Swinging Gourds

[joel21]

Hello everyone,

Just joined the site but not new to martins. I've had wooded and aluminum houses as a kid but got out of it when I left home upon graduation. Now here I am 30+ years later and have gotten back into it. I do have a question that I need advice on. Its concerning gourds. As I've never used them before, my question is does it matter whether the gourd is swinging when attached or is it best to have it secured where no swinging is allowed?

[John Miller]

Welcome

There may not be a yes or no answer to this, in my opinion.

If it's a light-weight gourd and it's really whipping back and forth, then I'd stabilize it. Otherwise, the nest could get torn apart in a storm. The only exception would be if you hung it with wire in such as way that it had a gentle swing, and this would require two pivot points.

if it's a large heavy plastic gourd, it's fine. The only concern from some landlords is that owls could tilt it and flush out martins, but most large heavy plastic gourds are not fixed. Some such as the horizontals and maybe some that have less depth might "rock" more as opposed to swinging in a stiff breeze and a landlord might opt to stabilize.

We discussed this a little more in this thread last week.

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... ourd+swing


John M

[joel21]

Thanks for the reply John. What your saying about hard winds really hit home with me. Living in the deep south as I do, with the threat of hurricanes and strong summer storms, I think I will go the route of securing them as to not swing.

Again thanks for the reply.

[Dave Reynolds]

joel21 -- Welcome to the forum... Have a great year.


Dave

[Roymg]

Thanks for the reply John. What your saying about hard winds really hit home with me. Living in the deep south as I do, with the threat of hurricanes and strong summer storms, I think I will go the route of securing them as to not swing.

Again thanks for the reply.

Hopefully by the time they leave La, which here in Covington, Baton Rouge is in mid July and I can't remember a hurricane occurring in July. I could be mistaken but I've never had any real high winds in my two areas except for thunder storms.

They do set up a roost at the end of the causeway and fatten up for the trip home.

[joel21]

Thanks for the reply John. What your saying about hard winds really hit home with me. Living in the deep south as I do, with the threat of hurricanes and strong summer storms, I think I will go the route of securing them as to not swing.

Again thanks for the reply.

Hopefully by the time they leave La, which here in Covington, Baton Rouge is in mid July and I can't remember a hurricane occurring in July. I could be mistaken but I've never had any real high winds in my two areas except for thunder storms.

They do set up a roost at the end of the causeway and fatten up for the trip home.

Well there was Audrey in 57 that hit in June though I was a young kid then. I do remember Claudette in 79 whereby even though it wasn't a direct hit and went through TX we did get strong winds and rain. But like you there in Covington, we do get a long of strong storms bring strong winds. My gourds aren't the really heavy kind but I would still feel better having them secured so the eggs aren't scrambled...lol

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I think that stationary gourds may help for owl protection. The owls play volleyball with a swinging gourd that causes the martins to flush.

[avesrun]

so what its the best way to prevent troyer horizontals from swinging?
thanks. tim

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Troyer horizontal gourds probably are one of the gourds that the owls cannot swing very much, so I would say they are better for owl protection.

[avesrun]

sounds great Emil; however I have watched them sway significantly in strong winds and am a little concerned about the scrambled egg factor!

[JL Murray]

Emil is right IMO....The Troyer Horizontals do not sway no where near as much as vertical type gourds do, so i don't see where there would be any need for no rockers on them... just my opinion...

[Roymg]

[

Well there was Audrey in 57 that hit in June though I was a young kid then. I do remember Claudette in 79 whereby even though it wasn't a direct hit and went through TX we did get strong winds and rain. But like you there in Covington, we do get a long of strong storms bring strong winds. My gourds aren't the really heavy kind but I would still feel better having them secured so the eggs aren't scrambled...lol

Young kid, heck so was I.

[Jason]

i| not that for from u in Erath, my dad lives next door and has a house up for 5 to 6 years. we never new anything about takeing care of martins. we just watched them when they where here . this year i rut up a 18 room house ihave 5 eggs in one hole and two new nests being built. i been learning alot. i will be buliding new houses this summer

[Carrera Mike]

Here are my anti sway bars for ideas.

Also, whatever you use to hang, try to make it so the hanger doesnt channel dripping rain water into the gourds

[joel21]

Wow nice set-up. Something for me to think about.