. I'm a new landlord and finally had my first PMs (a pair of ASYs) check out my house. I've been reading the forum for 3 months and I know that SREHs are the way to go. I went nuts watching them try to get into the SREH entrances and decided to change one to a round hole and wouldn't you know it, they went right in and have spent the last two nights. Now the question - should I change the round hole back to an SREH? If so, when? Should I give them a few more days to get established?I Need Help From the Pros
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Guest
OK, I chickened out . I'm a new landlord and finally had my first PMs (a pair of ASYs) check out my house. I've been reading the forum for 3 months and I know that SREHs are the way to go. I went nuts watching them try to get into the SREH entrances and decided to change one to a round hole and wouldn't you know it, they went right in and have spent the last two nights. Now the question - should I change the round hole back to an SREH? If so, when? Should I give them a few more days to get established?
. I'm a new landlord and finally had my first PMs (a pair of ASYs) check out my house. I've been reading the forum for 3 months and I know that SREHs are the way to go. I went nuts watching them try to get into the SREH entrances and decided to change one to a round hole and wouldn't you know it, they went right in and have spent the last two nights. Now the question - should I change the round hole back to an SREH? If so, when? Should I give them a few more days to get established?-
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
It partly depends upon how many starlings you have in the area..If a starling comes, and the martins are inside, the starling may kill one or both of your martins...that is the danger in having only one round hole, you are forcing the starling to choose that hole..
If you leave it round until the nest building starts, they probably will try much harder to get into the SREH if you attach it then..
There are advantages & disadvantages to leaving it round...you should be ok for a couple weeks I would think if you leave the round hole.
If you leave it round until the nest building starts, they probably will try much harder to get into the SREH if you attach it then..
There are advantages & disadvantages to leaving it round...you should be ok for a couple weeks I would think if you leave the round hole.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Hi Ron.
I appreciate your concern about losing the precious pair you have finally managed to attract. From the standpoint of changing the one round entrance back to SREH, we have found the safest time to do that and ensure that the pair will stay is after they begin nest construction which should be a couple of weeks.
However, waiting those two weeks could have grave consequences if you have starling problems in your area. Last year I installed a gourd rack with 8 round hole troyers for a man in Port O'Connor two houses down from a colony of 30 pairs in all round holed natural gourds with no significant starling history. The new system attracted two ASY pairs, but when I returned the next weekend I found one of the males had been killed (its head pecked apart) by a starling and the other male had a neck injury that resulted in rehab and eventually its death. Within a week we modified the troyer gourds with WDC tunnels and the colony ended with 2.5 pairs and 7 young.
Along the coast we have less of a starling problem than perhaps everyone to our north, and colonies have flourished with round holes and continuous monitoring to eliminate any starlings. However, these are large early-filling colonies, and I believe that size helps to deter starlings. If I were in your place starting a colony I would immediately reinstall the SREH and hope for the best. And if it doesn't work at least you won't have the memory of removing dead martins. There is still lots of time to get more martins. Have faith in your system and protect what you have.
Good luck this year. jb
I appreciate your concern about losing the precious pair you have finally managed to attract. From the standpoint of changing the one round entrance back to SREH, we have found the safest time to do that and ensure that the pair will stay is after they begin nest construction which should be a couple of weeks.
However, waiting those two weeks could have grave consequences if you have starling problems in your area. Last year I installed a gourd rack with 8 round hole troyers for a man in Port O'Connor two houses down from a colony of 30 pairs in all round holed natural gourds with no significant starling history. The new system attracted two ASY pairs, but when I returned the next weekend I found one of the males had been killed (its head pecked apart) by a starling and the other male had a neck injury that resulted in rehab and eventually its death. Within a week we modified the troyer gourds with WDC tunnels and the colony ended with 2.5 pairs and 7 young.
Along the coast we have less of a starling problem than perhaps everyone to our north, and colonies have flourished with round holes and continuous monitoring to eliminate any starlings. However, these are large early-filling colonies, and I believe that size helps to deter starlings. If I were in your place starting a colony I would immediately reinstall the SREH and hope for the best. And if it doesn't work at least you won't have the memory of removing dead martins. There is still lots of time to get more martins. Have faith in your system and protect what you have.
Good luck this year. jb
Last edited by John Barrow on Mon Mar 27, 2006 5:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
~~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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Peggy Riley
- Posts: 885
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:21 pm
- Location: TX/Tolar
Tex, I would go ahead and change back. I work on the west side of FTW and starlings are really thick right now. Just don't look and give them a few days. Nest building has not started here yet so you should be OK. Emil is right, if you have one round hole the starlings will be persistent.
I live in Fort Worth and we are absolutely saturated with starlings. I don't know when I've ever seen so many. I lost a female to starlings a few years ago when I used round entrances. I immediately went out and bought the only SREHs I could find, excluders. I've not had a problem with starlings since and not lost any more martins. I know how you feel. I've put gourds up for the first time this year and they have crescent openings. My martins are obviously imprinted on houses and have largely ignored the gourds. They have tried a few times to get into the gourds and I want so much for them to use them, but not at the expense of possibly losing any of them. They'll finally figure it out. I sleep much better at night knowing the are protected from starlings.
By the way, what part of Fort Worth are you in?
Good luck,
Patrick
By the way, what part of Fort Worth are you in?
Good luck,
Patrick
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Guest
Thank you all for the guidance. I'm changing back to the SREH now. Patrick, I'm in Harbor View Estates just east of Eagle Mountain Lake., where are you located?
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Guest
Tex,
You told us you have a house? You might add some traction tape to the inside and outside of the SREH. I added bathtub safety tape years ago when I made the switch from round holes on all of my aluminum housing. Everyone that has switched has gone through this terrible time of watching their PM's struggle to enter the compartment. With the double sized compartment and SREH's, they'll figure out how to enter. You might make a trip to Braums and get a double dip cone of your favorite flavor.
