I am trying to attract Martins for the first time. I have two T-14 with gourds on them and two gourd racks 12 each.
The gourds are open but my t-14 are still closed. The Amish that live near me have thier martins back. I am using decoys and playing the dawn song and have not seen much activity other than barn swollows.
Should I open my T-14s yet for SY birds ? Thanks for any help.
In my opinion, I think is the exact right time to open up housing in your area to attract SY. It really is ok- I think- to leave it closed up until you actually see martins if you are able to monitor it fairly closely to be able to open when they do show up. I've seen Amish martins nesting in that area in tiny gourds hanging in a clump from ropes not very high off the ground- usually in the garden.
Last edited by Guss P O'Brien on Sun Apr 16, 2006 11:52 pm, edited 1 time in total.
If you are seeing no birds then there is no real need to open more housing but assuming you are using SREH then as soon as any arrive I would open it up so they have the greatest amount of choices before them
tom a few miles east of you with lots of exciting returning birds
2004 3pr 13 f 2005 18pr 80 f 2006 36 pr 138 f
2oo7 38 pr 176 f 2008 41 pr 154 f
2009 51 pr 209 f 2010 61 pr 247 f
2011 124E 122Y 55P so far
2 Sweet 16s SREH homemade
2 Trio Castles converted 24 into 12 w/porch dividers + SREH (for sale EOS )
1 towering "20" 76 total cavities
I am here in central Illinois. (35 miles N. E. of Bloomington, Ill.) I have three asy's and one is paired with an sy female. Today I seen another sy female, they were both on the house at same time. Saw or should I say heard all five at once today. I went out with bino's. I looked at the covert(sp) feathers under tail. The brown edges on those feathers was very easy to spot.
I would open a couple, the ones I could keep an easier eye on. Just in case if intruders. You probably have your gourds open too.
I don't think the big sy surge is here yet, but its got to be getting close.
