Sightings map & Song player

Khester · Tue Mar 12, 2019 10:53 pm

We’re first time landlords. (Double gourd rack and great 8/gourd rack on second pole) I was looking on the scouting map and there was a report in Vonore, Tn today ...I live in Seymour, Tn which is about a 40 minute drive. Is there any indication of when I might have a few fliers this way? I can’t get the bird-x Martin dawn song player here until next Monday or Tuesday...do you think I have time before I’ve missed the opportunity to catch some interest? Also, is there a time period that I’ll know I won’t have any Martins this year...not many folks put up housing here. :(

Dale D · Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:21 am

Your're not too late. The Martins arriving in your State now are adults and returning to the sites they used last season, Your best chance of starting your colony will be when the SY Martins begin arriving in your area which they aren't there yet. Best of luck to you!

flyin-lowe · Wed Mar 13, 2019 6:49 am

It is very early on and you still have several months to get a colony started. I would keep my eyes open just because the ASY's are arriving in your area. It will likely be about one month before the SY's start to really flow in. That is when you have your best chance. It is always possible that ASY's will start your colony but that is less common then SY's. You can go back several years on the scout map reports and see when the average date is that SY's arrive in your area. The number of people who report them is pretty low so it is not as accurate but it will give you some ideas.

jhcox · Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:37 pm

Hey Khester I would really like to get together and compare note on setups. I live alittle north of you off of enter state 75 at exit 117 Raccoon Valley Rd. I’m not sure if this is allowed but here goes. My phone number is+18656406570. If you would like to give me a call I would be happy to assist you in any way I can. I have really been trying to find other PM landlords near my are. But like you said there’s just not a lot of us in East Tennessee. Even if you look at the purple Martin migration map of the area near the great Smoky Mountains is not overly populated with Martin landlords. even if you look at years past it’s very thin along the east Tennessee and western North Carolina area JHCox Heiskell TN. I hope to hear from you soon thank you

BillieJR · Wed Mar 13, 2019 10:49 pm

Welcome to the group, Khester! Good luck - I hope you are successful.

TNMartins · Sat Mar 16, 2019 5:14 pm

I’m in Midddle TN just south of Nashville. Last year we had our first ever pair and 5 fledglings.

I started Dawnsong on April 24, saw the first Martins on April 26, and had an ASY pair going into a gourd on April 29.

You still have plenty of time. Get your Dawnsong going around April 1, put some pine straw in your gourds, and make sure you have a pellet gun or traps ready for the starlings and sparrows. They’ll run the Martins off in a hurry once things get busy in May.

Good luck!

Dave Reynolds · Wed Mar 20, 2019 2:41 pm

Kestrel .... Welcome to the PMCA.. Glad to see you here... Liston to all the Landlords who have giving some information on starting a new colony... Good Luck in 2019

Dave

Khester · Sat May 25, 2019 2:11 pm

Just a follow-up to my previous post from March..I’m proud to say that I have two pairs now, possibly three in my double gourd rack. I’m scared to mess with them because my pole doesn’t have a pulley system. Also my gourd check covers are very hard to remove and I’m so scared to be to rough with eggs and potential nestlings! My first set came on Mothers Day weekend. Then shortly afterwards the others came in. I’m so new and scared, I don’t want to disturb them to get closer to count them! Any pointers on the gourd caps? They don’t screw on and one time after I put them up after checking them, a few popped off and fell on ground. Don’t want to risk this with two pairs possibly three building nests!!

flyin-lowe · Sun May 26, 2019 9:55 am

Do you have the S&K gourds, if so which ones? I have used the Bo 9's in the past with the lids that pop on and off. If you are slow with them they should be fine. Many first time landlords are timid about doing nest checks but they will not be put off by you checking them once a week or so. Especially now that they have eggs they will be fine. Just go slow with raising and lowering. I did a nest check yesterday and when I took one lid of there was a female still sitting in the nest of the gourd. I put the lid back on and left her alone. Nest checks can also save you issues if you find capped eggs, mites, or other problems.

Khester · Mon Jul 08, 2019 9:30 pm

jhcox wrote: ↑
Wed Mar 13, 2019 9:37 pm
Hey Khester I would really like to get together and compare note on setups. I live alittle north of you off of enter state 75 at exit 117 Raccoon Valley Rd. I’m not sure if this is allowed but here goes. My phone number is+18656406570. If you would like to give me a call I would be happy to assist you in any way I can. I have really been trying to find other PM landlords near my are. But like you said there’s just not a lot of us in East Tennessee. Even if you look at the purple Martin migration map of the area near the great Smoky Mountains is not overly populated with Martin landlords. even if you look at years past it’s very thin along the east Tennessee and western North Carolina area JHCox Heiskell TN. I hope to hear from you soon thank you

Did you attend the Johnson’s Jamboree in Rainsville?