Rookie mistakes :(

[MandyinMO]

Hello everyone, I am new to the forum but have been reading religiously since late Feb. I live in Missouri, in St. Charles County close to Busch Wildlife. I have learned so much from this forum but one thing I did not pick up on until too late is how careful/cautious you need to be with a new colony.

Last year I had 1 successful nesting pair in a 20+ year old Trio Grandpa. I didn't do nest checks (didn't know yet) and didn't have a problem with HOSPS. A couple days after they returned this year, we spent the better half of a day digging a hole (in clay and rock!) for my new multi-purpose pole. The new hole was only 2 ft from the old pole. I didn't think the martins would mind but I guess they deemed the house unsafe after that and never returned.

I was lucky enough to attract another pair. But then the house sparrows showed up. I worked up the courage to trap & eliminate them. I was using the sparo-o-door and getting them one by one. I waited til the martins were away but on the last one the martins returned, behaved alarmed, left, and never came back. I mistakingly thought they would appreciate me for eliminating these pests but was not the case :(

I must have a good location though, because I attracted yet another pair! Plus I've been playing the DawnSong CD. So after all this, my question is when is the best time to trap sparrows or do nest checks? I'm scared to mess with it at all now! Should I wait til they're done building their nest at least?

[Gobbler T]

Mandy,
Welcome to the forum!

How do you know the 3 pair that you have seen are not all the same pair? They do come and go, showing up a few days later if they haven't chosen a nesting site yet. The new house may have spooked them at first but they would get used to it quickly. As for the sparrows, trap, trap, trap! You are not doing the wrong thing there.

If you are having that many visitors, it shouldn't take long.

[MandyinMO]

Well each time I got a new pair, it started with a lone male at first then they each attracted females a couple days later. And the new males looked as if they were investigating new housing...slowly peaking in and what not. It was fun but very nerve-racking watching the males attract females. Some females can be so picky! By the way, all of my neighboring landlords have houses with round holes and my martins have not had any problem with my crescent entrances. I have talked to them about using SREHs because there's lots of Starlings around, but I guess they don't feel they need to switch?

[Gobbler T]

Some females can be so picky!

Around here, ALL the females are picky!
As for nerve-racking, You ain't seen nothing yet!

[Don & Danielle]

Hi Mandy! Welcome to the forum! And yes, this is the Don that talks to you endlessly @ our daughters softball games!

Trapping HOSP can be frustrating. I envy the people who can shoot & eliminate them quickly. I am dealing with a pair of HOSP @ my place now. I am waiting for them to get their nest built & lay some eggs before I set the trap. I HATE watching them get started, though.

Maybe Kathy F will chime in here.... She is a HOSP trapping expert.

[MandyinMO]

Hi Don! I'm looking forward to talking more at tonight's game...lol

My only problem trapping HOSPs now is the timing/frequency. The first one I trapped made it a little easier on me because he was exceptionally fiesty. When the male martin showed up to investigate the house, the HOSP trapped him in a compartment from the porch and was fighting/pecking at him!

[flyin-lowe]

From what I have read I don't think you have done anything that would run off investigating martins. Even in ideal locations it can take several years for martins to nest at a site. I waited 5 years with what most people said was an ideal location (open flyways, water near by, quality housing, predator guards, etc.) so just because they are not staying doesn't mean you have done anything wrong.

[razman]

i agree, i don't think you "spooked" any of your early martins at all....maybe they were just visiting or passing through...trapping sparrows, lowering houses, or even putting in a new pole would not be something that should affect the martins at all.....good luck with this pair!

[MandyinMO]

Thanks for your replies I thought I read a post where Emil said to be careful of what you do before eggs are laid but after eggs are laid, you could pretty much do anything.

[flyin-lowe]

They will definitely be more likely to stay once they lay eggs. However even at a new site if the martins like the site it would take repeated problems (assuming they are small problems) to run them off. Obviously an encounter with an owl, snake, or raccoon in there housing could cause them to leave immediately. But the occasional lowering of the house, shooting, trapping, etc shouldn't bother them.

[John Miller]

Mandy

Only caution is not to do nest checks early mornings during weeks when there might be egg laying -- now. The female lays her egg at dawn, and may need to rest on the nest for some time afterward. I don't know how long, but I try not to lower before about 9 a.m.

Well..one more. I'd turn off the dawnsong. You've got martins, and those are the best way to attract martins. The tape may confuse new comers, keeping them from concentrating (if martins concentrate) on investigating the housing, pair bonding and settling in. It also can attract hawks. So like most tools, it's probably useful sometimes, especially at unestablished sites, but may be best not to over use.

Glad you know Don and Danielle..they know as much about martins as anyone in the area. We've all visited back and forth too, kinda like martins do.

John Miller