Frustration at an all-time high!

[BillieJR]

I just have to get this off my chest! I know you all will understand better than anyone else I could tell.

I've been trying to keep control of the sparrows, starlings and wrens who think my vacant gourds are a good place for them to hang out and take over. Thankfully I haven't seen a starling in over a week. (I hope I didn't just jinx myself!) There is a male sparrow who is trying to attract a female that has constantly sitting on the perches singing his heart out for about 3 days now. Every time I go out onto my deck - he flies off - then of course he returns - and it's a constant rerun of me scaring him off, him returning, etc. If he would start taking nesting material into one of the gourds, I could trap him but no - he just sits and calls for a mate! (Those of you who know me know I don't own a gun let alone know how to use it so shooting them is out of the question - but I am really good at trapping them.) Then there is this wren who thinks it needs to attract a mate who is singing at the top of his lungs and is carrying sticks into one of the gourds. For a little bird as they are - they sure are loud!!! Now - we have plenty of wren houses here and the neighbors, too. There's definitely no lack of wren houses. I finally went out this morning and put the trap on the gourd the wren is putting sticks in. I don't plan to hurt the wren. Just scare the crap outta him!!! Maybe he'll leave the gourds alone. Maybe! Well, I also have a pair of Northern Rough-winged Swallows that nest here, every year, in a drain pipe that's about 100 feet or more away from the gourds and they have never ever ever bothered the gourds or any martin visitors. The don't even hang out near the gourds. Plus - we have bluebirds around and they never bother the gourds or the visiting martins - they only sit on the perches while hunting for food and then they fly off. Except for this morning when I look out and see a male bluebird checking out a couple of the gourds!!! Well..........I happen to look out about an hour or so ago and saw a martin flying around the gourds while the wren was out there, the sparrow was out there and the bluebird was out there. Naturally I'm overly excited to see a martin visiting cuz I haven't seen one in a couple days. Well, lo and behold, the Northern Rough-winged swallows that NEVER go near the gourds or bother any birds of any kind - they chase the purple martin off!!! I couldn't believe my eyes!

I am so beyond frustrated right now. I'm near ready to give up and let them win. :(

[C.C.Martins]

Oh boy! Getting it from all the feathered creatures, the sparrow is trying to attract a mate, the wren filling every cavity it sees with sticks and that dang swallow chase off a prospective martin tenant!

Well heck. Sparrow isn't giving you a chance. Does he go in? Even for a second? Maybe if he's going in and ill bet he is, put a glue trap in there. I did that last year to get a dang sparrow at our satelite site. (He did not ever attract a mate), I reduced the hole and put in a trap. It was on the other side from where I was able to watch the gourds...I swear he went in! I was so happy, lowered the gourds and the glue trap was all jacked up. I think he went in and got stuck briefly. Never saw him again though.

Maybe just let him get fixated on that gourd, reduce the hole, get a fake egg and put it smack in the center of the glue trap. Insert the glue trap and watch. Hopefully he sees an egg in HIS gourd and pounces....onto the glue. Trim the edges, buy one of the black ones, that egg will stand out. I don't like glue traps actually but dislike sparrows more.

I can feel the frustration! I don't know what the heck to do about wrens and the swallow.....
Hope this helps you!
Tom

[brent]

Hi. Hardly a thing you can do about the Rough winged swallow, the Wren or the Bluebird. They’re protecting their territory. I put up a Bluebird nest box and the Bluebirds never go to the martin houses to nest. Try to trap that house sparrow. Frustrating no doubt. You have a big challenge. I think that if you’ve had martins in the past you’ll have them again. The season is just starting for you. Good luck. Brent

[flyin-lowe]

I can't remember if you have any martins at all or not? (too many people on here for my little brain to remember....) It is getting late enough in the season my advise would be to close off any cavities that don't have martins in them. If that means all of them then that is what I would do. If you happen to get a visitor you could open a sport or two.

[Birdiegirl]

Hi BillieJR,

You sure live in a very birdie place! Sounds like you enjoy lots of different species. But I get it- there's just nothing like wanting martins sooooo badly. It's quite a roller coaster- a high when they visit briefly and then a low if they don't stick around. Your frustration is understandable. I am just in my second year, and believe me I understand. I suspect that every landlord on here remembers the angst of getting started. But the fact that you're seeing them is a good thing, so hang in there.

Flyin-lowe has a good suggestion- you could close off the apartments to deter that pesky wren, and then keep watch and open a few cavities if martins stop by. But definitely keep your housing up. My first year I had no takers for nesting, but later in the season (after there were HY birds flying), I had several martins visit and inspect my site. In fact, for about a week I had daily visitors mid-day. They didn't always land on the housing, but instead would perch on the powerlines overlooking my boxes. One day late in the season (August) I counted THIRTY on the lines. THIRTY- I could hardly believe it! It seemed like birds from nearby colonies were just touring the area, maybe showing the HYs around . I can't prove it of course, but I suspect that a few of those visitors (HYs or unsuccessful breeders?) remembered by site because I had my first takers/nesters the following spring. Please don't give up!

[BillieJR]

Thank you, everyone, for your words of encouragement and your suggestions of what I could try to do. I really appreciate your opinions and ideas.

I haven't seen the wren or the sparrow all day yesterday and not today yet either - altho it's raining this morning so that might be deterring them from sitting and singing in the rain. I am hoping they have moved on after not finding success. I put the trap on the gourd that the wren had been putting sticks in on Monday and, while it went in and out several times while I was watching, it never managed to get the trap door to fall down over the hole. I had to remove it early Monday evening because I had to be gone for a couple hours and didn't want to risk a martin get stuck in the gourd, and I haven't put it back on since I didn't see it all day yesterday and so far this morning. But I have it handy if I need it again.

I know it's a long shot but I'm just praying the sparrow and wren are singing up a storm at a different location, never to be seen at my gourds again. lol! I can dream, right?

Thanks again!!

[birdman in buckhead]

Hi Billie - I'm sorry to hear about your bird problems. It really is frustrating at times trying to be a purple martin landlord, but when successful it's a huge payoff!! Don't give up!

BTW - You may have mentioned it before and I missed it, but have you had martins breed at your place in the past?

[BillieJR]

Hi Terry - thanks - and yes - I have had them several years back. So I do for sure know the joy - and I want that joy again. lol! I wish I knew back then, what I know now, about how to take better care of them from predators cuz I think that's why they left and never came back. I always did nest checks on them, took care of the mite problems, etc. But I didn't know about predator protection - that was before the internet and social media - where there is so much information and knowledge to be had now. And that was also before gourds were such a big thing. Times sure have changed.

Thanks for the pep talk. I appreciate you reaching out and reminding me why I'm putting myself thru this misery and disappointment. I'm trying to keep my eye on the prize.

[Rick B]

Billie ,

Not sure what kind of gourds and trap you are using, but you can tape off some of the entrance that a martin cannot fit in. Just keep it open enough that a sparrow can fit.
And yea it can be very frustration watching other birds chase away your visiting purple martins. I remember watching hummingbirds chasing after SY martins !

Rick

[BillieJR]

Rick - hummingbirds? Wow - those little things are braver than their size!!! I bet you couldn't believe your eyes!