Looks like this year is not my year....

[tor]

Looks like you both have the property and location to get it done. Let me just add this:
At my site:
2008 - 0
2009 - 0
2010 - 1 nesting pair
2011 - 1 nesting pair
2012 - 0
2013 - 0
2014 - 1 nesting pair
2015 - 4 nesting pair
2016 - as of last nest check we had 31 nesting pair and 132 eggs / babies, with the subbies still pouring in.
That's 9 years. My site is WIDE open. We have none what I can call a "site" anywhere around us, for miles..and miles. Did it take this long to find us? I don't know.

Explain this!!?? The only change up through the years have been addition of gourds and perching rods. Last year with 4, we though....lets just change out all the old gourds we've used from day 1, add 16 more (all troyer hor. and vert.), add troyers under the T14. We did that and just waited.

We didn't wait in vain. My point is this: Do NOT give up, ever. Change things, improve things, re-think placement, replace old equipment if you can.
Another Super 24 is going up late this fall.

Don't give up, ever!!

[taxidermy lady]

Yeah your right Tor. It takes time in certain areas. Thanks for sharing your stats!

[Okie]

Apology accepted Mary I really feel for you & all the others. I really consider myself blessed with this 2 pair.

I'm going to get myself a plastic barn and maybe I will attract some Martins here at end of season after all. It's a theory worth testing....

That was not the point of my post. It was incidental that was what I started with.
The post was meant to be encouragement to the wannabes [of sorts]. To maybe be able to change the focus from the frustration of wanting, wishing, hoping, & praying to a positive of providing a "? service ?" Like my sense of humor I guess I have to explain my way of thinking. And the principle presented is probably pretty lame. It was just a thought that came into my little mind.
You are always on my mind & it breaks my heart when you express your frustration.
Wishing you a "surprise" this season

[Okie]

Addendum: I just looked at your history. 2014 & 2015 of visitors only, were these using you as a motel? Things like this made me wonder. Depressing when looked at as hope they stay then they leave. Changing that focus could help alieve some of the frustration. That was my thinking. Just trying to help. Keep chin up Please

[Mitch Booth]

Tor,

Did you ever question your site not being adequate? In your personal opinion do you think I'm too tree encroached? I'm the one with pond in front yard that had one nesting pair in 2013 and 2015.

When did your subbies start really coming in? I'm in Northeast Ohio and trying to judge what to expect or if the wave has passed me.

Thanks for any input.

Mitch

[Thais G]

I think you just never know what to expect with "Nature." I started with a plastic barn 3ys ago because that was the only thing I could afford. Last year I got one pair to come and nest, although they did not successfully raise young. I have now installed a beautiful Alamo at the property, but there is no way I am removing that plastic house yet - what if they return and that is where they want to be??!! It will stay there (quite an eyesore sometimes...) until I am confident it is not needed/valuable anymore. And you know what? My plan is to actually install that "piece of junk" somewhere else and try for another location - who knows?? What if... right? You just have to try anyway if that is what you can afford (which was my case.) (Of course if you have the budget for a nice set, go for it!! But if not, don't give up, do it anyway - they may come indeed!)

I think we are all trying with the means we have. All informed and responsible attempts are valid in my opinion (responsible meaning not allowing sparrows to take over the housing and breed..) I manage both my 5-star-hotel and the barn-motel with the same dedication - whichever gets me martins will be happy ending in my view!!

Good luck everyone!
Best,
Thais
ps: BTW, I did not think the post was offensive at all - it was just an account of how the colony started.

[tor]

Tor,

Did you ever question your site not being adequate? In your personal opinion do you think I'm too tree encroached? I'm the one with pond in front yard that had one nesting pair in 2013 and 2015.

When did your subbies start really coming in? I'm in Northeast Ohio and trying to judge what to expect or if the wave has passed me.

Thanks for any input.

Mitch

Mitch,

I never questioned my site. It is wide open. There are bodies of water at 1/2 mile and out. I just don't think there were any martins around. I never saw a single martin before I started getting them. I decided when I had the 4 last year (and I had a LOT of subbies too, just messing around, 20-30 at times) to increase from 12 to 42 total compartments. And BAM, they came pouring in. It could be luck too, but I think renewing the site had some to do with it.



If you look at your site, you'll see that you really have only a fairly small pie with a straight flight path into the site, depending on how tall the trees are at 1,2 and 3. It's hard to tell on the pic. If they are fairly tall, I would move the site further out, to where the blue dot is.(it'll be further from your house, but don't think it'll hurt anything.) It'll give the martins more room to fly in to and around the site. Right now, it is also off-center, so the treeline is much closer at 3 than in the back and on the other side. So at least to where the red dot is. If you can, move it even further.......straight out.

This is just what I see by looking at your setup. Let me put it this way: It is more important to make flying space than to have it close to your house.
Hope this helps you with some ideas.

[LonesomeDuck]

Hi Tor,
Got any ideas based on the layout of my site? Thanks!

[MamaBruff]

To Okie,
No, my site isn't a motel site. They don't stay that long.
This time of year as things begin to look grim for us wannabees, it is so easy to get discouraged. PLUS it is easy to mis-read typed messages until one learns the other person's sense of humor. Let's write this off as just that and hug and move on. This is not a competition, it is a group of people who love purple Martins and want to or are already hosting them. We learn from and support one another. That is the main goal of the forum. Best wishes for your colony and its continued growth.

