I put up my NB Compact repeating trap about a week ago. It's set for starlings, and works perfectly with the weight of five quarters.
I have had NO customers yet. Does that sound right?
I have a new PM wooden house with SREH's about 50 - 60 feet away. No action, but did not expect any yet, since this is a new site.
Joe
No Starlings
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Guest
The starlings will have to be in your yard to see your box. If they are there and not being attracted add a little bread crumbs, to the bottom of the post area and maybe a few, on the trap roof. Then one bite at the door and one or two inside. All this is to move them closer to investigation your entry trap hole.
If they are not there....great. You are ready, for when they shift their attention, to your property.
If they are not there....great. You are ready, for when they shift their attention, to your property.
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Eddie McKnight
- Posts: 189
- Joined: Thu Dec 04, 2003 7:02 am
- Location: Moncks Corner, SC
I was thinking the same thing, as I just put my first tipping can repeating trap up two weeks ago. Really interested to see if it REALLY works. Then yesterday, I got home around 5 pm, and a very speckled, very mad, very sharp beaked scum bird was in the wire cage at the bottom of the PVC pipe cursing my chocolate lab like an old setting hen! He will never utter another word....... Was the first starling seen in several months....
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Donnie Hurdt MN
- Posts: 1723
- Joined: Sun Feb 15, 2004 11:14 pm
- Location: North Prairie, MN
Joe, count your blessings. Many people would like to have your luck.
PMCA member and Martin fanatic....
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows.
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest
2019 Same old story................
2011 A pair of subbies fledged three young but none returned in 2012
2015 One Pair of subbies came and stayed a few nits but got chased away by Bluebirds and Tree swallows.
2017 0ne pair of subbies nested and fledged 4 young
2018 Tree Swallows AGAIN chased away any martins that wanted to nest
2019 Same old story................
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Joe Zorn
Wow, thanks dhurdtMN
I will go back and sit down very quietly, and hope the starlings did not notice my commenting on their absence.
You are right. I have only seen one in my life, and hope I never get to meet another one.
I drove past a home on Highland Drive, near LSU about a week ago that had quite a PM colony setup. I stopped by, but no one was home. Everything was down close to the ground. Three or more gourd racks, two aluminum houses, a couple sets of feeders. Not a Starling trap in sight. Maybe I am indeed lucky.
Wonder who that was?
Joe
I will go back and sit down very quietly, and hope the starlings did not notice my commenting on their absence.
You are right. I have only seen one in my life, and hope I never get to meet another one.
I drove past a home on Highland Drive, near LSU about a week ago that had quite a PM colony setup. I stopped by, but no one was home. Everything was down close to the ground. Three or more gourd racks, two aluminum houses, a couple sets of feeders. Not a Starling trap in sight. Maybe I am indeed lucky.
Wonder who that was?
Joe
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Guest
joe, you do have starlings in your area! trust me!
these little black hemmorids abound here in south la.
i live in an area thick with them and they are not interested in nesting right now.
just wait, they will be showing themselvs soon.
look in the flocks of black birds around your area, you will see some short tailed black birds in the bunch with yellow beaks.
they are the targets! they are perching in tall trees and feeding along the ground right now, i have only seen a few bother to alter their flight path past my site to look and none are landing right now, just looking.
as soon as the weather warms a bit look out! they will become an issue.
keep the faith with the n-b trap and if you want to catch sparrows as well
set it's weight with 4 quarters, it works on mine and resets with no problem, ever.
c.d.
these little black hemmorids abound here in south la.
i live in an area thick with them and they are not interested in nesting right now.
just wait, they will be showing themselvs soon.
look in the flocks of black birds around your area, you will see some short tailed black birds in the bunch with yellow beaks.
they are the targets! they are perching in tall trees and feeding along the ground right now, i have only seen a few bother to alter their flight path past my site to look and none are landing right now, just looking.
as soon as the weather warms a bit look out! they will become an issue.
keep the faith with the n-b trap and if you want to catch sparrows as well
set it's weight with 4 quarters, it works on mine and resets with no problem, ever.
c.d.
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Joe Zorn
Starlings are seasonal. too? I read that they do migrate north for the spring and summer, and return to this area and further into Mexico and SAmerica for. But those powers that be, who track such things, have never gotten a pinpoint of just when they start this migration, or how far their range is.
