For the Millionth time Crescent vs Conley?

[threelilkids]

I have a S&K house that housed a pair last year. They came from the neighbor that never touches his house, so he says, and it shows They were use to round holes but like everywhere else we have starling problems which they had to share with the S&S at the neighbors. I had crescents but the Martins had a hard time getting in, some even lift due to not liking my crescents. I opened the crescent for my martins. This year I am going to try conley's. I noticed the crescents are 1 inch from the porch so I am putting the holes even with the porch. Do you think I should change to all conleys or leave some crescents and some conleys. I am scared to make changes, I don't want to run them off.

[Louise Chambers]

I think having the holes lower, close to the porch, will help - with crescents and Conleys. As long as you do that, you could have some of each type.

[Glynn B - LA]

The Cresent entrance works very well at keeping starlings out and letting martins in when the porch is as close to flush as possible. You also need to include the PMCA wing intrapment guards. All my Cresents are open to 31 to 32 mm. Calipers are very cheap. $20 ish

The Conley's, I gave up and plated with another SREH. No matter what I tried, they were eventually breeched by starlings.

[James Rieman]

The Conley's are more versatile because if you find you have Starling problems you can place a wing entrapment guard on the outside and make a Lewis entrance. But start with the Conley's because they are less restrictive than everything but round.

[GregB->AR]

I used Conley 2 for the Troyers I put up last year with not a single starling breech the entire season and the starlings are bad here early on. I watched one try for about 15 minutes to breech one before I shot him. He was really wanting in some kind of bad. The only breeches I had were from sparrows.

[threelilkids]

Thanks to every one for your input. James, thanks that is what I mostly needed to know, which is the easiest, next to the round, crescent or conley. I added conley's with tunnels to all my gourds. Got to finish up they will be here soon.

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

One of the problems with the S&K houses are the doors. These doors swing up as a single unit to open all three of the compartments on the same floor level.
Since the door swings up, it pivots up like the individual doors of a Trio house. Unfortunately, the doors on a S&K house are not a flat surface like the individual doors of a Trio house. There is a convex surface molded into the S&K's plastic door.
The standard method of raising the porch level of the crescent entrances is a little different on the S&K houses.
I would rather take a picture of this method on a S&K door than try to explain it in words. The method allows the door to swing up normally.
You will need to go to a trophy/award store and beg or buy some left over aluminum sheet material from them.
As the trophies and awards are made there is usually an aluminum plate which is applied to the trophy or award that has engraving on it. This aluminum plate material is thicker than standard sheet aluminum.
The awards stores cut this stock down with a small shear. There is usually left over material in their process which is perfect for the S&K porch material.
I have even had them to cut the material to the exact size that I need on their shear.
After that I take it home and drill the holes and bend a small lip to attach it to the door. I pop rivet the new, raised porch to the S&K door.
In summary, would you consider raising the porch level on the doors of your S&K house before you give up on the crescent entrances?
You will need to confirm the height of the crescent as 1 3/16" tall after the porches are applied.
Last year, the purple martins loved the raised porches on the crescent entrances. The martins had no problems entering and exiting the crescent entrances and the starlings were unable to breach.
I must give credit to Andrew (DornCounty), Lewis, Matt F., John Miller, Emil Pampell and many others for supplying ideas in their posts which lead me to this solution for S&K houses.
Pictures will be forthcoming which should explain the method better than I can describe.
Mark.

[threelilkids]

Sorry to all, I know every one is tired of the crescent vs conley or which entrance should I use question

[threelilkids]

Mark, YES YES YES that is my problem, just didn't know how to tell the problem well. THANK YOU . OK what do I use for a porch, and a picture would be great. I will be able to give them different entrances that way. I sponsor a class in a horse show so I'm at the trophy shop every week. Thanks again

[avesrun]

TLK good luck on figuring out the entrances. I feel your predicament and I'll be offering 4 types of sreh this season in hopes that one will attract a first nest pair. A few of my visitor birds last season seemed foiled by sreh. I must say that I've had only one starling breach in two years on my Conley entrances. But they tell me starlings are a bit smaller down south.
Congrats on getting that first pair last season after waiting 4 years. Persistence payed and I hope your numbers increase this season.
Tim

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

Mary,
It will be necessary to make some bends in the aluminum sheet metal.
I presume that you do not have a sheet metal brake. I sure don't.
What I have found to be very useful is the "Malco 18 in. Metal Folding Tool" from Home Depot.
Someone will rightfully point out that this tool is not necessary and I agree. I did not have one until last year. But now that I have one I don't know why I didn't get one earlier.