[Okie]

Back at you All is well

[Mitch Booth]

Tor

Thanks Tor for the input. When has the heaviest arrival of SY's occurred at your site in SC this year?

I have a T-14 on a wooden 6x6 pole about 50 feet away from the trees at about 11:00 around the pond. It would be a monumental job moving that system to say the least. May be easier to just chain saw the thing down and buy a new one to install in a different spot.

How by the way where you able to draw on my photo? I've been trying to figure out how to do that and have never been able to do so.

Thanks,

Mitch

[Luv Ya Purple]

If you have the right housing and location all you can do is wait for them. They will nest where they want to nest. I got 1 pair on my fourth year of seriously trying. Sooner or later you will get them to stay.

[tor]

Tor

Thanks Tor for the input. When has the heaviest arrival of SY's occurred at your site in SC this year?

I have a T-14 on a wooden 6x6 pole about 50 feet away from the trees at about 11:00 around the pond. It would be a monumental job moving that system to say the least. May be easier to just chain saw the thing down and buy a new one to install in a different spot.

How by the way where you able to draw on my photo? I've been trying to figure out how to do that and have never been able to do so.

Thanks,

Mitch

Mitch,

4/6/2016 was when the first subbie showed up.

So I would leave the T14 where it's at, and place a decent rack with gourds only in the new spot. Get as good and big a rack as you can afford. A Super 24 or Gemini type system filled with 24 gourds. Once you get
Here is the thing I've with martins and trees. I'm sure others can attest to this. Once you have martins established on your site (AND THEY FEEL SAFE), trees become less and less of an issue. They don't seem to mind "some" trees "fairly" close to your site. But at site start-up, they will be leery, and pay attention to things you might not have thought of at all.

As far as making drawings on your property shot. I copied your shot down to my computer. I then opened the file into Photoshop (I'm an avid photographer, so Photoshop is one of my tool in the Photography toolbox). Then just started drawing lines to illustrate what I was trying to explain to you.

You can also use a program called Microsoft Paint, which is part of your Windows installation (if that's what you use)

Hi Tor,
Got any ideas based on the layout of my site? Thanks!

You're site does not look bad at all by looking at the sat. shot. Unless your trees close to your rack are very tall, I don't see anything that would prevent you from getting martins. I don't know how many years you have had your site up, but like I said in my previous post, I waited a long time. I just never gave up. I kept adding / replacing gourds to newer / better ones. As far as your barn- and tree swallows, I don't have any experience with these species, and so I can't really give an educated opinion as to how to solve that particular issue.

Good Luck to you. Don't give up. When they finally set up shop, you will thank yourself for staying persistent.

[Mitch Booth]

Tor,

Thank you. Right where your red dot is at is a 24 foot tall windmill. The address of my property is 6149 Renninger Rd Akron Ohio 44319. I just added a third gourd rack this spring about half way down from the beach and end of pond on the right hand side. I bought the house on 4-7-2012.

2012 pre existing T-14 filled with starlings no takers in first gourd rack installed 4-15-2012 to left of beach
2013 one SY pair showed up May 9th 4 eggs, 3 hatched and two fledged
2014 no returning birds to nest but lots of visitors. 8-1-2014 installed second gourd rack to left of beach so birds from pre-migratory roost could check things out.
2015 one pair with several visitors but all nestlings died during a week of cold and rain in June.
2016 March 1st installed third gourd rack to right of beach halfway to end of pond. Nearest tree is about 120 feet away.

This spring the oil company's cleared many trees to the north of me and to the East of me but not the trees bordering my property. I find it odd I do not have more visitors with the Dawnsong playing....? Maybe all the trees being removed has made them nervous. They are not big on change I hear. Starting around July 15 I will have many HY's visit the site and come August I will literally have thousands a day here due to the pre-migratory roost 1/2 mile away so I know for a fact the birds no I am here. I'm just wondering with all the tree removal/landscape changes and addition of another gourd rack AFTER the birds left last fall if this makes them leary?

Right now I have 4 gourds on shepard hooks sitting on eggs within 30 feet of the housing. According to the article on the PMCA Tree Swallow emergency it is critical to have it placed this distance so the tree swallows will not allow other tree swallows to occupy or investigate the gourd racks.

Next year I think I will not allow any tree swallows or bluebirds to nest on property. I can keep the bluebirds away easy enough by just plugging their holes on their boxes but it will not be so easy with the TRES. I guess I should just wait until the SY arrival begins, around May 7th in my area, before I put up any housing for the martins.

Mitch

[voyager]

I wonder if any of those tree swallows happen to be nesting at your site. They are a big problem here, attack the martins upon sight. Two or there time I have witnessed them fight with a single martin, then the martins never comes back the whole season. Good luck.

[Mitch Booth]

Not sure but I will guarantee you I will not have a nesting bluebird or tree swallow on this property next year. I've had fewer sightings this year than the previous 4 and believe it's due to the tree swallows.

Mitch

[taxidermy lady]

Mitch,
I would go ahead and put your houses up and keep the holes plugged until you begin seeing martins! I had blue birds last year and I was told to wait. So I took their boxes down and kept holes plugged. Good luck!