I guess I was hopeing that The Starlings left our area and headed north while the martins were here.
See lots of Red Winged Black Birds here, but not any Starlings yet.
Going to drive down to Shriever tonight or in the morning, but then will be going west toward Patterson to visit my mother in a N.Home Sunday, then back to BR on Monday. Wish I had time to detour to Raceland. I would love to see your equipment. When I do, I will learn a lot!
Cold today, Huh, after the powerful and angry storms of the past 24 hours.
Joe
I guess I was hopeing that The Starlings left our area and headed north while the martins were here.
See lots of Red Winged Black Birds here, but not any Starlings yet.
Going to drive down to Shriever tonight or in the morning, but then will be going west toward Patterson to visit my mother in a N.Home Sunday, then back to BR on Monday. Wish I had time to detour to Raceland. I would love to see your equipment. When I do, I will learn a lot!
Cold today, Huh, after the powerful and angry storms of the past 24 hours.
Joe
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Joe Zorn
Tomorrow will be the second week that the starling trap has been up, and there has been no action on it. I lowered it yesterday just to make sure it was functioning. All is well. Just not many starlings here.
One day, probably last Tuesday, there were three starlings in the trees nearby. They showed a lot of interest in my little 3 room PM Townhouse. They were definitely working together, as when one flew, the other two went with it.
Occasionally, one would drop down to the martin house, and try to enter the SREH on the top floor of the three. As soon as he would try to stick his head in, another starling would attack it, and both would fall all the way to the ground, fighting. Then they'd both fly back up to the treetops with to where the third starling sat.
That happened about a half-dozen times in about 30 minutes, then my toy poodle came out with me (doggie door), and almost nabbed his supper. After that, I never saw the starlings again.
But in that whole time, they never paid the least attention to the trap, nearer to the trees, about 30 feet away, And it had a round hole.
CD, I read your post here, but are you CATCHING Starlings in Raceland right now? Steve, how about you up north a piece?
One day, probably last Tuesday, there were three starlings in the trees nearby. They showed a lot of interest in my little 3 room PM Townhouse. They were definitely working together, as when one flew, the other two went with it.
Occasionally, one would drop down to the martin house, and try to enter the SREH on the top floor of the three. As soon as he would try to stick his head in, another starling would attack it, and both would fall all the way to the ground, fighting. Then they'd both fly back up to the treetops with to where the third starling sat.
That happened about a half-dozen times in about 30 minutes, then my toy poodle came out with me (doggie door), and almost nabbed his supper. After that, I never saw the starlings again.
But in that whole time, they never paid the least attention to the trap, nearer to the trees, about 30 feet away, And it had a round hole.
CD, I read your post here, but are you CATCHING Starlings in Raceland right now? Steve, how about you up north a piece?
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Guest
the starlings are not interested at this point, i see them in almost every direction i look but neither starlings or sparrows are showing much interest in the housing or the trap.
this should be changing with the coming warming weather, once the wind dies down and the sun comes out be ready! they will get interested.
last year the starlings got very interested in nesting around the time the first few buds on the pecan trees came out.
C.D.
this should be changing with the coming warming weather, once the wind dies down and the sun comes out be ready! they will get interested.
last year the starlings got very interested in nesting around the time the first few buds on the pecan trees came out.
C.D.
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Guest
Joe, I just finished one of those traps myself, and put it up about 60 feet from my new T-14 with round holes. Its been up and down for a week, but I finally finished engineering it to death. I have harvested 2 of the dreaded yellow beaks.I actually saw one go in and down the pipe into the cage! I have been watching the house very closely and the starlings come every morning.They are very interested in the T14 and I observed them carrying nesting material in. I closed it up since I do not have a PM colony at this time. The rascals came back the next day and started occupying the aluminum house about 50 feet away. I lowered it and put a large plastic bag over it. This morning, I was sitting watching the morning news when I caught a glimpse of something fly over. I looked out and 5 of the bad guys were all over the T14.The only thing I have open now is the trap. I'm going to give them a few more days to get use to the trap before I break out the real starling eliminator!!! If you really want some starlings, I might be able to help you out!!Joe Zorn wrote:I put up my NB Compact repeating trap about a week ago. It's set for starlings, and works perfectly with the weight of five quarters.
I have had NO customers yet. Does that sound right?
