New Member needs help

Guest · Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:24 pm

I have 2 martin condo's that I installed last year around the first of Jan. I was unable to draw any birds execpt unwanted birds I kept them run off for the most part and around the middle of April I noticed 2 Martins that was setting on the power lines that run to my house. They was there the next day but some sparrow's had started trying to build in them again so I lowered the houses and cleaned them out . Raised them back up but never saw the Martins again. A friend of mine said that I shouldn't put the houses up until I see Martin's in the area, I don't know anything about this and need all the help I can get please.
About my setup, I have double decker condo's with 6 rooms on each side they are about 25 feet apart and on 25 ft poles there are some plum trees around the back yard but they are only about 8 ft tall..
I live in North Alabama on the Alabama/Tennessee line just above Huntsville, If some of you could tell me when to raise the houses and what I may need to do I would apprecitate it.........................Thanks Randy

geneinmurphy · Tue Feb 14, 2006 5:58 pm

I would put them up now....they'll be in your area shortly! Also, be sure to add some gourds to help attract PM's....

jonkertb · Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:00 pm

Put 'em up....you'll never know what martins flew by and never bothered while they are down AND with them up you have a perfect opportunity to perfect your sparrow trapping methods!!
tom

John King · Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:05 pm

Randy, I am 1mile outside the limits and just east of I-65 and I started my gourd rack install today. It is still a little early as I did not have PM's until about the first of March and don't expctt them before that but a little early does not hurt.
If you are installing them now be sure to plug the holes until you see martens in the area as you will draw english sparrows and european starlings and you do nit want them. I try and shoot them any time i can.

For a world of Information goto http://home.earthlink.net/~chuckabare/
If you would like to talk with me about them send me e-mail at the address below. John King Athens, Al.

Guest · Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:07 pm

jonkertb:

You said profect my sporrow catching .......I didn't know I was suppose to catch them......Do I need to catch and kill'em or just keep them run off how about shooting them with a 22................

jonkertb · Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:12 pm

shooting works if you are a dead eye and can always be there but I find that shooting is best when they are "thinned out" and the trap is ALWAYS on duty!
Plus when you miss you have smarter sparrows but with the trap you have evidence in hand and great "seed" for the next guy!
I have much more success with trapping because once you get one he makes great bait and when you get enough you can make sparrow soup!!

Guest · Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:16 pm

What kind of trap do you use? Where can I get one ? Will shooting run off any Martins that might be in the area?

jonkertb · Tue Feb 14, 2006 6:25 pm

I've made all mine but one. I made small hardware cloth cages with plywood fronts and a trip door that fits in the cavities and has an 1 1/2 hole....keeps PM out and lets sparrows in. As soon as I get one in one of those I put it in the center compartment of the double sided one that PMCA sells and then let the games begin!!

check the PMCA

shophttp://shop.purplemartin.org/shopsite/purplem/media/ST1small.jpg

it works great with some string and grass in it and a sparrow in the middle!
it will catch a bunch and then you'll enjoy other birds in your area!
I haven't had a sparrow at my feeders all winter and haven't bothered trapping all winter but BUT I'm ready for the sparrow scouts as the season comes closer. When the PM get here I've gotten most of the sparrows

CraigMo. · Tue Feb 14, 2006 9:02 pm

I use a bb/pellet gun for shooting my sparrows and starlings and use the stp-1 trap from the pmca. I live in a little neighborhood so I don't use any gun bigger than my daisy. My martins usually don't mind when I shoot at the sparrows and starlings. I do have a cheap scope also, which has helped my accuracy at shooting. When you first get started, you will probably have to clean out sparrow nest daily. If you have the time you can do it twice a day. I use to do it around noon and then again toward late evenning so maybe the sparrow wouldn't stay there at night. I now just shoot and trap them. If they have time to build a nest then I clean it out. If you see a starling try kill it also. I think they are more destructive than sparrows. A sparrow can build a nest probably in less than half a day. Once you get a few martin pairs they will help you chase off the sparrows and starlings usually. I imagine you know this but your 22 will put a hole right threw the pm house, so make sure you have a clean shot. Starlings can wipe out a colony in 1 day. I have not seen this but people on the forum have. Both these bad birds can destroy the eggs and kill baby martins. If you have time I would look at everything on this web site to educate yourself. When you first pull up this web site , go to each section and read what you can. This will hopefully be my 4th active purple martin landlord and I still am learning things. Good Luck and ask away on this forum. Most people will help you with many different answers to the same question, then you got to figure out which one you want to try.

CUL Lou~Mich · Tue Feb 14, 2006 11:00 pm

Rrduckhnt. I hope you realize folks are referring to English House Sparrows, and European Starlings. These two are killers of PMs, Tree Swallows, Blue Birds, and other native birds. These two are the only ones you are allowed to kill. We have several kinds of Native Sparrows, so try to get a bird id book and make sure what you are after. As for the 22. You do realize it has killing power (of humans) up to at least one mile?? That means that someone a mile away could get killed by the projectile. That's why most folks use only a pellet gun. Now if you are out in the country, and know there isn't anyone close, then go ahead and use the 22. There are several traps one can buy at the button PMCA Shop above. Also in the Archives, down aways, there is the NB Compact trap, which isn't terrible hard to build, and it works pretty danged good. CUL Lou

jonkertb · Wed Feb 15, 2006 11:26 am

CUL
I guess that is another reason for my trapping preference.....song sparrows for the most part are not cavity nesters so when you get a sparrow in the trap it is almost always the right kind for sparrow soup!

Kyle Gregoire · Wed Feb 15, 2006 9:17 pm

Being vigilant with the european starlings and the english sparrows is a must whatever way possible. Learn these birds for proper identification and extermination. Starlings by the long pointy beak and the sparrow male has a chocolate shield on his chest. (for your target). A field manual really helps. And last year i played the dawnsong and chatter because i read in here that it was good and my sightings went from 17 birds from 1992 to 2004 to 280 bird sightings in 2005. It seemed to work really well. And this is northern Vermont!! Im really hoping for birds this year big time!! So good luck and happy martining.