Wisconsin folks chime in!

[MY FYN 79]

Curious how the season is going for other folks in Wisconsin. I saw a scout at my remote location on April 21st and nothing since. No Martin sightings at our house yet. I have seen Martins at a couple colonies I know of in the area. So easy to start getting antsy.

Thanks!

[Dave Duit]

i there. It looks like you have been trying for three years. My guess is that the scouts you are seeing are visitors from a nearby colony. Continue to try attracting martins to start your colony; the SY second year martins will most likely be the first to start your colony. Read up on things such as how to attract martins in the education download section of this website.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

I'm SE Wisconsin and have been trying for more years then I can count ... I have had a couple visit on 5/15 and then again a couple visit on 5/20. nothing since ... still playing dawn song in hopes of something starting this year yet.

Wishing you the best of luck

[MY FYN 79]

Thanks.

I’m playing dawn song early then daytime chatter the rest of the day until dark at our house. The remote site I just put up the pole and gourds too see what happens. The remote site is property that should be a martin paradise. On a creek, very open spaces etc.

Been trying at our house since 2019, fingers still crossed this is the year.

Good luck folks!

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Good luck Chilton WI, I feel I also have a super ideal place with selection of gourds and large cavity houses and wide open spaces. Keep us updated if you have any success or not in the next month. I will do the same

[MY FYN 79]

Sounds great!

Always curious when the neighbors are seeing their first birds.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

I have a fellow hanging around for the last several days ... hope he finds a friend !!

[MY FYN 79]

Ironically we did have our first visitors Friday afternoon.

Weather has been poor over the weekend, minimal sightings after Friday afternoon. So they do at least know where the housing is.

Any luck on your end?

[SE Wisc hopefull]

That's great news ... success on this end also. I have a male SY and a Female hanging around and looks like they will settle on a gourd. They have been hanging around for the last 3 days, so it seems like a stick ... fingers crossed.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

could be the year

[MY FYN 79]

Very exciting, happy for you!

Good luck, hope they stick around. No sightings here the last couple days, fingers crossed we see some action again.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Looks like at least one couple is sticking. they are nest building. I do have several other SY birds coming and going, so will be interested to see if more stick. Any luck on your end?

[MY FYN 79]

Glad to hear it sounds like this is your year!

We haven’t seen a Martin for almost a week now. With the absence of Martins, the picture shows who is trying to move in and we got in the van ert. Neat to see, but not when you’re trying to attract Martins. Gourds are closed again for now, waiting to see Martins to reopen.

[MY FYN 79]

Got some Martin activity again at home over the weekend!

Tree swallows came back too, but funny story. The tree swallow seems to have claimed the bluebird house I have up with the van ert to catch sparrows, so I pulled out the trap. What’s funny though (I think) is that the house wren also showed up who likes the bluebird house. So the wren and tree swallow are duking it out over the bluebird house and not the gourds. Think that’s a good thing to keep them preoccupied and away from the martins/gourds?

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Well that good, some action is always better than none. My pair has started nest building this morning, so looks like they are sticking around. I do have another SY Male that is also claiming a gourd, but so far he hasn't attracted a mate.

Glad to hear your HOSP management is paying off in many other ways also.

[MY FYN 79]

How's your progress?

I have a tough time identifying males and females, but we do have a pair thats been hanging around and sharing a gourd quite often. In fact, as we speak (10:03 PM) there is at least 1 Martin in the gourd still doing some tweeting. No nest building yet, so hoping that starts soon.

Unfortunately, once the Martins started going in gourds the HOSPs showed up and started roosting on the gourds. Got one in the Van Ert today and the pellet gun is sighted in, so we'll get to work.

This could be the year!!

[MY FYN 79]

First I saw of this. Fingers so crossed!!

