Seeing flocks in SE Louisiana

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zoefluf
Posts: 587
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:51 pm
Location: Bush, Louisiana

For the past two days I have been seeing flocks of PM's.

Yes, that's right, FLOCKS!

The devastation from Hurricane Katrina is really bad where I live and most everyone lost their PM housing. Most people do not have the money or the time to buy housing this year when their own homes are damaged so badly.

I live in the country and it looks like a buzz saw came through and tore up our forests all through SE Louisiana. At least I don't have to worry about trees blocking flyways.

I have one ASY pair that is starting to build a nest in my only RH Troyer horizontal. All of my new housing is crescent doors and I've had tons of lookers but I haven't seen any of them manage to get in those doors. I think the PM's from around here are used to RH doors. These country people just stick up a wooden house and forget about it. But in past years everyone's houses were full. So maybe that's why the PM's are all turning their noses up at my crescent doors. I am very discouraged and feeling REALLY sorry for myself. :cry:

Anyway, it sure seems as if there are a lot of PM's looking for new homes around here. Most of the flocks I am seeing have between 20 to 40 PM's in them.

You yankees better get your housing ready cause they may be coming yall way. Good luck!
"Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap, yet your heavenly Father feeds them."
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Guest

Don't get discouraged there will be some come along that will be glad to use a cresent . Hang in there. Henry
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CUL Lou~Mich

Zoefluf. Okay, this Northerner is ready. I know, I'm not supposed to put stuff up for eight weeks yet. However, it's up and ready now. I'm still trying to attract my first nesting pair, and been trying for over 35 years. But I don't believe all colonies have to be started with SYs. Therefore, I've got the housing all up. Besides, that gives the EUST something to look at (Although they can't get in anything. ha ha) before they head over to my NB trap. Or, possibly meet with an untimely death from lead poisoning. ha ha. Anyway, the Tree Swallows arrived yesterday, so I hope the PMs are somewhat close too. CUL Lou
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Fred Kaluza~MI
Posts: 606
Joined: Mon Nov 17, 2003 10:40 pm
Location: Port Huron, Michigan
Martin Colony History: Tried and tried and had some visitors but...not enough good insects around here to keep them interested.

Well, we can always hope but I think the common concensous is that southern birds will generally tend to stay south. The only good way to make sure we have more birds up here is to have more birds up here to begin with! Catch 22.
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Guest

Zoefluf, someone here (I forget who, Emil, maybe) suggested I order round doors and switch them out until the PMs establish an attachment to the compartment, then switch them back to crescents. He did say only if there weren't Starlings around. I've taken his advice, but I have seen so few PMs, have not had anymore visitors, so I don't know if it will be successful.

I've had three years of the lookers that didn't stay. I firmly believe in SREHs, but, to get started, you may need to cheat a wee bit. You can always but them back in. :)

Good luck.
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Sue
Posts: 66
Joined: Thu Nov 13, 2003 4:57 pm
Location: GA/Cohutta

Lou, every time I read how long you have been trying to attract martins, my heart hurts for you. Sometimes life just seems so unjust. Those birds just don't know what they are missing. If ever there was anyone who would appreciate, love and take care of them, it would be you. I'm going to say a special prayer for you tonight that a (some) martins will find their way to your place. By the way, my colony started with 8 martins arriving at once, several of which were ASY birds. I don't blame you, I would have my housing up too, just ready and waiting. You just never can tell. Sue in GA
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zoefluf
Posts: 587
Joined: Thu Mar 16, 2006 5:51 pm
Location: Bush, Louisiana

I've given in to my frustration and ordered some RH replacement doors for my housing. If and when I get eggs I will transfer back to crescent.

Cul Lou,
As you can see, I would never have the tenacity to be as dogged as you are in the pursuit of your PM colony. I cave-in at the least provocation. Patience is definitely NOT one of my virtues! But, I definitely admire your perserverance. As the good book says, (Rom.5:3-5)"tribulation produces perserverance; and perserverance, character; and character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint" I'm praying for you too! :grin:
"Look at the birds in the sky. They do not sow or reap, yet your heavenly Father feeds them."
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John Kendall
Posts: 76
Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:36 pm
Location: IN/Valparaiso

I had the same problem, always getting rejected (and then I got a hair transplant!)--no, the martins, not me.
So, I put up 4 natural gourds hanging from the bottom of the house (had to buy some small aluminum flat stock and attach to hang them out 7 inches from the house) and left a couple GOURDS with round holes and guess where the subbies went and nested--yes, in the round holed gourds.

Where I live, the starlings were attracted to only the house if it had ANY round holes. They left the gourds alone, I think that is a new experience for them up here, like being on a boat and getting seasick. I am told that in some areas, starlings have learned to try to nest in gourds and some people have to sreh everything. martins like gourds best, so maybe a gourd or two with round holes tips the balance for you at not much more cost.
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