Question: Depth of WOOD entrance holes?
-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
He is a good carpenter. Did you make the quilt on the bed?
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
-
salandry54
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:37 am
- Location: Louisiana/Jeanerette
No, Emil, I cannot take credit for the quilt...but, in my defense, I can sew some. 
-
Connie
- Posts: 441
- Joined: Wed Feb 23, 2011 4:05 pm
- Location: WALKER, LOUISIANA
- Martin Colony History: Had my site up to 22 gourds of which most (+/-3) stayed occupied.
Downsized to 17 gourds due to back surgeries. Had 14 families in 2017 but did not do nest checks due to health. Feeling better in 2018 and hoping for a good year.
salandry 54,
Your purple martin house, your bed and your tub surround are all beautiful! Is the bed made of cypress? I just finished showing all of your pictures to my carpenter husband. I told him the reason your husband does such beautiful work is because he is a sugar cane farmer, LOL. Everyone who hears my husband does carpentry work for a living says "oh I bet you have some beautiful bookcases, cabinets, etc. But, no I say, I am just like the cobblers children, totally shoeless.
I am trying to find my hubby another career so he can do carpenter work on the side. Maybe then......
All joking aside, my husband and I agree.... beautiful work.
Congrats on your first martin too, I know they will enjoy their beautiful new home!!
Connie
Your purple martin house, your bed and your tub surround are all beautiful! Is the bed made of cypress? I just finished showing all of your pictures to my carpenter husband. I told him the reason your husband does such beautiful work is because he is a sugar cane farmer, LOL. Everyone who hears my husband does carpentry work for a living says "oh I bet you have some beautiful bookcases, cabinets, etc. But, no I say, I am just like the cobblers children, totally shoeless.
I am trying to find my hubby another career so he can do carpenter work on the side. Maybe then......All joking aside, my husband and I agree.... beautiful work.
Congrats on your first martin too, I know they will enjoy their beautiful new home!!
Connie
Connie
-
salandry54
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:37 am
- Location: Louisiana/Jeanerette
Well, unfortunately, an adult pair and 1 adult male tried and could not make it into the house tonight...it is now dark and they are just sitting on the porches...we plan to take the house down in the morning and replace it with our Coates Suites until we can adjust the entrance holes. It was heartbreaking to watch them try and then just sit on the porches. My husband said he patterned the crescents after the Coates, so I am thinking it is the depth of the wood causing the issue. Will post future updates...BTW, Connie, all of the wood used is pine...the stain probably looks like weathered cypress. 
Stephen & Annette Landry
Jeanerette, Louisiana
Jeanerette, Louisiana
So sorry to hear that, but I was afraid that was going to happen. The 3/4" don't allow them to rotate their breast bone IMO. Where on thin piece of metal they can rotate they breast bone and enter. IMO Sides don't matter just the bottom and maybe the top of the 3/4" wood needs to be tapered.
I when through that years ago when I cut crescents WDC's, and excluders into 3/4" wood. They couldn't get in without making the a little bigger at the top and bottom or taper the inside around th top and bottom.
I when through that years ago when I cut crescents WDC's, and excluders into 3/4" wood. They couldn't get in without making the a little bigger at the top and bottom or taper the inside around th top and bottom.
-
salandry54
- Posts: 50
- Joined: Tue Feb 24, 2009 11:37 am
- Location: Louisiana/Jeanerette
The pair was still on the porch at dawn...we quickly removed the wooden house and put up the trusty Coates Suites. All morning the Martins have been going in and out and sitting on the porches! They are relieved...and so are we! We plan to make adjustments to the wooden house and put it up later with possibly a wench pole. We have enough Martins in our area to put up 2 houses.
Thanks to everyone for the advice and compliments! Wishing us all a very good PM Season for 2013!
Thanks to everyone for the advice and compliments! Wishing us all a very good PM Season for 2013!
Stephen & Annette Landry
Jeanerette, Louisiana
Jeanerette, Louisiana
Stephen and Annette, I don't believe the 3/4 inch thickness of the doors are keeping the martins out. Come to my place and I'll show you all day long that 3/4 inch doors is not the problem. It's either the entrances are not cut to the right dimensions or it's an entrance they're not familiar with and will take some time to figure out.
You said earlier that you added wing entrapment protectors to the Coates. Well, you've just thickened up the entrance by doing that and the birds didn't have any problems going thru that right? So what's the difference between wing protectors and thick wooden entrances?
You need to check the crescent hole size, make sure it's right and be patient. I think the martins will use them.
dave
You said earlier that you added wing entrapment protectors to the Coates. Well, you've just thickened up the entrance by doing that and the birds didn't have any problems going thru that right? So what's the difference between wing protectors and thick wooden entrances?
You need to check the crescent hole size, make sure it's right and be patient. I think the martins will use them.
dave
PMCA member