Dale H, got a favor to ask ya...

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:36 am

If you don't mind and if you have a second sometime, would you please take a picture of the trap set-up you've got on your wood fence for me?

Here's the deal: the neighbors behind my house refuse to trim the bushes near my PM house (about 15 feet away). When I installed the pole, the bushes were about fence height. The bushes don't bother the PMs, but it is a haven for sparrows. Now that I've got about 10 PMs in residence, the PMs are knocking the sparrows off my house. The sparrows are now hanging out on top of my wood fence near the neighbor's bushes. I'd like to set up a trap right there on the fence. I can only shoot the sparrows as a last resort and only at a sharp upward angle to not risk hitting anything in the background. A trap would be much more effective for me.

Thanks! I'm including a pic of my yard so you can see what I'm talking about. Thanks, again!!!

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:41 am

P.S. It is hard to tell from that picture, but my pole is not attached to the fence in any way. It is free-standing about 5 feet away.

Also, before I'm asked

, the house is converted.

Thanks,

Shelley

Louise Chambers · Thu Mar 30, 2006 11:55 am

Shelley,

we mount an ST-1 sparrow trap on our fence, which has a board about 6 or so inches below the fence top, like your fence. the trap is baited with white bread and sometimes some seed, and we catch a LOT of house sparrows in it during summer months. our martin housing is not right next to the trap but I don't think it would be a problem if it was. I don't have a photo and the trap is down right now - but the trap has a bracket mount that's attached to the fence, then the trap sits on/attaches to the bracket. it catches two sparrows (has two trapping units) before needing to be reset. trapped sparrows move to a center holding unit where their presence helps attract more sparrows. we keep a couple of water tubes and plenty of bread in the center unit to keep our decoys happy. and we put a cover on top of the trap to provide shade and shelter from heavy rain for the decoys. if we're away a day or two, the decoys are ok with plenty of food and water, and we shut the two trap chambers if we're not going to be on hand to check them. The ST-1 might work for you - and I'm sure Dale will supply the info you've asked for as soon as he can. good luck -

Louise

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:05 pm

Thanks, Louise. I just know if I set something up next to that bush line, it'll work wonders (I hope so anyway). I've never seen a martin even think about landing on the fence, but the sparrows love it. They hang out there and wait for the PMs to leave. If I don't get a trap set up soon, then the bush trimming fairy just might make a late housecall one night (kidding).

Thanks, again,

Shelley

Emil Pampell-Tx · Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:09 pm

I agree with Louise that the ST1 is a good trap, during nesting season I put feathers into it. the sparrows like to use the feathers for nesting material so they go into the trap to get the feathers. if you don't have feathers, and if its not raining, the lint from the clothes dryer also works well

Another trap that I use is a nestbox trap, I hang it on a shed or near some bushes on a pole, and catch both starlings and sparrows with it.

Good luck on your trapping. it is so much easier than shooting, if I try to shoot, I waste too much time, and then sometimes I miss them

Dale Hrncirik · Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:27 pm

Shel,

My traps are nestbox style traps...2 singles and one repeater. I've got the single NBs attached to the top of my 8' fence using a picture hanger clip on the back of the trap box. I nailed a medium size brad nail to the fence top rail and the hanging clip slips over the nail.

The key is to attach the box in some way that makes it easy to put up and take down...and needs to be stable so that it doesn't accidentily trip. I'll take some pics this afternoon after work.

Dale

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:56 pm

Thanks, Dale. You can tell when it trips by the brightly colored (orange?) enterance blocker covering the hole, right? I've never seen one in action. I bought a wire repeating trap last year (doesn't look like it is offered on PMAC anymore), but I could never get it to work correctly. Every night a raccoon would steal my bait and the last thing I want is to attract raccoons. Does your nestbox trap ever catch your bluebirds?

Shelley

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 12:57 pm

Thanks, Emil, for your input. I'm checking out the ST1 right now...

Shel

Dale Hrncirik · Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:27 pm

impwrangler wrote: Does your nestbox trap ever catch your bluebirds?

Shel,

I caught both BBs in one of the 2 NB traps(a few weeks ago) and I have kept them closed ever since. Eggs are due to hatch in a day or 2 so I will probably open those traps back up this weekend. Luckily, they got trapped on a sunday morning and weren't inside for maybe an hour. Mama laid 5 eggs and all is well. I haven't seen beak nor feather of an SoS in quite some time. The last unwanted guests were quickly directed to get the heck out of Dodge by the martins and the BBs. They make a great tag-team

My traps are homemade and I spray painted the door white so I can easily see when the door is down.

Dale

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 2:55 pm

I'd love to host bluebirds, too, but I'm not sure if they would be attracted to my yard. The city put in some houses along the park trail that runs past my house. I know they like those, but there is no S&S control by the city. I figure if I set up a nest box trap and attract bluebirds, then I'll invest in bluebird houses. You never know.

Thanks for your insight,

Shelley

Guest · Thu Mar 30, 2006 5:58 pm

Oh, I don't know. I think a trip from the hedge trimming fairy may be in order!!

Or the spraying fairy

Chuck