works very well.
Sue P
I have found, though, that keeping the gourds closed until the martins arrive works very well.
Sue P
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Amazing story, Sue. We don't get to enjoy Tree Swallows down here except through photos. I love hearing the stories about them...
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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ThomasOutlaw
- Posts: 9
- Joined: Fri Feb 24, 2012 4:25 pm
- Location: Virginia/Glen Allen
If you are going to have Tree Swallows, how about put up some gourds with smaller entrances that the TRES can get through but the martins can't, and keep the rest of the gourds/housing closed until the Martins arrive. Then when the martins arrive, the TRES will be safe in their gourds with 1.5" round or oval openings, as opposed to the standard 2" round and SRE entrances which the martins can get through.
S&K makes a special TRES/Bluebird plate with a 1.5" round and a small oval opening that snaps over the standard faceplate. I would think that other manufactures must have something similar.
You can see very well how the S&K BTE plate works towards the end of this brief video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKh8FWiN ... re=related
S&K makes a special TRES/Bluebird plate with a 1.5" round and a small oval opening that snaps over the standard faceplate. I would think that other manufactures must have something similar.
You can see very well how the S&K BTE plate works towards the end of this brief video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cKh8FWiN ... re=related
2011 - 0 Martins
2012 - Some Visitors
2013 - Some Visitors
2014 - 2Pair - 1 ASY pair fledged 5 babies and 1 SY pair fledged 2 babies
2015- 7 Pairs w/28 total eggs as of 5/19/2015
2012 - Some Visitors
2013 - Some Visitors
2014 - 2Pair - 1 ASY pair fledged 5 babies and 1 SY pair fledged 2 babies
2015- 7 Pairs w/28 total eggs as of 5/19/2015
I do have gourds for my TS, Tom, but they prefer the martin gourds. Why? I guess I never asked the TS's about that that. I usually have the TS gourds up earlier than the martin gourds, but sometimes the martins and TS arrive within days of each other.
I don't have problems any more with the TS taking over the martin gourds because there are now enough martins to discourage the TS. The TS used to drive the martins away, which is why the one couple managed to get started in a martin gourd.
I am going to watch the video you sent. I always love things like that. Thank you for answering and for the video.
Sue P
I don't have problems any more with the TS taking over the martin gourds because there are now enough martins to discourage the TS. The TS used to drive the martins away, which is why the one couple managed to get started in a martin gourd.
I am going to watch the video you sent. I always love things like that. Thank you for answering and for the video.
Sue P
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Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 2441
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged
Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged
Sue -- Great story about moving the nest. I tryed to do that last year when my Trees Swallows would not allow the Martins to land on the Martin house. She the Tree Swallow went "nutso', She did follow the nest as I moved it away from the Martin housings 10 feet at a time. Once I got the nest 35 feet away from the Martin housing, she would not feed her young any longer. So I had to move it back. All the time she was fighting the Martins trying to get in the Martin housing. Glad it worked for you, and hope you get your first arrivals soon. Good Luck this year. 
Dave -- in Little Hocking, Ohio
Dave -- in Little Hocking, Ohio
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Little Hocking, Ohio
Sue,
I've done the same thing at 2 sites. Just lower the rack and the TSs continue to use their gourd. Then hang it on a hook and slowly raise the rack a couple feet or so at a time. Once the rack was all the way back up I moved the shepherd's hook maybe 5 feet or so at a time (giving the tree swallows a an hour to adjust). At the end of the day I had moved them 30 feet away and the TSs stayed and incubated their eggs completely. Both sites successfully attracted martins as well.
arnie
I've done the same thing at 2 sites. Just lower the rack and the TSs continue to use their gourd. Then hang it on a hook and slowly raise the rack a couple feet or so at a time. Once the rack was all the way back up I moved the shepherd's hook maybe 5 feet or so at a time (giving the tree swallows a an hour to adjust). At the end of the day I had moved them 30 feet away and the TSs stayed and incubated their eggs completely. Both sites successfully attracted martins as well.
arnie
Arnie, I am glad you had luck moving your TS gourds. I found it worked well. Dave, I wonder if the difference in your experience and that of Arnie could be that your eggs had hatched, and both Arnie and I had intact eggs in the TS nest?
Any ideas?
Sue P
Any ideas?
Sue P
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Dave Reynolds
- Posts: 2441
- Joined: Mon Jan 31, 2011 4:35 pm
- Location: Little Hocking, Oh.
- Martin Colony History: Satellite Site “Oxbow Golf Course”..
2018 - 15 Pair, 36 Fledged
2019 - 26 Pair, 97 Fledged
2020 - 30 Pair, 137 Fledged
2021 - 30 Pair, 144 Fledged
2022 - 27 Pair, 125 Fledged
2023 - 31 Pair, 130 Fledged
2024 - 41 Pair, 198 Fledged
2025 - 44 Pair, 168 Fledged
Home Site "Little Hocking, Ohio".
2019 - 1 Pair, 5 Fledged
2020 - 1 Pair, 4 Fledged
2021 - 8 Pair, 36 Fledged
2022 - 13 Pair, 46 Fledged
2023 - 16 Pair, 84 Fledged
2024 - 22 Pair, 104 Fledged
2025 - 28 Pair, 83 Fledged
Sue -- You could be right... The Tree Swallows were just defending their young. (And they were not to happy to see the Martins any where near the area). They the Tree Swallows just continued to fly figure eights over all the housing and would not allow the female martin to land. Finally the Martins gave up and left. Hope I have better luck this year...
Dave
Dave
PMCA Member
Little Hocking, Ohio
Little Hocking, Ohio