I have my first arrival back today for the 2020 season! I was out feeding calves this morning about 9:00, and I heard the unmistakable sound of a martin somewhere in the sky above me. Sure enough, within about a minute I had a ASY male martin dive right down to my housing. I'm pretty sure it's the same male that started my colony last year, because he went straight to the same house and compartment he successfully nested in last year, which is the same compartment he tried to nest in in 2018 as a SY male. He spent the next couple hours checking out the new housing and then headed off, circling the sky and periodically checking back in! He showed up last year on March 27th, so he's about 3 weeks earlier than last year. So, I have a few questions for the more experienced on here....
I built a V-top trap a few weeks ago to catch sparrows and starlings. I caught a couple sparrows in my poultry brooder buildings, clipped their wings, and put them in the trap to act as decoys. This worked well, as I've been averaging about 3 sparrows a day since getting it out there. There's a place behind the barn where the sparrows tend to congregate, and that's where I put it. My concern now is hawks. The last couple days, I've had a sharp shinned hawk attacking the trap trying to get to the sparrows. The trap is about 80 yards from my martin housing. Is this going to be a problem? I was reading a post yesterday, and someone was talking about how martin's behavior will change with constant hawk attacks. I don't want to be drawing in hawks and terrorizing the martins on a daily basis. I'm also thinking that this could possibly help, as the hawks might be inclined to try to attack the sparrows since their out in the open and appear to be an easy meal. Any thoughts??
Secondly, when it comes to snake control, I think I'm going to try electric fencing instead of a pole guard and netting. I've seen snakes get around and through some crazy things, and I just don't trust it. My thinking is to wrap the bottom 3 or 4' of pole in plastic pvc, then wrap wire in varying degrees of tightness up the pole 3.5'. Will this work? I've never seen any post on here about electric fencing for snake control, but I would think this would work great. Has anyone ever done this?
Lastly, the 10 day forecast shows for temps in the 50's with chances of rain. Do you think I need to supplemental feed? I don't currently have any way to feed by means of the pole and pan system, but I'm thinking if need be I could just take crickets and meal worms and put some in each of the compartments, and any returning martins could get an easy meal within the housing. Would this work....has anyone tried this?
Any thoughts or advice would be appreciated!
First arrival, predator control, and supplemental feeding....
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TravisF
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 4:37 pm
- Location: Missouri
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 SY pair, were not successful in nesting
2019 4 pairs. Learned the hard way the importance of predator/pest control. Lost a few eggs to sparrows and lost an entire nest of babies to a black snake. Stepped up sparrow control and installed electric snake guards. Fledged 12
2020 35 cavities offered. 31 pairs with 27 pairs nesting. Fledged 113
2021 69 cavities offered. Another big jump with 61 pairs nesting. Totaled 291 eggs and fledged 274. Almost all the losses were from capped eggs with two chicks dying in the nest from unknown causes. Plan to have 113 cavities available in 2022.
2022 Offered 98 cavities. Jumped up to 83 nesting pairs. Had 3 nests with 7 eggs, and one nest with 8 eggs. 437 total eggs laid and fledged 411. Thought my last chicks had fledged August 14th, but noticed a martin entering a gourd a few times late August. Lowered housing and had 3 young martins probably 2 weeks old. Last fledging on Sept. 7.
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3792
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
If your forecasted temps are in the 50's they should be able to feed. With martins that have never been fed before a lot of times it takes about 3 days of no feeding before they will take flipped food. Even if it rains most of the day, if it stops for an hour or so and you see them take off they should be good. If the weather is bad enough that you don't see them flying on the third day I would get to a pet store and buy some crickets. I had to do this last year for the first time ever and it only took them a couple minutes to catch on and start eating the flipped crickets.
2026 HOSP 29
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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TravisF
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 4:37 pm
- Location: Missouri
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 SY pair, were not successful in nesting
2019 4 pairs. Learned the hard way the importance of predator/pest control. Lost a few eggs to sparrows and lost an entire nest of babies to a black snake. Stepped up sparrow control and installed electric snake guards. Fledged 12
2020 35 cavities offered. 31 pairs with 27 pairs nesting. Fledged 113
2021 69 cavities offered. Another big jump with 61 pairs nesting. Totaled 291 eggs and fledged 274. Almost all the losses were from capped eggs with two chicks dying in the nest from unknown causes. Plan to have 113 cavities available in 2022.
2022 Offered 98 cavities. Jumped up to 83 nesting pairs. Had 3 nests with 7 eggs, and one nest with 8 eggs. 437 total eggs laid and fledged 411. Thought my last chicks had fledged August 14th, but noticed a martin entering a gourd a few times late August. Lowered housing and had 3 young martins probably 2 weeks old. Last fledging on Sept. 7.
The only time I would have time to even try flipping crickets or mealworms would be on the weekends. That's why I was thinking I could just put some crickets or mealworms in the compartments, and they could just feed at leisure within the compartments. It's just a thought, and maybe it wouldn't work. Has anyone tried this?
