When will they arrive

Alice · Mon May 29, 2017 1:35 pm

We are brand new landlords this year. My husband built a brand new PM house with 6 compartments. It is in a great wide open location, no tress around with a huge dugout(pond) right close. We have now dealt with the sparrows (with a sparrow trap) although that is an ongoing issue and the tree swallows have settled down and finally nested in their nest boxes. But we have not seen a single PM. There are neighbors located about 3 miles from here with 4 huge PM houses on their property and I was hoping to attract some of their birds. I'm finding it very discouraging when reading that it might take four to five years to even have the first PM's interested in your location let alone settle down and nest there. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated by more "seasoned" landlords. Thank you.

flyin-lowe · Mon May 29, 2017 2:34 pm

If I were you I would go to the nearest "colony" to you and speak with them. I haven't met a martin landlord yet that doesn't love to talk martins. There are a few members on this sight that are from that far north but not many. The locals will be able to fill you in on when they arrive etc. Unfortunately the 5 year wait you describe could be a lot longer the further north you are.

Banding studies show that most martins that fledge from one location typically go to another location the following year. So if there is a colony close by that is good news. Martins born there last year will be looking for a place to nest this year.

Luv Ya Purple · Mon May 29, 2017 2:57 pm

Sounds like you are doing just about everything you need to do to attract them. Are the rooms on your house enlarged to a size like 6"x12"? Do you have any idea how many pairs that colony you mentioned have? If they have a lot of pairs you might get some sooner rather than later.

Alice · Mon May 29, 2017 3:56 pm

[quote="Luv Ya Purple"]Sounds like you are doing just about everything you need to do to attract them. Are the rooms on your house enlarged to a size like 6"x12"? Do you have any idea how many pairs that colony you mentioned have? If they have a lot of pairs you might get some sooner rather than later.[/quote

Thank you for your reply. Yes we have the large nest boxes. However we do not have any nesting material inside. Is this necessary? The colony I mentioned has 48 pairs of nesting PM.

Buckeyefarmer · Mon May 29, 2017 4:17 pm

I've new to Martining so I'm no expert but I'll have to say the dawn song has worked for me. I also have 2 colonies within a couple miles from my location. I've been playing the dawn song for about 2 weeks and now have 4 pairs of Martin's and as of yesterday some nest building. Hope you have success, sounds like you have an ideal setup just need a pair of tenants.

Alice · Mon May 29, 2017 4:36 pm

I have been playing the dawn song for about two weeks now, but nothing yet.

Alice · Mon May 29, 2017 4:37 pm

Out of curiosity, how long do you play the dawn song tape for? Thanks.

Buckeyefarmer · Mon May 29, 2017 6:23 pm

At first I began playing it from just before daylight till dark. Now I have it on a timer and start it at the same time but only play it an hour or so at noon and again before dark for an hour. I turned the volume down to about 1/2 or less.

Martinfarmer · Mon May 29, 2017 7:12 pm

I play the dawn song 24/7. It worked great for me as well. I keep it at a medium to low volume and it doesn't seem to cause any problems

Archer · Mon May 29, 2017 7:38 pm

Hi Alice, you are in prime time as far as arrivals of Second Year(sy-younger) martins. They were born last summer and are now coming back to the areas where they were born. The sy's are generally the new colony starters. I have an established colony so the After second year(asy-older) martins do the recruiting for my colony, they generally arrives before the younger martins. Playing dawnsong and or daytime chatter is a great way to attract martins to your site and let them know you have housing available. Play it as much as possible. You have till the end of June to attract a possible nesting pair, the next two week are the best times. I agree with Flyin-Lowe, go talk to that Landlord. Martin folks love to talk martins. And when you go, pay attention to the type of housing he has. Sometimes it can speed up the process if you have the same type of housing as to what is common in your area. Let us know how you make out with martins.

handyman315 · Mon May 29, 2017 10:09 pm

Archer always gives good advice and information.

Archer wrote:you are in prime time as far as arrivals of Second Year(sy-younger) martins. They were born last summer and are now coming back to the areas where they were born. The sy's are generally the new colony starters. I have an established colony so the After second year(asy-older) martins do the recruiting for my colony, they generally arrives before the younger martins.

As a first year landlord myself, pretty sure that I was lucky enough to have two of Archer's examples at work in one PM, i.e., my 2016 SY-M never found a mate but clearly claimed my site in 2016; reasonably sure he returned in 2017 (as an ASY-M) with two SY- females, later joined by 3, sometimes 4 more PMs. He is clearly the big man around my colony.

Why success this 4th year, other than luck? First year that I put a handful of dry, clean pine straw (needles) in each gourd/apt, delayed opening houses and then opened them slowly and in stages (kept out HOSP and seemed to make the PMs even more interested), got my very bad TRES problem finally under control, smeared mud on houses and gourds. It's a splendid way for an old guy to have coffee of a morning from my patio, e.g., listening to the bubbling and gurgling and watching the Flying Circus.