You told us you have a house? You might add some traction tape to the inside and outside of the SREH. I added bathtub safety tape years ago when I made the switch from round holes on all of my aluminum housing. Everyone that has switched has gone through this terrible time of watching their PM's struggle to enter the compartment. With the double sized compartment and SREH's, they'll figure out how to enter. You might make a trip to Braums and get a double dip cone of your favorite flavor.
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Tim Mangan-Kansas
- Posts: 1728
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:25 am
- Location: Kansas, Pittsburg
- Martin Colony History: 2016 - 22 Pair
Don, I to am new to landlording and am hoping to get my first martin's this year here in Arkansas. I have a Coates 8-compartment Waters' Edge house with SREH entrances. I have five decoys on my house; three of which are placed on additional perch's I put up. I taped one of the other decoys inside the house so that when I shut the door, his tale was sticking out. The fifth decoy, I also taped inside one of the compartments so that when I shut the door, his head was sticking out. I live on a lake and I see a lot of martin houses while out fishing, none of which have SREH entrances. I share your concern about them getting in since it appears none of the birds around this area are use to SREH. If I get any birds, I am hoping they see the two decoys I have placed within the holes and decide to give it a try.
Yesterday, I received my "Songbird Magnet" from S&K which plays the martin dawnsong when you flip the switch. I installed it today at !:00 PM. Ten minutes later I saw two ASY males swoop down to my house and circled several times about 10' away. They did not land on my house, but I think it might be because I also was just 10' away still working on mounting the magnet. It is still early here in Arkansas for the SY birds but I am encouraged since I saw the two ASY birds this afternoon.
When you get your share of birds, would you mind sending a few up to my place in Arkansas.
Tim
Yesterday, I received my "Songbird Magnet" from S&K which plays the martin dawnsong when you flip the switch. I installed it today at !:00 PM. Ten minutes later I saw two ASY males swoop down to my house and circled several times about 10' away. They did not land on my house, but I think it might be because I also was just 10' away still working on mounting the magnet. It is still early here in Arkansas for the SY birds but I am encouraged since I saw the two ASY birds this afternoon.
When you get your share of birds, would you mind sending a few up to my place in Arkansas.
Tim
Don,
I'm down South Hulen south of I-20, almost in front of North Crowley High School, if you know where that is. It's very open and attractive to martins. I put up a 35 year old, 6 compartment Trio house the first year we moved here, four years ago, and had so many martins I had to go buy another house that very year. I've since added gourds but I'm still waiting for those to be taken. I've got 5 adult pairs so far. I'm hoping the sub-adults move in and fill up my housing. Best of luck to you this year.
Patrick
I'm down South Hulen south of I-20, almost in front of North Crowley High School, if you know where that is. It's very open and attractive to martins. I put up a 35 year old, 6 compartment Trio house the first year we moved here, four years ago, and had so many martins I had to go buy another house that very year. I've since added gourds but I'm still waiting for those to be taken. I've got 5 adult pairs so far. I'm hoping the sub-adults move in and fill up my housing. Best of luck to you this year.
Patrick
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Tim Mangan-Kansas
- Posts: 1728
- Joined: Wed Mar 15, 2006 7:25 am
- Location: Kansas, Pittsburg
- Martin Colony History: 2016 - 22 Pair
Don, I responded to your post yesterday but wanted to give you an update since we are both new at this and have the same concerns about the SREH entrances.
This morning, while the dawnsong recorder was playing that I installed yesterday, I noticed a martin flying high overhead. He, an ASY, eventually came down and went straight for the compartment on my house that has the decoy with it's tail sticking out of the hole. He pushed on it several times and would then fly off. He would return a minute later and go through the same process. He did this four or five times. He has been hanging around for the past couple of hours. The update I wanted to give you is, when I looked out the window a little while ago, I saw this ASY male coming OUT of the top compartment of my house through the SREH. He had no problem with the SREH. Of course, I did not see him go in, so don't know if he struggled at it or not.
Since, from all I have read and been told, it is not likely to attract an adult male to my house in my first year, I don't have a clue as to what this behavior from him means. I sure am having fun watching him though.
Tim
This morning, while the dawnsong recorder was playing that I installed yesterday, I noticed a martin flying high overhead. He, an ASY, eventually came down and went straight for the compartment on my house that has the decoy with it's tail sticking out of the hole. He pushed on it several times and would then fly off. He would return a minute later and go through the same process. He did this four or five times. He has been hanging around for the past couple of hours. The update I wanted to give you is, when I looked out the window a little while ago, I saw this ASY male coming OUT of the top compartment of my house through the SREH. He had no problem with the SREH. Of course, I did not see him go in, so don't know if he struggled at it or not.
Since, from all I have read and been told, it is not likely to attract an adult male to my house in my first year, I don't have a clue as to what this behavior from him means. I sure am having fun watching him though.
Tim
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Guest
Tim,
It's an old wives tale that ASYs don't colonize new sites. Many have been started by ASY pairs including mine last year! It's very good news that you have an ASY male checking out your site and that he has already learned the SREH. Now that he is visiting your site, you might consider removing the decoys from inside the nest cavities........that may be the cavity they want to nest in and there is no reason to limit their choices.
It's an old wives tale that ASYs don't colonize new sites. Many have been started by ASY pairs including mine last year! It's very good news that you have an ASY male checking out your site and that he has already learned the SREH. Now that he is visiting your site, you might consider removing the decoys from inside the nest cavities........that may be the cavity they want to nest in and there is no reason to limit their choices.