[BillieJR]

I'm from the Monroe area which is about 10 miles north of the IL state line so I hope you don't mind my joining in your conversation. I used to have martins many years ago and then, one year, they just never returned. So I have been trying for years to get them back. In 2017 I put up our first gourd rack and only had visitors. I did have one fella stay for about a month but he eventually left- I think that was in 2019. In the mean time - I added 2 more gourd racks - hoping that maybe I would get the location that kept them here. Finally in 2023 I got a pair - an adult male and I don't know what age the female was - but they stayed and had 5 babies that fledged. They chose the last (3rd) rack I put up. FINALLY! They came the 2nd week of June. So while I was hopeful they would return this year - I also know the chances aren't good when you have only one pair. But he came back - chose the same gourd from last year. That was in the 3rd week of April. Had a female with him. I currently have - I think - 10 martins. 4 pair and not sure if the other 2 are a pair or 2 singles. I've been ecstatic with having that many. I know that's not many compared to others who have hundreds but I am satisfied to just have martins. I was thrilled last year with just one pair. You have to start somewhere, right? My biggest issue now, however, is there is a male sparrow that I can't seem to catch. My husband passed away and so I have nobody that can shoot the little pain the butt! I've tried trapping him - but he won't even go in the gourd then, when I have the trap on. He tries so hard to attract a mate. I had one earlier, too, when the martins first came - but he left for a couple weeks. I don't know if it's the same sparrow that was here earlier or not. The martins are trying to chase him off but he isn't the least bit afraid of them. Sometimes there are 2 and 3 martins at the same time with him on the ground and he just comes right back to the gourd he likes and goes inside. He's relentless!!! AND the first nest that was built had 5 eggs in it - all ended up being pecked. Then there was another pair that had 4 eggs and they, too, were pecked. There is a wren that now and then shows up - so it could be the wren doing it but I've been blaming the sparrow. We have a ton of wren houses in the neighborhood. And also bluebird boxes. Infact, I have a pair of wrens in one of our bluebird boxes right now. I have a trap on my T-14 that I only use now for trapping - and the wrens want that, too. I've trapped 2 or 3 sparrows in it this season but also a couple of wrens. The wrens are setting off the trap but somehow are either getting out of the hole cuz the trap door is down but nothing in it except a few sticks. It's really so frustrating. I just keep hoping the martins will chase off the sparrow and that he will leave once and for all. My neighbor is going to come over and take care of him when he gets back from vacation next weekend, if the sparrow is still here. He offered his gun to me but I know I wouldn't be able to hit the broad side of a barn so I'm not even going to try. There is another nest with 4 eggs in it - as of yesterday when I did nest checks. I pray they didn't get pecked, too. The first 5 eggs that were pecked - that pair made a new nest in a different gourd so I'm glad to see they are staying and trying again. I sure hope you all get martins. it's still plenty early for the young ones from last year to show up. So don't give up hope. Good luck!

[MY FYN 79]

By all means, feel free to jump in the conversation. The only reason I called out the Wisconsin folk was to hopefully get people with similar timing for Martin migration, nesting etc.

The other thing I like about these birds is the challenge and the stories everyone has about their journeys. Sparrows are a pain in the butt, I’ve had much better luck trapping them with van erts in bluebird houses than shooting them. I have a repeater trap we got almost 100 of them in a couple years ago, but less than 5 this year.

Good luck in Monroe, hopefully your neighbor can help take care of that hosp.

[SE Wisc hopefull]

Good news on my end, the pair has one egg in the nest this morning. I also have a couple other males working hard to attract more. There are visitors every morning ... this morning I counted 5. The males here go crazy and fly around with the visitors chirping like mad. Probably too late for more, but I'll take by first breeding pair!!!

Monroe - to your point I have one male HOSP that just showed up this weekend and is a real pain. I set up the trap in the house cavity he was building in and he just moved to another cavity. I've removed the cavity trap so I don't catch a PM by mistake. I also have two repeating traps out. so far no luck. I don't want to shoot him, because if I miss I will hit the house and my shot success rate is around 20%. Hit or miss it also freaks out the PMs. So far I have cleared 30 HOSPs this spring ... hoping I can make it 31 this week.

Anyways, after 30 years of trying off and on ... I finally have my first breading pair. So super excited.