That is wonderful that you have a trophy shop that is familiar with you. If you recall the metal plagues come in many colors. This aluminum sheet stock has a brass plating under the anodized color plating. The trophy shop has a special engraver which etches the anodized color surface down to the brass plating. That aluminum sheet material is both thick and strong enough to hold the porch up straight.
Although your trophy shop may have steel plates I prefer the aluminum material because it is easier to work with and is definitely strong enough.
Mark.

[Mhoover]

It you position the top of the porch 1/8 inch down from the bottom of the entrance the starlings are unable to enter the opening while martins have no problem. That is the dimension that I used on my S&K house.

[threelilkids]

Thanks Tim, that is nice of you to say, I'm hoping to get more Martins this year, yes I'm hooked .


Mhoover, What do you use for a porch and can you post a picture of your S&K house? I need porch ideas, I'll take all I can get
Mary

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

Mary,
I also failed to mention that the entrances which you need to block off can be blocked off with the same aluminum material that I am proposing to make porches from.
Very neat and aesthetically clean.
I could not get to the house last night to get the door for pictures. I didn't want to have the police stopping me at 11:00 pm last night asking, "Now what are you doing this late at night?!"
Today I will be able to get the door from the martin house at lunch and take pictures this evening to post.
Like you, busy. But I understand the purple martin urgency in Louisiana.
Mark.

Addendum:
I have been asked to add the dimensions of the porch elevator that are pictured below.
This porch did not extend far enough out for my tastes.
I think that the proper size to cut these porch elevators is 3 1/4 inch for the porch to extend out far enough and 4" for the width. The bend in the metal is made at 5/8".
The bend is sufficient for the porch elevator to be level.
I applied 3M Outdoor Tread to this porch but I do not think that it is necessary.

[jr 2]

I just used the wider aluminum roof drip edge[what I had on hand] for my raised porches on my s$k barns;;iit already has a bend and cut in 4 inch length;;; if you cut and fold back under for more support;;I did use aluminum pop rivets too install and the same too close off entrances but I also added cresent tunnels too the sides of my houses so I didn't have too raise but 1 porch on each side of houses;;jr2

[Mhoover]

Mary

I used a piece that was cut from textured vinyl house siding and attached it with two metal screws run through the door from the inside for each of the porches.
Even though the martins checked out the compartments they chose gourds instead so I am adding tunnels this year to make the 9 inch deep compartments deeper trying to duplicate the depth of my gourds.

[Carolyn C]

I have a S&K house that housed a pair last year. They came from the neighbor that never touches his house, so he says, and it shows They were use to round holes but like everywhere else we have starling problems which they had to share with the S&S at the neighbors. I had crescents but the Martins had a hard time getting in, some even lift due to not liking my crescents. I opened the crescent for my martins. This year I am going to try conley's. I noticed the crescents are 1 inch from the porch so I am putting the holes even with the porch. Do you think I should change to all conleys or leave some crescents and some conleys. I am scared to make changes, I don't want to run them off.

I have had crescents for the past 5 years and have never had a problem. I have 2 S&K houses and enlarged the compartments-- so have 6 compartments in each house. All 12 were full last year.

[threelilkids]

Hi, Carolyn Is your S&K house crescent? if so, do your Martins go in the crescent fine with the crescents being that high off the porch ? Or did you add something to the porch to bring it up to the entrance (crescent)?
Mary

[threelilkids]

Sorry I see your house is crescent.

[Carolyn C]

Hi, Carolyn Is your S&K house crescent? if so, do your Martins go in the crescent fine with the crescents being that high off the porch ? Or did you add something to the porch to bring it up to the entrance (crescent)?
Mary

The crescent entrance is low off the porch.