Snakes
We just got back to our farm and I noticed that one of our Martin houses did not have the usual activity around it, but thought they were just off feeding. This morning they were there swarming but would not land. I lowered the house to find two snakes with birds in them. All the nests are empty now and I think most the young were already flying.my birds normally leave around the June 20th. My question is should I leave the nests like they are or clean them all out, I want the Martins to come back to the home if they will. By the way before everyone gets on me about snake guards there was a nice new one I bought from here on the house when this happened.
What kind of a guard was in place? What were the dimensions of the guard?
Do you have any idea how they have been able to bypass the guard?
Do you have any idea how they have been able to bypass the guard?
2012-13 pair..........2019-102 pair
2013-52 pair..........2020-109 pair
2014-65 pair..........2021-144 pair
2015-85 pair..........2022-156 pair
2016-80 pair..........2023-174 pair
2017-93 pair..........2024- 193 pair
2018- 87 pair..........2025- ? pair
2021 Offering 180 Nesting Cavities
64 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
64 Troyer Vertical Gourds
2 T14'S - 28 Compartments
3 SMJ8'S - 24 Compartments
2013-52 pair..........2020-109 pair
2014-65 pair..........2021-144 pair
2015-85 pair..........2022-156 pair
2016-80 pair..........2023-174 pair
2017-93 pair..........2024- 193 pair
2018- 87 pair..........2025- ? pair
2021 Offering 180 Nesting Cavities
64 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
64 Troyer Vertical Gourds
2 T14'S - 28 Compartments
3 SMJ8'S - 24 Compartments
How long were the snakes?
2012-13 pair..........2019-102 pair
2013-52 pair..........2020-109 pair
2014-65 pair..........2021-144 pair
2015-85 pair..........2022-156 pair
2016-80 pair..........2023-174 pair
2017-93 pair..........2024- 193 pair
2018- 87 pair..........2025- ? pair
2021 Offering 180 Nesting Cavities
64 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
64 Troyer Vertical Gourds
2 T14'S - 28 Compartments
3 SMJ8'S - 24 Compartments
2013-52 pair..........2020-109 pair
2014-65 pair..........2021-144 pair
2015-85 pair..........2022-156 pair
2016-80 pair..........2023-174 pair
2017-93 pair..........2024- 193 pair
2018- 87 pair..........2025- ? pair
2021 Offering 180 Nesting Cavities
64 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
64 Troyer Vertical Gourds
2 T14'S - 28 Compartments
3 SMJ8'S - 24 Compartments
I would go ahead and clean them out. Snakes can get past the predator guards. You need to add netting as well.
Here is a post describing the netting:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... highlight=
Here is a post describing the netting:
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewt ... highlight=
-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
How high are the baffles, they need to be about 4 ft above the ground or snakes can easily go over them.
The birds that lost their babies will most likely not return. The ones that successfully nested and fledged should return without any problem. Any new martins looking for a home may also use that group or pole without hesitation
You can clean out the nests, but I doubt that it makes any difference, no odors will be left next year.
Some ideas on good predator guards that I like:
1)an electric fence charger guard near the bottom (the best method)
2)4ft of pvc pipe, but it makes it harder to work on it or do nest checks
3)the netting usually works well, its hard to remove the snakes
4)baffles and netting seems to work well, especially if the baffles are high on the pole.
The birds that lost their babies will most likely not return. The ones that successfully nested and fledged should return without any problem. Any new martins looking for a home may also use that group or pole without hesitation
You can clean out the nests, but I doubt that it makes any difference, no odors will be left next year.
Some ideas on good predator guards that I like:
1)an electric fence charger guard near the bottom (the best method)
2)4ft of pvc pipe, but it makes it harder to work on it or do nest checks
3)the netting usually works well, its hard to remove the snakes
4)baffles and netting seems to work well, especially if the baffles are high on the pole.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
I sure hate to hear about the snakes as they can ruin a colony. I use the aluminum cylinder predator guards along with the snake netting. I use the netting below and above the predator guard. I usually catch 4 to 6 chicken snakes per year. Had one negotiate the bottom netting, came up the predator guard and got caught in the second netting above the predator guard.
PMCA Member