1st year....no martins.....too late now?

Hanaho01 · Tue Apr 20, 2021 10:21 am

Established sites near me have had martins now for several weeks. Is it to late at this point of possible martins at my new site in middle Tennessee? Still playing tape but no luck yet

brent · Tue Apr 20, 2021 12:02 pm

I would say it's not too late. I had 3 pairs of late nesters last year after I thought the season was over.
Brent

deancamp · Tue Apr 20, 2021 2:53 pm

Jhcox is in Tennessee and is reporting that he hasn't had any sy birds arrive yet. You still have time, keep playing the dawnsong and try to make your housing look lived in. I think decoys help also.

Hanaho01 · Tue Apr 20, 2021 5:01 pm

Thanks for replies. Will keep fingers crossed

jhcox · Wed Apr 21, 2021 8:47 am

That is correct I have not seen a single SY which is what will be starting your new colony. My Martins are very use to me now walking under the racks so I am able to get very close to them. And like I have sad I haven’t seen one yet. Also when you can get that close if you have a bird that you think might be an SY male you can listen to his song and listen for the distinct clicking song at the end which is a dead give away that it’s a SY male. Hope this helps. And the fact that there have only been 100 reports of SYs.

charlesgremillion · Fri Apr 23, 2021 4:09 pm

I'm in North Mississippi and I have had a couple of pairs and two single males come by and hang around for a few minutes ,but they eventually leave . I still have hope that they will return.

TNMartins · Fri Apr 23, 2021 5:43 pm

Hi - I'm in Middle TN too. We also have several small colonies nearby (within 2 miles) that have had birds for several weeks. Last year we only had visiting SY males for a couple weeks, so we're also starting from zero this year. An ASY pair showed up Tuesday AM this week. They must have stayed Monday night 4/19, because the ASY-M was sitting on the porch just after daybreak. They've come back each night this week, but you really have to be watching to see them. They arrive without a sound and go onto the same gourd just before sunset. Last night it was at 7:10pm. Sunset is 7:25.

Looking back at the past 4 years, I've seen the first Martin on 4/26 (2018 - pair stayed all summer, 5 fledged), 3/27 (2019 - May have been Tree Swallows on 3/27 which eventually kept Martins away), 4/18 (2020 - Tree Swallow problem again, only had visitors), 4/19 (2021 - ASY pair are staying overnights). It appears April 18-26 is prime time for a new colony around here. Tree Swallows showed up in late March again, but I had all cavities closed and they didn't stay. I didn't open any cavities until April 10.

I have 24 cavities and playing Dawnsong out of a 2nd story window sunrise to 6pm. I also have mirrors inside several cavities, mud smeared around the entry holes and 3 decoys. I've also shot multiple sparrows and starlings over the past few weeks. Make sure there are NO competing birds, especially English sparrows and Tree Swallows (which look like Martins if you aren't familiar with them). If Tree Swallows are around you have nearly zero chance of Martins staying. Keep your eyes peeled this week and next. You have until the end of May for them to show up. Note - If they come in at night - they will drop straight down extremely fast from high altitude and slip into a cavity silently.

Good Luck!