Hello All,
I have 3 set-ups @ my location
(1) telescopic pole,6 gourds
(2) fountain rack,12 gourds
(3) t-14 with 8 gourds
Currently I have 6 pair and my birds always use the gourds ! I know variety is key to any set-up but all the years past the wooden t-14 has never been occupied,surely " some of the martins were hatched in some type of housing I assume" btw all entrances are starling/sparrow resistant. All entrances were modified by adding cresent tunnels to the t-14.
Any thoughts ? Thanks in advance........BERNDOG
I currently have 3 - T-14 setup at our site with a varity of different gourds had 18 pair last yr all but 2 nest were in the T - 14 houses, mine were just the opposite from yours.
16 - 14 Cavities 4 Act. Ne 9 fledged, 2.25 Fl. per Act. Ne
17 - 36 Cavities 18 Act. Ne 65 Fledged, 3.61 Fl. per Act. Ne
18 - 54 Cavities 43 Act. Ne 169 Fledged, 3.93 Fl. per Act. Ne
19 - 108 Cavities 67 Act. Ne 209 Fledged, 3.12 Fl. per Act. Ne
20 - 108 Cavities 72 Act. Ne 243 Fledged, 3.38 Fl. per Act. Ne
21 - 112 Cavities 91 Act. Ne 313 Fledged, 3.44 Fl. per Act. Ne
22 - 114 Cavities 101 Act Ne 355 Fledged, 3.51 Fl. per Act. Ne
Berndog, I tried a T-14 a couple years and seemed not to be the Martins choice at my site. Very nice houses but it seemed to be such a house sparrow magnet that I quit using it. Never more than four pr, of Martins in it. Just my personal experience and I hear other landlords have them well occupied.
Keith
I have 2 T-14s, one Aluminum Trio and a 6 gourd rack. They use the T-14s first with a little interest in the gourds and no interest in the Trio. I think mine like the T-14 because my neighbors all use them and thats likely where they originated. I also think, especially this spring, the T-14 is warmer.
Martin Colony History: 2015 A few Visitors 2016 1 ASY pair 4 eggs 4 Fledged 2017 ASY male returned chased off by starlings 2018 1 pair fledged 5 2019 3 Pair with nestlings and an ASY male bachelor and 2 SY males around all the time fledged 16
I have 2 T14’s with gourds underneath. I have only had one pair stay, 2 years ago and they picked the T14. I have a pair that has been here 6 nights this year. The first two they stayed in a troyer verticals gourd, but now they are staying in a T14 with s and k tunnels. Will be interesting to see what they pick in the end if they stay. On another note I have had two ASY males that have really seemed to have trouble using the crescent entrance on the s and I tunnels. On the other house I have troyer tunnels with connley II entrances. They seem to go in those easily. I put the s and k tunnels on because they offer both a round hole and a crescent hole. All the neighboring small colonies have trio houses with round holes.
I am 3 year into having martins , first year homemade 6 hole wood house , 1 pair , second year added multipurpose pole with two sunset inns and 4 gourds , and a k 18 unit on a 3” winch system , this year added 12 hole trendsetter, got about 35 martins staying each night now , they don’t give a flip for the 22 gourds love the houses
Last year was the first for my T 14 had six pair, I added a 12 gourd rack this year I have counted 18 martins so far and they are still arriving daily it does seem that they prefer the gourds will know for sure at end of season.
Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Berndog, I suspect your entrance setup more than the house itself. Is the door cut out large enough to not create a trap in the doorway area? Do your crescent entrances allow 1 3/16 from top to bottom or are they closer to 1 2/16? The crescent is the least favorite of my entrances. Why? Because they have always been last to be used at my site. My T14 has multiple entrances but the excluder ll is what they prefer. So take a good long look at your entrances. What are you doing for nest trays? Ventilation? These are all more important than the style of house.
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
My T14 has been pretty much full the last 2 years and the six gourds below are always full. I have another wooden house, (Northstar) several metal houses, (Trio & Trendsetter), and plastic gourds, and the birds like them all. Everything has excluder or crescent openings.
