What should I do???

[Barbara - DT]

It took a long time, but I am having a wonderful 2nd year!
Now to the problem. I have 20 cavities between my T-14 and the "old place'. We are having a successful year, with last nest ck(4-13) 19 eggs in 5 cavities. I have 2 HOSP nests, one with eggs, which I punctured with a needle. Today I will do another nest ck, but what to do with the HOSP nests? There are so many birds arriving looking for cavities! Since last check, there are at least 5-6 pair heavy on nest building. I'm afraid to remove the nests, due to nest rage. We have shot one of the little 'flying rats' , but they are very crafty, as you all know
So any suggestions before 4:00 this afternoon would be great!

[Louise Chambers]

Do you have any traps that could go inside the HOSP cavities, with hole reducer on outside so martins cannot get into them? That would be good option - the ones with eggs especially should be returning to their cavity.

[Barbara - DT]

yes, I have a cavity trap. No hole reducer, though. Would duck tape work?

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I would camoflauge the trap as much as possible. If you monitor it real close, then maybe you could use the hole as it is, I think the sparrows will guard the hole and not let a martin enter. Its hard to fool a sparrow but maybe it will enter since it has eggs.

Ducttape would bend, unless you can place a piece of tin or wood on the side, and use ducttape to hold the piece of tin. After all of that, the sparrow probably will not enter

[Louise Chambers]

It's easy to make a hole reducer - use the lid or bottom of yogurt, sour cream, or cottage cheese container. Cut hole 1-1/4 inch in center, and you will have to plan before you cut it, how to fit it over the martin entrance. I find that masking tape is best way to attach hole reducers - it looks more natural and does not leave as much sticky residue when removed.

In a pinch, white cardboard might work - thin stiff kind that comes with new shirts.

[Barbara - DT]

Thanks! I see how this could work! Should the reducer go on the inside or outside? I will give it a try.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

If you ductape it on, it would be better to put the reducer on the outside, the tape will hold better. It may pull off on the inside. I hope it works

But if the tape holds good, it would camo better on the inside

[Barbara - DT]

Emil, thanks. I was thinking staple gun to the inside?

[John & Linda - KY]

HOSPs make a nest that fills the cavity, generally martins can't get in. I'm not sure if the nest would interfere with the operation of the trap. -- John

[D'Nese]

Barbara,
Believe it or not, last year I had a HOSP nest with eggs. I punctured them as you did and one by one they disappeared.....and then the pair did????? Strange? Coincidence? Maybe, but I would be interested in what happens with the eggs you've stuck with a pin. Make sure you go thru 2 sides!!! 2 yrs ago I had 4 eggs I stuck....well one of them ended up hatching and unfortunately I was able to shoot the female, well the male didn't feed the baby (I kinda felt bad) and he ended up tossing out the baby!!! I found it on the ground just a few feet from the box They are terrible birds!!!

[Louise Chambers]

I tape mine to outside - the sparrow pushing in can't dislodge it, then they are trapped. having tape outside rather than inside means no residue where martins are going to risk getting it on their feathers. but I was doing this on metal houses. for wood, you could staple to outside too. and with no tape, no residue so in or out would work.

[Barbara - DT]

Thanks, everyone! I'm going to give it a go, staple to the outside. What are thoughts of putting some of the nest and the eggs in the trap?

[Louise Chambers]

yes, put the eggs in there and you can use a bit of nest to hide the front of the trap - leave the tunnel entrance if you can. If you hide the trap and put eggs inside, you'll get her first. Keep going and get him too - unless he's the one that got nailed this AM.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

delete

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I never have done it, but I sure would try to put the nest in the trap along with the eggs. Maybe the sparrow will see the eggs and go into the trap. Try to camo it as much as you can, make it look a lot like it does before you move it. Just make sure that the trap will still work as a trap. It somewhat depends upon how big the compartments are, and how much room the trap uses. If you can put the trap in without disturbing the nest, then that may be a good way to go also. What you want is to make it look like it did before you put the trap into the cavity, put some grass and small sticks on the floor of the trap.

EDIT: Louise, we posted about the same time, you covered it well, so I didn't need this post...sorry

[Louise Chambers]

Nope, good timing, Emil - HOSP defeating teamwork!

[rrmartins]

I was placing the nest in the trap last year and, hiding the trap in the back behind the tunnel. I would get the female within 30 min. and shoot the male when he would check it out.

[Joe Creason KY]

I have actually placed some marbles in and removed the eggs out of the sparrow nest. Let the little heifer set on them all year long and see what she thinks.

I have a friend that whittles out pieces of chalk. He removes the eggs replaced by chalk. He just dies laughing when he talks to me about it. He gets a big kick out of fooling nature. That's why I tried the marble theory, so he couldn't say that I copied off of him.

Joe

[Barbara - DT]

Thanks, again, everyone! Joe, love the prank idea of chalk or marbles!

TEAMWORK............best concept ever!