Ok - so late afternoon I had either a SY male or ASY female show up (I can't tell the difference). I've had several brief visits this spring, but today she hung around for several hours. She took a shine to a gourd and hung on the porch going in and out and basking in the sun. I had the daytime chatter playing in the background, but as sunset approached I shut it down.
Then poof - she was gone. DID I MESS UP??? Does the daytime chatter confuse them once they are hanging out, or does it help them stick? Is the daytime chatter that important? So confused ... I play the dawn song and have decoys, but not sure where the experts fall on the importance of daytime chatter when your trying to start a colony?
Hey experts - did I screw this up?
Hi from SE Louisiana. I never had to play the dawn song but at the beginning of each season I have birds show up, circle, land, and then gone. And then they’re back to stay. I hope that is what’s happening at your sight. Good luck. Brent PS Keep playing the dawn song. I’ve read that it’s been successful for many landlords.
Brent
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Jones4381
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
- Location: Southwestern VA
- Martin Colony History: 2020- 0
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 30 pair-122
2025 54 Pair -178
Absolutely not. You can only offer your best, up to them to receive. Keep doing your best practices and good luck.
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu
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SE Wisc hopefull
- Posts: 93
- Joined: Mon May 30, 2022 7:57 pm
- Location: Kenosha County
thanks - so the visitor came back this morning and has been hanging around on a gourd all morning. Should i continue to play dawn song before sunrise and daytime chatter during the day? It funny, keeps chirping at the decoy.
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Mstan
- Posts: 159
- Joined: Tue Apr 16, 2024 7:52 pm
- Location: Missouri
- Martin Colony History: 2023- 2 racks. 24 gourds
2024- 2 racks.28 gourds. 100 fledged
2025- 3 racks. 24 gourds,6 chirpy nest.105 fledged.
I believe they will come back. It is hard to wait though. I believe the martins are looking for good landlords and it sounds like they found one. Enjoy your martins friend.
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millerjr88
- Posts: 25
- Joined: Mon May 09, 2022 8:41 am
- Location: Orwell, OH
- Martin Colony History: 2020 - 1 pair SY, 4 eggs, hatched and fledged only 1 due to a lone male SY that carried some of the eggs out of the nest.
2021 - 2 pair SY, fledged 7, 2 lone male SY
2022- 2 pair ASY, 3 pair SY, 22 eggs laid, hatched 19, fledged 16. Also one pair SY that nested but did not lay eggs.
2023- 13 pair, 60 eggs, fledged 47.
2024- 21 pair, 94 eggs, fledged 75.
Dawnsong is what originally attracted martins to my site but have not bothered with it since they became established. When I did use it I left it on all day long, only turning it off at night. I did not quit using it till I had martins staying for a week or so. Never seemed to bother them that dawnsong was playing all day long.
Also, a little tip on telling difference between SY males and females. Just going by color of chest/belly can be difficult. If you have a good pair of binoculars, look at the martin while he is facing you. On females a small area on the forehead right above the beak will always look light gray/whiteish (especially in bright sunlight) while SY males will be completely black/purple all over the head/forehead. This has been the easiest way for me to tell the difference. If you are just starting out and it is the first martin to show up it is likely a male as they are normally first to show up. Good luck attracting them, they are very interesting and amazing birds. Few things more enjoyable to me than spending an evening on the back patio watching the martins come and go and argue over who belongs in which cavity!
Also, a little tip on telling difference between SY males and females. Just going by color of chest/belly can be difficult. If you have a good pair of binoculars, look at the martin while he is facing you. On females a small area on the forehead right above the beak will always look light gray/whiteish (especially in bright sunlight) while SY males will be completely black/purple all over the head/forehead. This has been the easiest way for me to tell the difference. If you are just starting out and it is the first martin to show up it is likely a male as they are normally first to show up. Good luck attracting them, they are very interesting and amazing birds. Few things more enjoyable to me than spending an evening on the back patio watching the martins come and go and argue over who belongs in which cavity!
Daniel
Did they return? I’m in the same boat. Had visitors last year and first one this year visited a few days ago. He was clearly trying to get another PM to check out the place. He left and has not returned yet. I play dawn song all day and have a decoy.
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defed
- Posts: 281
- Joined: Fri Jun 03, 2016 8:50 pm
- Location: WNY
- Martin Colony History: :
2022 - 1 pair, 5E, 4H, 4F
2023 - 2 pair, 9E, 5H, 5F
2024 - 4 pair, 16E, 16H, 14F (2 more pair started nests but failed due to weather/loss of mate).
it can be tough to get that 1st pair....and even after that, it's not always a 'sure thing' the next yr. took me over 30 yrs to get my 1st pair (had more and more visitors until finally 1 stayed and found a mate). i thought i was all set, then the next yr, i don't think either of that pair made it back....so starting over. luckily, i got 2 pair. i think the ASY male was probably hanging around the previous yr. great, 2 pair and 3 or 4 single SY males...NOW i'm set! nope....don't think any of those 2 pair made it back, but again, an ASY male showed up, probably one of the singles from last yr. up to 6 pair this yr...so we'll see how it goes.