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Whippy
- Posts: 1023
- Joined: Thu Jan 19, 2017 11:15 pm
- Location: Plano, Texas
- Martin Colony History: See Signature
I've seen a guy on youtube place meal worms on the porches but not inside the cavity. As soon as he put the racks back up, they landed and started feeding. I'm trying to find the link to the video.
Found it. Bird Man Mel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-hBWkmOI_s
I've also read of other landlords doing the same just never heard of any being fed inside.
Coolwhips.
Found it. Bird Man Mel. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u-hBWkmOI_s
I've also read of other landlords doing the same just never heard of any being fed inside.
Coolwhips.
2016 - many visitors
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
2017 - 1 pair, 3 fledged
2018- 2 pair, 12 fledged
2019 - 4 pair, 21 fledged
2020 - 15 pair, 67 fledged
2021 - 29 pair, 117 fledged
2022 - 35 pair, 130 fledged
2023 - 43 pair, 196 fledged
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Brad Biddle
- Posts: 523
- Joined: Wed Feb 17, 2016 6:22 pm
- Location: Marshall County AL
I’ve used electric fencing for a predator guard for probably 15 years. I can post some pictures of my set up if you’d like. I have a couple different set ups. I used 3/4” pvc conduit stacked around the base of the pole on a few racks. I glued a short piece of pvc to the top and bottom of each piece to use as a spacer to keep from having to stack the pieces solidly. So I have a piece of pvc, a gap, a piece of pvc, a gap, and so on. I hold the pvc permanently in place with stainless steel hose clamps. I wrapped electric fence wire around the door pvc starting at the bottom up to the top, then wrapped it back to the bottom. It has a cross-cross pattern. Tie the ends to the hose clamp. I used direct bury electric fence wire to run it from the fence to the poles. Until last season when my dad had unhooked it without my knowledge, I had never had a snake attack. Once I hooked it back up, I had no more snake attacks. That tells me it will stop them cold. Since that snake had already destroyed 3 nests, it would have continued to do so if it could have gotten past the guards. Our fencer has an 8 joule output. It’s the one we use for our cattle fencing.
Martin landlord since 2003. Currently offering 162 plastic gourds with tunnels, all with Conley II entrances with the Lewis modification. I have 24 Supergourds and the rest are Troyer Horizontals.
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TravisF
- Posts: 34
- Joined: Sun May 26, 2019 4:37 pm
- Location: Missouri
- Martin Colony History: 2018 1 SY pair, were not successful in nesting
2019 4 pairs. Learned the hard way the importance of predator/pest control. Lost a few eggs to sparrows and lost an entire nest of babies to a black snake. Stepped up sparrow control and installed electric snake guards. Fledged 12
2020 35 cavities offered. 31 pairs with 27 pairs nesting. Fledged 113
2021 69 cavities offered. Another big jump with 61 pairs nesting. Totaled 291 eggs and fledged 274. Almost all the losses were from capped eggs with two chicks dying in the nest from unknown causes. Plan to have 113 cavities available in 2022.
2022 Offered 98 cavities. Jumped up to 83 nesting pairs. Had 3 nests with 7 eggs, and one nest with 8 eggs. 437 total eggs laid and fledged 411. Thought my last chicks had fledged August 14th, but noticed a martin entering a gourd a few times late August. Lowered housing and had 3 young martins probably 2 weeks old. Last fledging on Sept. 7.
That's great, Whippy. Thanks for sharing that link! I actually just put up a new lonestar goliad house, and I was thinking that the porches would work great as little feed trays they way they're made. He did make mention of how he will place mealworms inside the housing as well sometimes, so I guess worst case scenario, I could try both and possibly have success!
Brad, I would love to see some photos of the setup you use for the fencing around your poles. It sounds pretty similar to what I had in mind, but seeing it from someone who's had success with it would be great. I plan to dedicate a fencer to this project, because I'm nervous about my father doing the exact same thing! We've got this one particular fencer that will absolutely put you on your a--! It is HOT. I'm going to change it out for one of the spares we have and use it for the snake control.
Thanks guys....all advice is appreciated!
Brad, I would love to see some photos of the setup you use for the fencing around your poles. It sounds pretty similar to what I had in mind, but seeing it from someone who's had success with it would be great. I plan to dedicate a fencer to this project, because I'm nervous about my father doing the exact same thing! We've got this one particular fencer that will absolutely put you on your a--! It is HOT. I'm going to change it out for one of the spares we have and use it for the snake control.
Thanks guys....all advice is appreciated!
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Sharon - Central TX
- Posts: 696
- Joined: Sun Feb 08, 2004 9:20 pm
- Location: Central TX
- Martin Colony History: All Troyer Horizontal Gourds with Conley Entrances
PMCA Member since 2004
We put electric wiring on our poles after my husband got tired of cutting snakes out of the netting. That was about 5-6 years ago and we haven’t had any snakes since. I realized how effective it was when I watched a squirrel run over with the intent of trying to go up the pole. As soon as he touched the wires he literally did a backflip and took off for parts unknown 
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Your upcoming weather doesn’t sound like anything to worry about. We’ve had the same here and the birds manage to get out every possible chance to feed.
. Your upcoming weather doesn’t sound like anything to worry about. We’ve had the same here and the birds manage to get out every possible chance to feed.