Martin Colony History: 2016- Some visitors on my Trendsetter 12, no nesting pairs yet. 2017- More visitors, still no nesting pairs yet. 2018- Added Troyer Horizontal gourds and moved house to more open location. One nesting pair of subadults! 2 eggs, 1 egg hatched. 2019- added Gemini gourd rack. 2 pairs, 10 eggs, 10 hatched.
Yesterday I heard the first martin chirps of the year and how exciting is was! I think this was two subadults, and they went straight for the horizontal Troyer gourds hanging under my Trendsetter 12, which I found interesting. This morning one of them was still there and circling around and following me pretty close as I was walking around our property. Hopefully they will start building a nest soon. This has been the breaking point for all the visitors I've had the past two years, they just visit but then leave before making a nest. Maybe this year with the more open location it's in and the Troyer horizontal gourd addition, maybe they'll start nesting.
For those with all gourd setups, do you still have issues with HOSP? The HOSP leave the gourds alone but are always trying to nest in the Trendsetter 12. Once I get my colony going and need to expand, I think I may go with a Gemini Super Rack if it makes dealing with the HOSP much easier.
Martin Colony History: 2016- Some visitors on my Trendsetter 12, no nesting pairs yet. 2017- More visitors, still no nesting pairs yet. 2018- Added Troyer Horizontal gourds and moved house to more open location. One nesting pair of subadults! 2 eggs, 1 egg hatched. 2019- added Gemini gourd rack. 2 pairs, 10 eggs, 10 hatched.
Probably a combo of both. I've done literally almost everything suggested on this site... Dawnsong played every morning, aggressive HOSP/starling control, nestbox 28 feet from martin house for TRES/Bluebirds, mud smeared on house, moved house to a much more open spot, etc. At some point the law of averages takes over and you get that lucky hit. This pair may still yet move on and not nest, like another pair last year did that stayed around for 2-3 days then left for some reason.
We just bought the place next door and are going to be tearing out 2 acres of timber and putting in a pond, so if I don't get nesting pairs this year I'm much more confident we will next year once that project is complete.
I have a mix of gourds and a T14 and I have not had HOPS mess with the gourds. I assume it's because they like the house better. I know people who have all gourds still have issues with HOSP but my experience is like yours. I like seeing fellow Hoosiers getting colonies going. I am not suprised the Martin chose your Troyer gourd. I have a mix of Troyervertical, horizontal, SK Big Bo and SK Bo 9's. I have them all mixed on my rack and the matins here this year have only chosen the Troyers. The big bo's were the first gourds I ever bought as I felt they looked the most like naturals but the martins just don't choose them, I added tunnels to them, still no luck. For the price I liked the SK but price doesn't matter if they sit empty
Good luck with them staying around. As for the sparrows and gourds I have had them take a look but they are more exposed to the various martin attacks since the gourds are further away from some pine trees in my neighbor's yard. The frequently sit and carry on from the pine trees and as soon as the martins leave they come and 'occupy' the house. On the gourd rack they can't get away from the martins fast enough and I've seen several times where the martins had a sparrow down on the ground. The sparrow is usually the last to get up from those fights.
Make sure you get some traps for the gourds so you are ready if they move in.
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