I have plastic gourds and I made some porches by cutting vinyl siding corners and sliding them down over the opening. That reduces the height of the opening approximately 1/8 of an inch. Is that too much?
I am a newbie and really am starting to get a little fed up. I've had martin houses up for the past 8 years and only once did I have some martins stay overnight. Then it turned very cold the next day and they left. Since then I've had a few looky loos but no takers.
I would really like any help I can get. My site seems to be OK. Pond nearby, no trees within 100 feet, house about 60 feet from pole. The one thing that I might mention is that I have Eastern Bluebirds that nest in a house about 60 feet from the pole, but they stay sitting on the top of the pole and the cross arms. They haven't tried building nest in the gourds, but I see them sitting there a lot. Also, my wife feeds birds and we have hundreds of all kinds of birds, red-wing blackbirds, cardinals, bluejays, finches, titmouse, cowbirds, woodpeckers, etc. Does this play a part in not being able to attract martins?
HELP!!! I'm getting discouraged.
How critical is the heighth of crescent opening?
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DeepPurple
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- Location: Kentucky/Morganfield
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Louise Chambers
- Site Admin
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- Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi, TX
How about posting a photo of your site? It sounds like you have a nice location, should be good for martins.
The starling resistant entrances need to be 1-3/16. If you've cut that down by 1/8 inch, to 1-1/16, martins will not be able to enter. Can you measure the height with a digital caliper to check?
The starling resistant entrances need to be 1-3/16. If you've cut that down by 1/8 inch, to 1-1/16, martins will not be able to enter. Can you measure the height with a digital caliper to check?
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
As said, your crescents must be 1 3/16 tall or martins cannot enter. Larger and you may get starlings, especially with a porch.
I have found it useful to make a "no-go" gauge out of aluminum or rigid plastic. It's just a wedge -- flat on the bottom -- with a line marked at 1 3/16 and when you insert it in the crescent, the line should stop at 1 3/16 or 30 mm.
You can draw the line on the gauge with a ruler if you have good eyes, and mark with a thin line. A digital caliper works best.
This photo shows a gauge being used to check an original excluder opening. The user has marked two lines, one at 1 3/16 and one at 1 7/32 or 30 mm and 30.5. The larger size is for a few SREH variations, mostly excluder II. You don't want your crescent this large -- unless you are going with no porch and then it may work for martins and not admit starlings, but 1 3/16 is still standard.
It may be possible to get the right size if you cut out the middle portion of your porch where it's attached over the bottom of the crescent....leaving some of it at the sides to hold it. that may work as it's how the aluminum factory clip on porchs work.
John M
I have found it useful to make a "no-go" gauge out of aluminum or rigid plastic. It's just a wedge -- flat on the bottom -- with a line marked at 1 3/16 and when you insert it in the crescent, the line should stop at 1 3/16 or 30 mm.
You can draw the line on the gauge with a ruler if you have good eyes, and mark with a thin line. A digital caliper works best.
This photo shows a gauge being used to check an original excluder opening. The user has marked two lines, one at 1 3/16 and one at 1 7/32 or 30 mm and 30.5. The larger size is for a few SREH variations, mostly excluder II. You don't want your crescent this large -- unless you are going with no porch and then it may work for martins and not admit starlings, but 1 3/16 is still standard.
It may be possible to get the right size if you cut out the middle portion of your porch where it's attached over the bottom of the crescent....leaving some of it at the sides to hold it. that may work as it's how the aluminum factory clip on porchs work.
John M
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Greg
- Posts: 92
- Joined: Tue May 18, 2010 3:15 pm
- Location: Fuquay-Varina, NC
- Martin Colony History: As a child I managed a purple martin colony consisting of 3 houses on a tidal tributary of the Chesapeake Bay. I started my own colony at my house in Holly Springs, NC as an adult that grew to 27 pairs one year. In 2016 I moved and started a new colony in the spring of 2017 at my new home, which is about 7 miles south of my old colony. I successfully attracted my first ASY male in April of 2017. He quickly attracted a mate, followed by 7 more pairs. Grateful to have been able to start a new colony so quickly!
I would say, yes, the height is very critical. As far as the bluebirds go, don't worry about that. I have bluebirds in a box literally nesting between my two martin poles. Their box is about 30 ft from one of my martin poles. It would be a great idea to post a picture of your side and folks could give feedback.
Hang in there!!!
Hang in there!!!
Greg H.
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!
Holly Springs, NC
2011 - 2 pairs, 7 eggs, 7 hatch, 7 fledge
2012 - 13 pairs, 63 eggs, 52 hatched, 50 fledged
2013 - 21 pairs
2014 - 25 pairs
2015 - 27 pairs
2016 - 23 pairs removed 4 gourds this year.
2017 - moved and started a new colony which attracted 8 Pairs
2018 - first arrivals have come back....anticipating!