There was one a few evenings back, that was actually waiting for my Martins to return for the evening.
Once they landed, it would charge the house, trying to grab one.
I don't think it was successful.
For the next few evenings, I would stand in the yard near the Martin house, with a large, white T-shirt in hand, waiting to jump up and down, and wave frantically, in the event it made another evening raid.
So far, no more evening raids, however I did just have to chase one off, that landed on my fence - no doubt looking for a Martin snack.
Predatory attacks are extremely stressful on both the Martins, and their landlords, no matther the size of the colony.
However, for folks like me, that have what I call a "micro-colony" (less than 10 pairs), is doesn't take much to completely lose your colony altogether.
Just one or two successful raids, and one can find themselves having to totally start over.
As of right now (according to the Cornell map), Cooper's Hawks don't nest here along the southeast Texas coast, so only early season migrants, are what we have to deal with.
Given how adaptive, and successful these raptors are, I'm sure they'll continue to expand their range, and become permanent residents here before long.....
But that's our method, until the wintering and migrating Cooper's and sharpies have moved on. And decoys help.
So far I think I only lost one Martin.
