You folks seem to be most helpful so here goes with a question or so. I would appreciate some opinions, to ponder.
I bought a telescoping pole. What would be a good anchor or deadman system. The house is a Coats with sixteen rooms and four plastic gourds jury rigged below the first floor.
What constitutes as a good pole guard. We have squirrels, coon, and an occasional rattlesnake.
Will duct tape be satisfactory as an entry closure? And does one actually not open the house until one PM is seen investigating?
Am getting all my stuff together hoping to begin installing as soon as we thaw out.
NEWBE TRYING QUESTIONS
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
I will answer the pole guard part of your question.
The very best pole guard is an electric fence wrapped around the pole. It may cost about 30 to 40 dollars. They usually always stop the snakes & racoons.
The cheapest pole guard, one that I used for many years is a 4ft piece of pvc pipe going all the way to the ground. I use 8in pvc on my poles so it will cover the base, but 6in or 4in pvc would probably stop most rat snakes. Rat snakes have not gone up any of these poles in over 12 years. I have had a racoon climb 1, the racoons probably will try to climb if they find dead babies on the ground. If you police the area, then racoons usually do not climb the poles.
There are many pole guards on the market, most of them work most of the time but they are not guaranteed to work.
There are other homemade devices, netting, and stuff that people use, and they have reasonable good luck with them.
Pick what you wish, and hope for the best. I want to commend you for using a pole guard, they are badly needed
The very best pole guard is an electric fence wrapped around the pole. It may cost about 30 to 40 dollars. They usually always stop the snakes & racoons.
The cheapest pole guard, one that I used for many years is a 4ft piece of pvc pipe going all the way to the ground. I use 8in pvc on my poles so it will cover the base, but 6in or 4in pvc would probably stop most rat snakes. Rat snakes have not gone up any of these poles in over 12 years. I have had a racoon climb 1, the racoons probably will try to climb if they find dead babies on the ground. If you police the area, then racoons usually do not climb the poles.
There are many pole guards on the market, most of them work most of the time but they are not guaranteed to work.
There are other homemade devices, netting, and stuff that people use, and they have reasonable good luck with them.
Pick what you wish, and hope for the best. I want to commend you for using a pole guard, they are badly needed
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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TreeGreenwood
- Posts: 362
- Joined: Thu Apr 15, 2004 9:27 pm
- Location: Virginia/Catlett
Emil answered your questions on predator guards pretty well so I'll try to answer your other questions.docgipe wrote:... Will duct tape be satisfactory as an entry closure?
I think you'll find a majority that say duct tape is NOT a good entry closure. When removed, it leaves adhesive residue to which a Martin's feathers can stick. The adhesive residue also attracts dust and dirt. Scraping the residue away damages the surface finish of your house or gourds. Chemical adhesive removers leave a residue of their own.
For round entry holes, try the small 'bathroom-size' Dixie cups wedged into the holes. For SREH, slices of 'water-noodles' cut in half (those colorful foam things kids take into the pools and beaches). Half of a slice of watter-noodle fits tightly in a crescent SREH but is easy to remove and leaves no residue.
Ah, you're bound to get more comments on this one. I recommend opening your housing as soon as the Scout Reports indicate that ASY scouts have arrived in your area. While ASY birds show site tenacity and will return to the colony where they successfully raised young, there's always a chance that the old colony will be gone. When trying to establish a new colony, you don't want your housing closed up if an ASY male drops in to investigate; he may move on and never return. Personally, I consider the old advice to wait to open housing until SY males arrive obsolete. Others may (probably will) disagree.And does one actually not open the house until one PM is seen investigating?
There are reasons for keeping your housing closed. For example, if you're not around to control English House Sparrows and/or European Starlings.
Good luck. It can be a challenge. Even after the thaw, spring rains and high ground water can make setting in your poles a challenge.Am getting all my stuff together hoping to begin installing as soon as we thaw out.
Tree
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
I'll tackle a few more. I love duct tape, but don't use it to block entrance holes. It leaves a residue that can get on martins' feathers. Use clothes pins or stuff in a piece of foam rubber -- some folks uses pieces of "pool noodle," a swimming pool toy.
Re: mounting post. Coates sells a mounting post, if that's the pole you have. You also can mount the pole directly into concrete, but then will only be about 10 feet high.
