Hi ya'll,
First of all I would like to say we have a very persistent sparrow building a nest in the back of our set-up in one of the gourds. We have taken the nest out several types with eggs included (I know that is not good) but I can't get a shot @ him since he is in the back. We have a sparrow trap on the ground with lots of building materials but as of yet he hasn't even went to that area for the nesting materials. I am @ my wit's end to get rid of the sparrow.
We have had several very late nesting in Helotes and in fact today I check and there were two new babies born. I cannot believe it but it is true -- the latest I have seen. I sure hope they make it through this heat.
Any suggestions on that pesty sparrow.......
Thanks and have a Blessed Day,
Sheryle
Very smart sparrow...HELP/---Also new babies in JUne
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Ken&Sheryle - TX
- Posts: 649
- Joined: Fri Jan 02, 2004 2:21 pm
- Location: Helotes/Texas
Martin's Rule!!!!!!!!!
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Guest
Hey Sheryle,
Sorry to hear of your $%(!! sparrow,,,,they are wiley!!!!! GRRRRRRRR
Do you have one of those traps for gourds? Is it a SuperGourd? There is a trap you can use. I bought mine from the PMCA.
I hope your new babies fledge o.k.......I am having a surprise myself!!! I've got a female that recently showed up, started building a nest, and my nest check on Sunday showed 4 eggs!!!!!! NOT what I wanted to see, so late in the season. My last nest fledged on Friday June 24th, so all my martins are slowly going their own way........
Anyway,,,good luck with that pesky sparrow!!!
Sorry to hear of your $%(!! sparrow,,,,they are wiley!!!!! GRRRRRRRR
Do you have one of those traps for gourds? Is it a SuperGourd? There is a trap you can use. I bought mine from the PMCA.
I hope your new babies fledge o.k.......I am having a surprise myself!!! I've got a female that recently showed up, started building a nest, and my nest check on Sunday showed 4 eggs!!!!!! NOT what I wanted to see, so late in the season. My last nest fledged on Friday June 24th, so all my martins are slowly going their own way........
Anyway,,,good luck with that pesky sparrow!!!
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Hi Sheryle and Angela.
I need one of those SuperGourd traps. I need a trap for a Troyer Horizontal, too.
We have a late nest in Alvin, as well. Their projected fledge date: July 20. This has been a very peculiar season. Our temps have been running in the low to mid 90's; but dropping to 73-74 at night. We had an afternoon thunderstorm today - that should help. The area counties are beginning to post burn bans.
Keep us posted on how the late, little ones do.
I need one of those SuperGourd traps. I need a trap for a Troyer Horizontal, too.
We have a late nest in Alvin, as well. Their projected fledge date: July 20. This has been a very peculiar season. Our temps have been running in the low to mid 90's; but dropping to 73-74 at night. We had an afternoon thunderstorm today - that should help. The area counties are beginning to post burn bans.
Keep us posted on how the late, little ones do.
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Hi Sheryle,
I have on occassion when dealing with an unwanted sparrow nest used a glue trap to catch the sparrows. The secret to this is to leave their nest in the gourd which should encourage the martins not to enter. Stick the glue trap right down the tunnel in the sparrow nest toward the egg bowl and be capable of monitoring the gourd to make sure nothing else is around to enter. If they have a nest and are egg laying you should catch both relatively quick. Try to avoid times when a lot of martins are around--early in the morning and late in the evening. The sparrows should be most active late morning/early afternoon when most of the martins are out feeding.
I have on occassion when dealing with an unwanted sparrow nest used a glue trap to catch the sparrows. The secret to this is to leave their nest in the gourd which should encourage the martins not to enter. Stick the glue trap right down the tunnel in the sparrow nest toward the egg bowl and be capable of monitoring the gourd to make sure nothing else is around to enter. If they have a nest and are egg laying you should catch both relatively quick. Try to avoid times when a lot of martins are around--early in the morning and late in the evening. The sparrows should be most active late morning/early afternoon when most of the martins are out feeding.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
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Guest
I tried the glue trap once and the sparrows just added more nesting on top of it. Not sure if it was the brand or what but I think they just didn't weigh enough to stick.
