For us "Wannabe" landlords

[taxidermy lady]

Yep it can do that to you! After 2 full years of it! Those dang females are the hard ones to get! If they hook up with one she may take them somewhere else and the male with follow! Happened here several times! I have to just let it be! If one comes that will be great! If they don't you put the houses back up next year and try again! It will happen some day!! Good luck and I do hope they come back for you!

[Mitch Booth]

Terry I feel your pain!

My enthusiasm and excitement are starting to wane... I guess the only positive is that my expectations and hopes grow slimmer by the day!! I'm starting not to feel so bad that martins do not have enough or adequate housing!!!!

I guess we'll see what happens over the next 4 weeks.

Mitch

[MamaBruff]

Well it ain't over 'til it's over ya know! Not time to give up yet!
Holding out for subbies. Remember safety in numbers. You know how us gals operate... That one ladybird feels safer if there is another couple in the apartment building. Like "Hey why is this place empty? Is something wrong? I'm not a pioneer kind of gal"... So if your fella can convince a sub is couple to "come with" you may be in luck! Had the same thing at my place last year. (ASYM unsuccessful in getting a lady to stay) And now, I'm like "so what" this year... Past several days I've been away, no staring at the empty PM house. Wondering what I will find upon return home! Ha, I'm not holding my breath!

[tlragsdale]

Had 5 martins on/around the Gemini rack this morning. One ASY male and lovely female escort spent a considerable amount of time preening on the neck of one of the Troyer gourds, sang some old martin favorite tunes, and did enter a gourd (stayed for 5 minutes, then left).

They've been back a couple of times today. Hope they are liking what they are seeing .

How's everyone else doing???

Terry & Michelle

[avesrun]

Still wanting/waiting/watching/wishing/praying/hoping.

[tlragsdale]

Wishing with you, for you….tomorrow morning brings new promise and opportunity.

Keep us posted on how things go.

Terry

[taxidermy lady]

None yet!!!! I have read so much and tried to do what's right! But what I see at other sites puts what I read to shame! I see sparrows with martins! I never see no one around the site! All 6x6 compartments and round holes! No predator guards, no snake netting! It's crazy! My site is very nice and nothing!
Oh well maybe tomorrow! Still have faith because when a pair does nest I will steal ever bird in Randolph county because they will be so jealous of the king and queen at my site!

[MamaBruff]

Nothing.

[avesrun]

Clinging to hope based on fact that not a single landlord has reported an sy Martin yet for Iowa. .........

[avesrun]

I was wrong; Iowa now has 1 sy report.

[Mitch Booth]

Terry,

I'm thrilled for you! I know the feeling! Wow to have 5 martins investigating your site is really exciting. Wait to you see that first green leaf being carried in and then you can really celebrate. My guess is that will happen for you within the next week.

I've yet to even have a visitor to my knowledge.

Mitch

[Mitch Booth]

Sharon,

Have you had any visitors yet this year?

Are the SY birds in your area yet? I just got reports this morning of some SY birds in our area but I've yet to see any. I certainly hope to have some visitors within the next week.

Mitch

[taxidermy lady]

Yes Mitch I have had a few come and check things out. Nothing that was to exciting though! Just have to wait and see! Wish I had better news!

No sign of an SY!

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Wanted to say how I have enjoyed reading through the pages of this post. Terry, really happy to hear of your latest visitors. Sounds like your initial ASY male is doing his best in recruiting other martins to start a colony for you. I think you will get started this year.

Mary, we are all pulling for you. I know what it is like to have had a nice colony, move, and then not be able to attract any martins for four years. I think it is worse to have had a martin colony and not be able to again attract any versus never having a colony. You are more than welcome to come up any time and help with nest checks, sit on the deck and visit, watch my martins and help with banding when the time gets closer.

I am sure most of you already do, just make your site is as attractive as possible to all visitors; open flyways, large cavities, predator controls, extra perching rods, offering egg or oyster shells and playing the dawnsong. If they like your site, they will come.

For all others trying to establish a colony, wish the best in 2015.

Tim

[Mitch Booth]

Tim,

It is amazing to me that you had 7 nesting pairs in one year!!! Can I ask how many cavities you offered? Were your birds ASY's, SY's or a combination of each? When did they start arriving at your site?

Here's my story:

2007-2011 had bad location with no flyways and tree encroached. Lived across the street from the Nimisila Pre-migratory roost. no nesters.

