It's been a while since I've been on the forum. I'm still in the martin landlord business, just been busy.
I've had it pretty easy until now, only issues I've run into are losing fledglings jumping too early due to mite infestations(sevin changed their formula from carbyl to bifenthrin, I won't use it anymore), and 1 snake. That's it. Oh, and the hard freeze of February 2020? Or 2021 was it? I lost 45 martins in total back then.
But, now I've got an owl problem. He's knocked a gourd right off my rack before the martins started nesting several weeks ago. Then I caught the owl perched on top of my house the other morning waiting on martins to leave the gourds.
I hear him every night when I let my dog outside. He's close, I'm certain he's stalking my colony of 28 nests, and now I'm worried if I don't convince Mr. Owl to move on I will loose my colony. Too much predation pressure might cause my colony to find a safer place to call home. That saddens me, as my colony rebounded very quickly after the freeze wiped out all of my adult martins, including my founding pair.
I'm back up to mostly adults with a few juveniles mixed in.
I'm not certain that Mr owl has been successful, although I assume he has, since it's been a few weeks and he's still around.
I just ordered a few of those night guards with the blinking red lights, they are sold as predator guards. Not sure they will work, but we'll see.
Does anyone know if these products actually work? Or if anyone has any input, or suggestions, I would love to hear them. I'm really frustrated with this one.
Owl attacks at night
Unfortunately building a cage around your housing from wire with 2”X4” holes is the only way to stop the great horned or hoot owl from taking your Martins.
i bought a 100’ roll of 5’ wire and added it to the housing with an open space of a foot between the cage and the gourds and he can’t touch the gourds. Nobody sleeps on the wire, they fly through the wire and land on their porch. After years the owl has finally moved on.
I had dealt with them for years and tried radios, lights but the owl wasn’t deterred. You can buy a game camera from Academy for $40.00 and watch the owl come night after night. In my case he would land on the porch and best the gourds with his wings until he was successful.
i bought a 100’ roll of 5’ wire and added it to the housing with an open space of a foot between the cage and the gourds and he can’t touch the gourds. Nobody sleeps on the wire, they fly through the wire and land on their porch. After years the owl has finally moved on.
I had dealt with them for years and tried radios, lights but the owl wasn’t deterred. You can buy a game camera from Academy for $40.00 and watch the owl come night after night. In my case he would land on the porch and best the gourds with his wings until he was successful.
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
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- Posts: 2081
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2023, 81 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 106 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and 4 modified deep trio metal house units, 1 fallout shelter, owl cages around all units. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook. Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
I used 4x4 inch mesh sized goat fencing. Martins enter and exit with ease; but the owl cannot breach the 4x4 mesh.
Mite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.
If you search through Google a barred owl nest box uses a 3&1/2” entrance.
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
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- Posts: 229
- Joined: Wed Feb 10, 2016 9:22 am
- Location: Highland Village, TX
- Martin Colony History: 2022 - visitors, 2023 - visitors
So what do you use for mites now if you don't use sevin?
My pronouns are God, guns, liberty, constitution, family.
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- Posts: 157
- Joined: Wed Apr 29, 2020 6:42 pm
- Location: Fernandina Beach FL
- Martin Colony History: 34 Cavities offered.
24 unit gourd rack with Troyer Horizontal and Vertical Gourds. Sunset Inn aluminum house with 4 Troyer Horizontal Gourds.
2020- 1 pair, 4 eggs, fledged 3
2021- 3 pair, 15 eggs, fledged 8
2022- 5 pair, 26 eggs, fledged 21
2023- 10 pair, 53 eggs, fledged 27
PMCA Member
The replacement for the old Sevin with carbaryl I’ve seen people using can be gotten on Amazon. SOUTHERN AG Carbaryl 5% Dust.
I still have some of the old Sevin but will be trying that once I run out.
Phil
I still have some of the old Sevin but will be trying that once I run out.
Phil
PMCA member
Fernandina Beach, FL
Fernandina Beach, FL
If you search on Google you can still buy the 5% Sevin dust, for now.
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
-
- Posts: 2081
- Joined: Tue Nov 25, 2003 2:02 pm
- Location: Iowa / Nevada
- Martin Colony History: In 2023, 81 pair with 350 fledged youngsters. 106 total cavities available, 82 Troyer Horizontal gourds and 4 modified deep trio metal house units, 1 fallout shelter, owl cages around all units. Martin educator and speaker. President and founder of the Iowa Purple Martin Organization. Please visit Iowa Purple Martin Organization on Facebook. Emails send to [email protected]. Subject line include Iowa Purple Martin.
Barred owl breach 3 1/2 inch mesh. Great Horned owl I use 4 x 4 inch mesh.
Mite control, heat venting, predator protection and additional feeding during bad weather add up to success.