It is true that once a sparrow gets a nest going that a PM will not enter. This is the only time that I would ever try a trap such as the glue or....the other mouse one that goes snap. But still, this is a high risk action.
One side note: This year I did have a pesky sparrow on the back side of my house who I could not shoot or trap. I would tear his nest out one afternoon only to find it built again with an egg the next afternoon.
It is true that once a sparrow gets a nest going that a PM will not enter. This is the only time that I would ever try a trap such as the glue or....the other mouse one that goes snap. But still, this is a high risk action.
One side note: This year I did have a pesky sparrow on the back side of my house who I could not shoot or trap. I would tear his nest out one afternoon only to find it built again with an egg the next afternoon.
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LarryL-MN
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:08 pm
- Location: Minnesota/Brainerd
- Martin Colony History: Built first house in 1972 and have had Martins ever since. Became an active landlord in 2002 after finding the PMCA web site.
I have had good luck on persistent sparrows using a Snap-E mouse trap. Leave the sparrow tunnel but have a little surprise for it on top of the eggs. You should be able to get both sparrows in a short period of time and then you can dispose of the eggs. These traps have a nice wide platform for the pests to step on. Good luck and happy trapping.
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John Kendall
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:36 pm
- Location: IN/Valparaiso
I am not sure why you can't get a shot.
If it is a problem with the sparrow seeing you and fleeing (yes, I have one such smart sparrow now, but I will get him), I suggest some type of blind and getting him on a nearby perch for a clean, safe shot.
You may need to put up a perch pole for him to use.
Just go to Menard's, get some 1/8" (I think) aluminum round and cut it to fit your set up. Attach with wood screws and you can buy simple antenna wire clips that is just a flat piece of metal with a screw hole and it makes a complete, rubber insulated 350 degree fit around the round aluminum rod. Very cheap.
Again, my apologies if you can't get back there. In my case, the back is in the lake, so it is only a perch shot that I can get from the front. Of course, he is in the lakeside housing.
I need to sight my bb gun in a little better, too. 5 kills this year, but, this one is smart.
If it is a problem with the sparrow seeing you and fleeing (yes, I have one such smart sparrow now, but I will get him), I suggest some type of blind and getting him on a nearby perch for a clean, safe shot.
You may need to put up a perch pole for him to use.
Just go to Menard's, get some 1/8" (I think) aluminum round and cut it to fit your set up. Attach with wood screws and you can buy simple antenna wire clips that is just a flat piece of metal with a screw hole and it makes a complete, rubber insulated 350 degree fit around the round aluminum rod. Very cheap.
Again, my apologies if you can't get back there. In my case, the back is in the lake, so it is only a perch shot that I can get from the front. Of course, he is in the lakeside housing.
I need to sight my bb gun in a little better, too. 5 kills this year, but, this one is smart.
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Guest
I have caught sparrows with glue traps...mainly I have been trying to protect my bluebirds. I put up about 5 or so bluebird houses. the sparrows want all of them. I keep pulling any nesting material out of the one the bluebirds seem to be interested in. I let the sparrows "get settled in" in the other houses. Then I put in the glue traps if I am sure the bluebirds have settled on the house they want and have started to build a nest there. glue traps work great.
I have tried putting them into the t-14 martin cavities (in years when I didn't have martins) to try to catch them. I would closely monitor the holes, but never caught them in the t-14 that way. they would not enter the compartment if they saw the glue trap there. So I gave up on putting it in the t-14 ....they wouldn't walk on it....sometimes would hop over it to the back were there nest was. but in the bluebird house they just "fall" down onto the trap.
of course, right now I have a sparrow that is ignoring all my traps and extra bluebird houses were I could trap him.
sharon
I have tried putting them into the t-14 martin cavities (in years when I didn't have martins) to try to catch them. I would closely monitor the holes, but never caught them in the t-14 that way. they would not enter the compartment if they saw the glue trap there. So I gave up on putting it in the t-14 ....they wouldn't walk on it....sometimes would hop over it to the back were there nest was. but in the bluebird house they just "fall" down onto the trap.
of course, right now I have a sparrow that is ignoring all my traps and extra bluebird houses were I could trap him.
sharon