2012-2014 Moved to new location at 6149 Renninger Rd Akron Oh 44319. About 1 mile away from roost. There was an existing T-14 but filled with Starlings. T-14 is located at around 11:00 o'clock on edge of pond about 50 feet away from tree line. At 9:00 0'clock is a windmill. Leaving T-14 in it's poor location as it would be a monumental task to move that I'm unwilling to do. Driveway is a 1/4 mile long and opens up to a square 11 acre parcel with a 1-1/2 acre pond in front yard. You can see in the picture where I put up a gourd rack with 6 super gourds and 6 horizontal troyers. Rack is about at 4:00 and put up a second last fall right next to it.

2012 -0
2013- 1 sy pair successfully fledged young
2014- nothing but visitors

Here's my dilemma: My site must not be good enough....? Then I think, no or I wouldn't have had one successful pair two years ago. This picture is a bit deceiving to look at because it appears my property is tree encroached but the trees are over 100 yards away from the two gourd racks that sit to the left of the beach when viewing the picture. I've had several people look at my site and there is response is that it is more than adequate!! It just kills me to think I may have to wait another 4-20 years to get a colony started. I figure I have about 4 weeks and after that I'll be throwing in the towel. I generally leave everything up for the roost but hundreds of visitors a day means absolutely nothing come spring. Heck I haven't even seen a martin yet this year!!

We have wood ducks, mallards, tree swallows, bluebirds and chickadees but no martins!!

Here's a link to my site: https://www.google.com/maps/place/6149+ ... ff!6m1!1e1

Any feedback or thoughts would be appreciated. I'm slowly losing my enthusiasm with the hobby!

Thanks,

Mitch

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Mitch:

Last year, my first year here in Kansas, I offered two six room houses and four THG tunneled gourds. Of my seven nesting pair last year, five were all ASY, one was a mix and one was a SY pair. I had five pair in the two houses and two pair in the gourds. My first scout showed up on March 11 but majority of martins, all ASY, arrived middle of April.

The lady down the street from me had three or four pair of martins split between two plastic houses with small cavities and unattended. They also had sparrows and starlings. How many of hers, if any, came to my site, I do not know.

So far this year, I am guessing I have around 10 or 11 pair, all ASY except for one SY female. The SY's are just now starting to arrive so could pick up a few more pair.

When trying to establish a new colony, I am a firm believer in making your site as attractive as possible for any visiting martin. Over this past winter, I added four more gourds to my one pole, which is all I can have at our location. For protection to the martins, I added tunnels and 45 degree turns to all the cavities in one of my houses and on four of my eight gourds. I had an ASY pair in one of my tunneled THG for two weeks. Last week, I opened all of my housing. This same pair has switched from the tunneled THG to a tunneled THG with a 45 degree turn after I unplugged the opening. All four of my tunneled THG with 45 degree turns are taken. I believe the tunnel in addition to not being able to see directly into the nest due to the 45 degree turn is a big attractant for any visiting female. Additional perching rods, and a pan filled with oyster shells attached to the housing are also good attractants. Not allowing starlings and sparrows to nest in housing is a must. I don't think a visiting male is as concerned about the cavity as the female. The female knows if the nest is safely tucked away out of direct sight of predators and if there is a ready supply of calcium to help her produce her eggs. Here is a picture of my current housing I took before the martins arrived. It shows the tunnels and some of my THG with 45 degree turns I installed on one of my houses and some of my gourds.

[taxidermy lady]

Thanks Tim for all your great information! I know we are all trying! I want to know did you play any dawn song in the early morning hours or any kind of cd playing! And are your decoys always on your site when your martins are there! Time is all we need!!! Thanks again!

[Mitch Booth]

Tim,

Why do you think you were unsuccessful from 2010-2013? I'm assuming that was a different spot from where you are at now?

I also have THG with Conley II tunnels and porches. Did you play the Dawnsong? Loud or soft if you did play it?

Oh well I guess I should just quit my complaining and be happy with what I have nesting their now. It's just the luck of the draw I have pair of mallards that come every year for the past 4 years. I know it's the same female too because we have them feed trained on shelled corn.

Mitch

[MamaBruff]

Mary, we are all pulling for you. I know what it is like to have had a nice colony, move, and then not be able to attract any martins for four years. I think it is worse to have had a martin colony and not be able to again attract any versus never having a colony. You are more than welcome to come up any time and help with nest checks, sit on the deck and visit, watch my martins and help with banding when the time gets closer.

Thank you Tim, I may just do that.

[DannyM]

Please don't give up everyone. I know some have been trying for a whole lot longer than me but after two years I finally have a pair that look like they are going to stick around and nest. I've played the dawnsong faithfully mornings and evenings. Started out with a Heath twelve room before I really knew very much and switched to six gourds this year and it seemed to do the trick. Good luck to everyone that are trying!