Re: opening date. The PMCA recommends waiting to open new sites until sub adults are arriving -- probably late April well into May in PA. I'd opt for opening up a few holes a few weeks earlier, maybe all if you can watch closely for problems with other birds, or if you are in an area with a fair number of martins -- chance get pair of older birds a little earlier. This is a judgement call you'll need to make.
Good luck to you.
John Miller
Re: mounting post. Coates sells a mounting post, if that's the pole you have. You also can mount the pole directly into concrete, but then will only be about 10 feet high.
Re: opening date. The PMCA recommends waiting to open new sites until sub adults are arriving -- probably late April well into May in PA. I'd opt for opening up a few holes a few weeks earlier, maybe all if you can watch closely for problems with other birds, or if you are in an area with a fair number of martins -- chance get pair of older birds a little earlier. This is a judgement call you'll need to make.
Good luck to you.
John Miller
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Adam Romain
- Posts: 289
- Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 5:40 pm
- Location: Texas, Fulshear
And I'll tackle the issue of the pole. 
If you read a bit here on the forum, you will find that most people will warn you of the limitations of a telescopic pole. Although it is inexpensive and easy on the wallet, they can be a pain to use. Reports of heavy loads, pinched fingers, banged heads, and the most important, snapped poles with babies scattered or dead all have been shared here over the years. I can speak from experience that they have all these limitations and more.
Most here will recommend that you put most of your money/time into a strong pole/system and work out from there. I had two telescoping poles and have replaced both and could have save a bit of money and a lot of time and worry by going a different route. Just a few thoughts from my own experiences. You will find plenty of help here and good luck!!!
If you read a bit here on the forum, you will find that most people will warn you of the limitations of a telescopic pole. Although it is inexpensive and easy on the wallet, they can be a pain to use. Reports of heavy loads, pinched fingers, banged heads, and the most important, snapped poles with babies scattered or dead all have been shared here over the years. I can speak from experience that they have all these limitations and more.
Most here will recommend that you put most of your money/time into a strong pole/system and work out from there. I had two telescoping poles and have replaced both and could have save a bit of money and a lot of time and worry by going a different route. Just a few thoughts from my own experiences. You will find plenty of help here and good luck!!!
Adam
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Guest
Adam, John, Emil
Thank you, That gives me a bit to ponder. I have sponge rubber I can stuff. The pole guard will not be difficult to deal with. The pole is another story. I did get the so called extra heavy version. Would someone comment on how big, how much weight and/or how deep a deadman or anchor might make a good application. Based on comments so far it seems a piece, of pipe, set in concrete, to save the pole height makes sense. I do understand the pole needs to be pinned to maintain orientation.
SOME GOOD NEWS
Found a colony that had scout visits April 15 th.. of 2005 and an active colony, in 2004, less than a mile, from my back yard. In 2004 there was a mysterious wipe out that got the whole colony. The gentleman was so disgusted he did not open his apartments last spring. He is eighty years old. I am on a good flyway and have a fair chance, of having scouts visit.
Thank you, That gives me a bit to ponder. I have sponge rubber I can stuff. The pole guard will not be difficult to deal with. The pole is another story. I did get the so called extra heavy version. Would someone comment on how big, how much weight and/or how deep a deadman or anchor might make a good application. Based on comments so far it seems a piece, of pipe, set in concrete, to save the pole height makes sense. I do understand the pole needs to be pinned to maintain orientation.
SOME GOOD NEWS
Found a colony that had scout visits April 15 th.. of 2005 and an active colony, in 2004, less than a mile, from my back yard. In 2004 there was a mysterious wipe out that got the whole colony. The gentleman was so disgusted he did not open his apartments last spring. He is eighty years old. I am on a good flyway and have a fair chance, of having scouts visit.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Docgipe
I'll leave mounting comments to others.
Do learn from my mistakes regarding orientation of this pole. Mark the pole or house so you can keep it oriented. In turning the pole to find the factory orientation marks on the pole, it's easy to get the house turned in the opposite direction and not notice -- which would be disaster for nesting birds.
I must stay off here now and get my houses ready for spring!
John Miller
I'll leave mounting comments to others.
Do learn from my mistakes regarding orientation of this pole. Mark the pole or house so you can keep it oriented. In turning the pole to find the factory orientation marks on the pole, it's easy to get the house turned in the opposite direction and not notice -- which would be disaster for nesting birds.
I must stay off here now and get my houses ready for spring!
John Miller