The lake martins & gourds

[Guest]

This week-end I hung my natural gourds (natural color). My husband also put up the Heath house We had several visitors, but one ASY male kept coming back and finally brought a female several times. He went directly to the Heath. He could be a 3rd year bird because we had an SY that wanted to nest in the Heath last year, but could not get a mate. None of the martins even flew by the gourds. Is this house going to detract from the gourds? Should I take it down or would this confuse the martins that are already looking at it? I guess I'd rather have a pair of martins in the Heath than none at all.

Maybe I should take the gourds down and paint them white. It's still early and I could get it done and rehang them this week-end. maybe the white would be more attractive to the martins.

Any advice would be appreciate.

Thanks,
Lanell
Any advi

[Peggy Riley]

Glad you got your PM's Lanell!. I started with a used Heath before I had a clue and it did it's job until I could replace it. You might try painting one of the gourds white if you don't see any interest in them soon. I think some birds are house oriented and others like gourds. Peggy

[Louise Chambers]

Lanell,

If the Heath gets you started, at least you'll be up and running with martins. I would suggest you go ahead and paint the gourds white - or at least half of them. PMCA has heard from many landlords who were martinless but got birds after they painted housing/gourds white. Some had tan, brown, green, etc., housing to begin with. And white will be cooler for the martins in our Texas summer days - which will be here any time now. The smell of fresh paint will not bother the martins any.

I had a subbie male martin one year who wanted to use the house (this was up in PA) and when a female came in and wanted to check out the gourds, he'd throw a fit and kept taking her to the house instead. after two days of his foolishness, she left! But he seemed to have learned his lessong, because after that, he escorted all his 'dates' to both the house AND the gourds, as if he was saying 'take your pick, sweetheart - whatever you want!' Poor guy did not get a mate, though - and I remained martinless that year.

good luck and keep us posted.

Louise

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Lanell, I would leave it exactly as you have it. If you get martins in the Heath, you will probably get some in the gourds also, then next year you could remove the Heath if you don't like it any longer..I would never mess with the first pair, try to do nothing, and they will probably stay..they may even switch to the gourds in a few days. Mine come and stay a while and then switch to a different gourd. They switch when the female likes something better. I would also keep the brown gourds if you have vents in them, the martins don't mind...keep it simple!

[Laverne]

Good Morning Lanell and Peggy.

I agree with Peggy regarding the apparent preference this pair is exhibiting for the "house". We changed our gourd rack design this season on all but two racks. When the first birds came back they chose the two racks that were the old way, the way they were last year, the way the birds remembered them... It bothers them when you rearrange the furniture. But, I have changed "everything" in years past and they will still move in and raise their young.

We all know that natural gourds are wonderful housing and I don't think you need to paint them white. You didn't have any nesting birds last season - correct? So, it will take a little while for the birds who are looking for housing to arrive. Most of the Purple Martins presently at the lake and in Katy already have homes where they successfully raised their young last season. But, the ones who will be looking for a new place this year will find you. Be patient and enjoy...

It won't be long and you will get that nervous concern to erect more housing because the Purple Martins will be fighting over those gourds and there just won't be enough to go around...

[Guest]

Thanks so much Louise, Peggy, Emil and Laverne. I really feel a lot better now I will leave everything just the way it is and be PATIENT Every year I stress so much that sometimes I wonder why I bother with this. I've got to relax.

Just one more question - I have two white S&K plastic gourds here at the house. I could hang them along with naturals and see what happens. What do you think?

Thanks!

Lanell

[Louise Chambers]

Sure thing - that's a good idea.

Louise