Don't get discouraged . . . my boss dog ASY-M did not arrive until May 20 and I'm quite a ways south of you (just north of Cincinnati).

Good luck!

Alice · Mon May 29, 2017 10:51 pm

Thank you both so much ...Archer and Handyman35. I now don't feel quite as discouraged with all of your great advice. Will definitely try putting pine straw and mud in the compartments to see if that helps. Will keep you posted as to my progress.

Bcorbs1217 · Tue May 30, 2017 6:36 am

Alice, I live in Maryland about 15 miles north of Northeast DC and I'm still getting SY's show up. One male has decided to stay (came 3 days ago) and yesterday an SY/f came by to check him out. Don't give up. Keep playing the Dawnsong. It took me 4 years to get martins. In the meantime, you are doing a real service with the sparrow control and perfecting your technique for housing the Tree Swallows.

TAVirden · Tue May 30, 2017 9:37 am

I am also a first time landlord and was just about to give up. I have built a wood house that has 16 compartments and have been fighting those pesky sparrows for a month now. I had a few visitors, but no Martin seemed to want to stay. I hung a single gourd that I purchased a week ago and on Friday, I had an adult male arrive and go into my gourd. I had to leave for a long weekend trip and was sure that he would be gone when I got back...no, he is still here, with an adult female, and she is building a nest. So don't give up! Maybe hand a gourd or two, it worked for me.

Robbo · Tue May 30, 2017 10:27 am

Hi Alice,
I am right in Leduc and the Subbies have been showing up for 2 weeks now. The Martin's are building their nests and laying now, but the subbies should keep comming in for a few more weeks. Keep playing the Dawn song and eliminate Sparrows they should show up eventually Martin decoys could possibly help. I had them nest the first year I attempted, good luck. I just use Hay for Rabbit's from Walmart and I wouldn't bother with mud as some Martin's make nest's with it and some don't, besides you will want to clean out your nest trays and apply Sevin to control parasites that could kill the babies ( Blowflies,mites,etc. ). I have already gone through a bag of hay already making nests and cleaning out Sparrow nests. I have 26 pair right now and across the street they have Martin's also and it's there 2nd or 3rd year and I believe they had success the first year also. I think some of those Martin's came from my colony

. My houses are T-14's with BO-11 gourds underneath, the gourds are insulated.

BillieJR · Tue May 30, 2017 10:35 am

TAVirden......welcome! I'm excited to hear you have been successful in getting a pair. I'm north of you and still waiting for my first pair. . I admit I'm getting discouraged and beginning to give up hope but I'm trying to hang on for dear life. Still playing the Dawn song (thanks again to Ed for loaning it to me) and trapping any sparrow that comes along with any intentions at all, and watching and waiting. I know time for this season is running out so we'll see. Good luck with yours, tho.

Alice · Tue May 30, 2017 4:08 pm

Robbo

So nice to hear from someone in my area having such an amazing colony going. I was wondering if you put styrofoam down in the nest cavities like Bob Buskas suggests and then the hay on top. I'm really encouraged to hear I haven't missed out entirely this year. Thanks for the upbeat message. Greatly appreciated.

Robbo · Tue May 30, 2017 4:32 pm

DON'T DO IT!
Did you get my message? Please! You will kill your birds. I know Please don't take that advice. I lost half my colony from that with blow flies! If you need real advice I am here. I am happy to show you the colony @ my site in my the backyard in town and save you so many problems. Been through that already! He also told me Martin's would not nest in Gourds in Alberta! Just because they have a website don't believe them!

Martinfarmer · Tue May 30, 2017 4:52 pm

BillieJR wrote:TAVirden......welcome! I'm excited to hear you have been successful in getting a pair. I'm north of you and still waiting for my first pair. . I admit I'm getting discouraged and beginning to give up hope but I'm trying to hang on for dear life. Still playing the Dawn song (thanks again to Ed for loaning it to me) and trapping any sparrow that comes along with any intentions at all, and watching and waiting. I know time for this season is running out so we'll see. Good luck with yours, tho.

Billie jr don't you ever give up. Just today I talked to a neighbor. He was telling me about one of our other neighbors, his name is Tyler. Tyler tried for close to ten years before getting martins. Now he has over ten houses. His farm looks like Atlanta airport with the martins flying everywhere. Those martins will eventually give in to you. Good luck.

Archer · Tue May 30, 2017 10:45 pm

Robbo wrote:DON'T DO IT!
Did you get my message? Please! You will kill your birds. I know Please don't take that advice. I lost half my colony from that with blow flies! If you need real advice I am here. I am happy to show you the colony @ my site in my the backyard in town and save you so many problems. Been through that already! He also told me Martin's would not nest in Gourds in Alberta! Just because they have a website don't believe them!

Explain this please. I am using styrafoam nest trays and housing, and have not had any problems with blowflies, mites, or fleas. This is year 4, with no problems.