Serious Question

[rrmartins]

Yesterday while riding around, I spotted two, twelve room ancient wooden houses.The houses are sitting on four acres of land with a abandoned house, with all the windows knocked out and overgrown with weeds. Of course the Martin houses were full of sparrows and starlings. When checking deed records on property, the name came back to a bogus dentist office. County tax assessor says taxes are paid up. I’m wanting to go take them down. What would you guys do?

[Spiderman]

I would leave them alone.

[Kyler]

Rrmartins,
If I was you I would be over there in a minute. But I would just make sure that you are able too. I love restoring old houses.

Kyler,

[KathyF]

RR- I would ask for the owner's contact information, call him & ask if you could take the housing down for him @ no charge - (use whatever excuse - you want to use them for a public project you're working on, etc., etc. - ((that would be true, right?? ).
That would be the right & legal way to do it anyway.....
I've only had one landowner that refused my offer, because HE was going to clean out the houses & restore them. After 2 years, they weren't & a wind / thunderstorm finally took them out for me...much to my relief.

[rrmartins]

Yeah it’s just two 1 1/2 galv. pipe with couplings. I already sprayed them yesterday with deep creep. 5 min they both be down. I don’t want to restore, I want to destroy them, they’re rotten, filled with rat birds.

[rrmartins]

RR- I would ask for the owner's contact information, call him & ask if you could take the housing down for him @ no charge - (use whatever excuse - you want to use them for a public project you're working on, etc., etc. - ((that would be true, right?? ).
That would be the right & legal way to do it anyway.....
I've only had one landowner that refused my offer, because HE was going to clean out the houses & restore them. After 2 years, they weren't & a wind / thunderstorm finally took them out for me...much to my relief.

The owners are in hiding I guess, deed shows a dentist company that doesn’t even exist.

[4th Gen Martin Fan]

I am surprised that they have not rusted through the pipe coupling and both have not fallen down already.

[rrmartins]

There’re leaning but up.
I just sent a email to Partners in Flight with the TPWD. Let’s see if we can get them down, I’d rather trap them then let it be a breeding ground for no telling how many years. The family house on property can barely be seen it’s so grown over. Give me ten min, I’d have them both in the back of my truck. Deep creep, heat, and pipe wrenches have them down quick.

[Rockchalk]

Just because it's registered under a dentist co that is no longer around does not make it 'bogus'. Not unusual to buy/register a property under company. Also not unusual to retire or change business. If the taxes are paid deed is in good standing. If you're feeling gutsy and they are about ready to fall over as it is just go push them over and leave 'em to rot.

[flyin-lowe]

Getting rid of some trash birds is not worth the risk if you can't find the owners. Despite the deed not being current someone is paying the taxes. Criminal charges, civil issues, etc. can all cause you major problems if you go on the property without permission.

[rrmartins]

Getting rid of some trash birds is not worth the risk if you can't find the owners. Despite the deed not being current someone is paying the taxes. Criminal charges, civil issues, etc. can all cause you major problems if you go on the property without permission.

Yeah I know, huh. Really bothers me knowing I have a huge sparrow breeding ground, two miles from my house.

[PMDavid]

JUST DO IT MAN ......!!!!!!Frikin rat birds and then.......don’t breath a word. Sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do Put on some gloves ,bring em to the ground ,and the birds are done! No house.

[rrmartins]

JUST DO IT MAN ......!!!!!!Frikin rat birds and then.......don’t breath a word. Sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do Put on some gloves ,bring em to the ground ,and the birds are done! No house.

I hear ya there, that’s prob what will happen. I think more like you.

[-=DKC=-]

If I was going to do something like this.

1. I wouldn't post anything about it on the internet.

2. I'd probably wait until Fall or Winter when breeding season is over (I'd hate to trap some bluebird babies in there by accident) and then just plug all the entrance holes. A little neighborly trespassing but no damage to anyone's property.

[rrmartins]

If I was going to do something like this.

1. I wouldn't post anything about it on the internet.

2. I'd probably wait until Fall or Winter when breeding season is over (I'd hate to trap some bluebird babies in there by accident) and then just plug all the entrance holes. A little neighborly trespassing but no damage to anyone's property.

Lol on the advertising.

[pmlover]

dont do it unless you get permission. The pms are Gods creation and why ruin that premise by doing something illegal

[flyin-lowe]

JUST DO IT MAN ......!!!!!!Frikin rat birds and then.......don’t breath a word. Sometimes you just gotta do what ya gotta do Put on some gloves ,bring em to the ground ,and the birds are done! No house.

You have to remember that to lots of people birds are birds. If someone came onto your property after the mating season and took down your martin housing I am assuming you would feel differently. I've taken my fair share of HOSP off this planet, I don't like them either but that doesn't justify trespassing, theft, vandalism, etc.

[rrmartins]

Going to speak with a game warden after breeding season. He or she will probably help me take them down. Game wardens have a lot of say around here. Nobody breaking any laws. If I would have seen one Martin I would feel different, theses are just old, rotted out, sparrow houses now. I know laws are there for a reason. I also have to protect our native birds. There is no reason to just let sparrows have three clutches a year over there.

[-=DKC=-]

You have to remember that to lots of people birds are birds. If someone came onto your property after the mating season and took down your martin housing I am assuming you would feel differently.

That's my problem. I have lots of neighbors that put up feeders and houses specifically for House Sparrows. They think they're cute. I don't find that these kinds of neighbors usually respond well to education efforts.

Case in point: there is actually an active Facebook group dedicated to rescuing and releasing House Sparrows and Starlings.

[rrmartins]

Yeah I had a cop not let me take one down. Said kids liked the birds. We’ll see what happens.