I have a new PM wooden house with SREH's about 50 - 60 feet away. No action, but did not expect any yet, since this is a new site.
Joe
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Joe Zorn
dbroussard
Thank, Between you and CB down south of us, you have convinced me that my trap might still be in contention against the starlings. I have read so much about the starlings everywhere and plentiful, that I was worried that I was still be doing something wrong.
My little homemade 3-apartment townhouse isn't much, and it does have SREH's at the front. But, they too are home made, and may be a little off in the measurements, on the large side.
I actually got upset for that little Starling that kept trying to get into the top apartment, and getting attacked every time he stoop down to put his head into the SREH. I wanted to shoot the other guy, just so he could be left alone to try getting in. Don't have one of those shooters though.
Starling Eliminator? Whatcha got in mind? Feel free to email me.
CB, I don't have any pecan trees nearby to gage the starling arrival time, so I'll rely on you to watch yours to bud. But I can see that I am just early my anticipation. Guess I really should use my time to construct some sort of humane handling device for when they do start visiting.
Joe
Thank, Between you and CB down south of us, you have convinced me that my trap might still be in contention against the starlings. I have read so much about the starlings everywhere and plentiful, that I was worried that I was still be doing something wrong.
My little homemade 3-apartment townhouse isn't much, and it does have SREH's at the front. But, they too are home made, and may be a little off in the measurements, on the large side.
I actually got upset for that little Starling that kept trying to get into the top apartment, and getting attacked every time he stoop down to put his head into the SREH. I wanted to shoot the other guy, just so he could be left alone to try getting in. Don't have one of those shooters though.
Starling Eliminator? Whatcha got in mind? Feel free to email me.
CB, I don't have any pecan trees nearby to gage the starling arrival time, so I'll rely on you to watch yours to bud. But I can see that I am just early my anticipation. Guess I really should use my time to construct some sort of humane handling device for when they do start visiting.
Joe
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Guest
Joe, The bad guys showed up again this morning , right on time. I had gone out early and put a bunch of breadcrumbs around the trap. Well, they started fooling around there and one of them took the dive. Man,this is fun. My 4 yr. old grandson from Texas is coming in today. We built houses and traps together. He's gonna be pumped up for sure! Thanks for the correspondence.
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Joe Zorn
Your trap is fancier than my PM Townhouse. 
Here's a merged shot of both of mine that are up at this time. The bigger ones will go up when I move later in the spring.
Here's a merged shot of both of mine that are up at this time. The bigger ones will go up when I move later in the spring.
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CUL Lou~Mich
Joe. I also have an NB trap that I've had a couple of years now. Believe me, when it's time for the Starlings to look for nests, yours will get a work out. It does require nice warm sunny days though to get their hormones going. Once that happens, they'll be around. Of course, it's possible that you won't have any Starlings too. I've heard of several folks who say they see them all around their town, but never have one at their place. I certainly wouldn't jinx yourself by complaining about the lack of them. ha ha.
Dbroussard, I sure like the looks of your nb trap. It aughta catch a bunch of them.
Good luck to you both. CUL Lou
Dbroussard, I sure like the looks of your nb trap. It aughta catch a bunch of them.
Good luck to you both. CUL Lou
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Joe Zorn
Hey CUL Lou!
Almost missed your post, as I think we posted at the same time.
That settles it them. Them rascals will be here in time, and I should be glad they are not attacking it now.
Being so closely associated with the Cajun heretage her in South Louisiana, I wonder if them bad guys are any good to eat? Not much gets by the supper table down here for some folks
Almost missed your post, as I think we posted at the same time.
That settles it them. Them rascals will be here in time, and I should be glad they are not attacking it now.
Being so closely associated with the Cajun heretage her in South Louisiana, I wonder if them bad guys are any good to eat? Not much gets by the supper table down here for some folks
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Guest
Great job guys. You are both looking like the dreaded yellow beaker is about, to take some dives. My show and tell is coming into it's own as we speak. Lots, of time, in North Central Pa. We have just had two beautiful days. I now have both poles set. The houses and gourds are going out the next nice day we get. The final act for this season is, to finish the orange beaker fun house. I have my .177 10-Xed, for sure.
Where do I apply, for my wildlife control specialist pin?
Where do I apply, for my wildlife control specialist pin?