Still Wishing

DelmaWhisenhunt · Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:37 pm

I am still waiting and hoping, martins are in the area but no takers at my house. It is in a large area of front yard, no trees, clean house. A couple landed once and several soared over and then nothing. I have tried for so long, guess my patience is almost nil. I have much of the time played my martin tape. May have to do as in the past, when I start out to do errands, just drive by the neighbors and admire their martins. Someone stepped into my life a few months ago, (had known him many years, our families grew up together) and he keeps the house clean of sparrows and keeps encouraging. So seems I have all the positives for the martins, but they return the negatives to me. It is getting kinda late to expect them to take residence in my house. I will continue to wait and hope.

DornCounty · Fri Apr 12, 2013 8:39 pm

hang in there delma!!!

lynnh · Fri Apr 12, 2013 9:50 pm

Still lots of time Delma,hope you get some this year.

MamaBruff · Sat Apr 13, 2013 9:58 am

Delma,

I share your pain. The investment of labor, worry and big bucks with no takers but S&S gets downright frustrating. No wonder PMs are on the decline, if it is so much work and worry. I trap and kill S&S daily (8 in the past 24hr) and they keep coming and coming... I am beginning to wonder if I should have planted trees instead of a PM house!

Lets agree to keep going and wait until there is no longer any hope. I am determined and stubborn, doing all I can. Mother Nature will just have to do her part.

Purple hugs,

Mary

phldave · Sat Apr 13, 2013 10:37 am

Delma,

I too share your frustration. I totally built my site from scratch - house, pole and winch. Love to work with wood. I even have made owl guards that are ready to install when the time is right. Also built all my traps and have worked hard at controlling HOSP and starlings, but now it's time to start reaping some of the benefits. Just a pair or two is all I ask. The weather this year has added to our pain.

Hang in there, I wish you the very best and hope our dreams come true.

Dave

Greg · Sat Apr 13, 2013 12:35 pm

Not sure what type of housing your using, but my suggestion is:

If you are using a standard martin house with 6 by 6 in. compartments, modify them to be 6 by 12 in. Then, hang some gourds underneath. If you don't have the money to spend on high quality plastic gourds, look for some natural gourds locally and hang them under your house.

Just some thoughts.

My first year of trying at my current site I only offered a house. Then next year I did exactly what I suggested above and had to ASY pairs. Or course they chose the gourds...

Wishing you all the best!

DakotaLady · Sat Apr 13, 2013 5:40 pm

Delma,

I agree with Greg 100%. I had someone from this forum private message me and gave me some gourds. I had been trying since 1995 to get martins. Last year with his gourds I had 4 pair. I sure hope they and more will come back this year. But I am a convert and firmly believe they ONLY reason I got martins were due to the gourds I was given. Please consider getting a few gourds. I truly believe you will get martins if you do. You still have a chance if you can hang some yet this year.

Good luck Delma, it breaks my heart to read your post every year hoping you will get martins and being passed by. You deserve to enjoy the luxury of being a martin landlord.

Rick Meyer · Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:11 pm

You're far from alone on this Delma.
I put up a state of the art Lonestar Alamo. I used cork to insulate each and every compartment. I hand made foam nest trays. Played the damn tapes. You know what I got.........House Sparrows. They at least appreciate a well cared for home, (except they hate foam inserts so they tear the hell out of them.) LOL!!! Now I spend every spare moment trying to outwit House Sparrows.......and for what??????? I've never been a quitter...so I kill sparrows and HOPE. It's all we can do.
The first person to call someone a 'birdbrain' was surely thinking of our beloved Purple Martin. I've rambled enough here.........I'm gonna go kill some House Sparrows. Hang in there and Happy birding Delma!

Sam Harris · Sat Apr 13, 2013 6:37 pm

I didn't get martins until I added a second house close to the first one. I also have some gourds under 2 of the houses. I have 3 trios and gourds. I think martins like a variety. But I believe the housing should be close together. And keep sparrows from nesting.

jojo92 · Sat Apr 13, 2013 7:40 pm

Im also trying to get Martins had 3 vistors this morning hoping and I sat out there for 4 hours today after they flew in for 20 min im trying to get my Fathers colony back it is very stressful for the work you put into it but you cant give up keep hoping they will come .

Jim 1990 · Sat Apr 13, 2013 9:01 pm

When I started out I put up housing I spent time trapping HS and starlings I have blue birds . swallows and other native birds . I thought even if I put a lot of time on trapping and I don't get martins its not time wasted as I am helping the other native birds. But the martins did come . The first year I had 1 pair after years of trying . This is my 5th year. I had 23 pair last year. I never thought that my colony would have that many martins in 4 years.

DelmaWhisenhunt · Sun Apr 14, 2013 8:47 pm

Decided if I couldn't get martins would go back to trapping sparrows. Baited the wire trap early this morning early afternoon had captured one which will now be bait. I hate doing this, but I also hate not getting martins because of these dirty little dudes. Martins soaring over,but that is all the show I get.