starlings win????

[Guest]

Well I had to change housing today to sreh, When I got up about at 7 houses where full of starlings good thing I don`t have any martins. What gets me is that I have shot over 150 of these things in the past three years! They just keep coming. Keith

[Guest]

I started my colony last year with sreh. I have the aluminum housing with gourds below. I just scribed groves into the flooring, inside and out. Some people use traction tape. They seem to do real good getting in and out.

This winter I am deffenitly getting the plans for the repeating trap. Like Ronco says...."SET IT AND FOR GET IT"

I think that will be a big help, but will locate it near a tree to keep martins from getting into it.

I tried to build my own. I just can't seem to get it balanced just right, where it will come back up after they go out the lower trap opening.

good luck
craig

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Craig. First off, is you teeter totter good and free moving? It needs to be. Also, you need just a tad more weight in the weight end. Put just a tiny bit more weight in at a time. I have a medicine bottle screwed to the end of mine. I just took the cap off, and kept putting in a few BBs at a time. One could also use lead sinkers, or pellets. Even a few small stones I suppose. ha ha. But when you get close, don't put much in at a time. CUL Lou

[John Miller]

Hi Keith

I find the number of starlings in St. Louis to be frightening. Walking to our sites in Forest Park, one just needs to look left or right to see groups of these birds. Even if I could, trapping or shooting would require an army. I wish we had had a super cold spell during winter to maybe cause a die off.

Fortunately, SREH keeps starlings out of the park's martin housing. I see starlings occasionally investigate, but quickly give up. The presence of starlings walking the lawns beneath the martin housing does not bother martins.

Good luck to you.

John Miller

[flyin-lowe]

Do the starlings give up pretty easy when it comes to the SREH. I just put up my housing about a month ago and I have a bunch of starlings. However I have not seen one of them near my house. The day I put it up there were a few droppings on it but since then nothing. I will have twenty or thirty starlings in a tree across the street but none of them seem intersted. Am I lucky or do they get the hint quickly and stay away?

[oneidalaker]

CUL Lou, my trap has a piece of hinged wire mesh that covers the opening where the teeter todder drops down to. The trapped bird has to nudge the hinged wire mesh open to hop into the holding chamber. The end of the teeter todder is open which allows access to the counter weight. I believe the hinged wire mesh prevents the birds from hopping out under the teeter todder and escaping out the end by the counter weight. Seems like the trap would be more effective if the opening to the holding area stayed open. Would it best best to remove this hinged piece of wire and put a lockable piece of hinged wire mesh at the end where the counter weight is located??

Bob

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Bob. Apparently you have something different that I've never seen. If you'll go to the Archives above, then scroll down to Traps, (I believe it is) then look for NB Compact trap, that's the one I thought you were talking about. That's the one I've got. Anyway can you post a picture of yours, as I'm not sure what to say at this point. Sorry. OH BTW, I'll be gone all day tomorrow, so might not be able to get right back to you. (Have to go to the Hospital for some testing) Gotta leave now for work. CUL Lou

[oneidalaker]

CUL Lou, it's a Repeater Bait Trap that I found years ago at an ancient Bait Store that was going out of business. I think I just need to modify it as I suggested.
Hope your check up goes well. We need you advise for many, many more seasons.

Bob

[Guest]

Would like to thank everyone for the post. The starlings seem to have gave up did not notice any on housing. Now I just have to work on the martin thing. Thanks again, Keith

[Guest]

CUL Lou,

I think I have my problem solved. The aluminum piece I used for the teeter totter was hooked in the wrong location on the tube. It was mounted underneath. I moved it to the side, closest to the weights.
I drilled holes at opposite end of lever. I then put bolts through with washer and nuts. I tried the cup with washer, but they shifted when was tilted. I have a hole mounted high on one side w/ porch. when they go in it will drop down just enough to clear entrance hole. Then they have to go out other side to lower hole. Then tips right back up . I even lined the tube with glued on nesting material Haven't had a chance to use it yet, but will be interesting.

Take care!
Craig

[Bob Flam]

If your living in town, chances are you're going to have problems...or atleast have to battle S&S. Even if they aren't really checking out your house now...when martins show up and start using it...they will then too.

Bob,

Sounds like your using a ground bait trap. The NB(nest box) trap is up on a pole. Once the birds go out the back entrance they fall down a 4" pvc pipe to a holding cage. They work extremely well this time of year. Just place it under a tree so martins don't go in. And with any trap you want to keep a good eye on it incase any native birds go in. I even made a small hole in the holding cage so smaller birds could escape...like wrens and nuthatchs...which I've caught in it.

I made mine, actually have made 2. Used a coffee can...piece of wooden dowel for the arm...and anything I could find for weights. You want the fulcrum closer to the weight end than the can end. The 90 degree elbow out the back bottom, to the pipe, has holes drilled so they can see light and think thats a way out. I've had 6 or 7 in the cage at one time. The tricky part is getting it to teeter back up just right. I had set them so a quarter lowers it. The closer the pivot point(fulcrum) is to the weight end, the easier that will be.

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Bob.

The closer the pivot point(fulcrum) is to the weight end, the easier that will be.

Thank you sir. I've wondered all these years how it worked. Mine works good, but I think possibly if the fulcrom was closer, it might work even better. But then on the other hand, I haven't seen Starling one go to it yet this year. Wonder if it's all the lead they have flying at them?? I have this real bad case of anxiety. I can't seem to just leave them alone. Perhaps if a PM would show up, I'd be nervous about shooting too close, and would leave the Starlings alone. Hmmm. Naw, I doubt that too. ha ha. Anyway, Thanks for explaining that closer deal. CUL Lou

[klcretired]

Keith,
I have a S&S repeating trap and i just love it, it works for me all year long and if you place it by tree's a martin won't go near it, also i have some nestbox traps that work good....you say you don't have any martins as of yet??, if you are sure that you don't you can place glue traps/and or Mouse traps in ea compartment to catch any sparrow's...as for those starlings , i suggest a S&S repeating trap and shooting.
Good Luck
Oh, and please don't let the starling win!!!, never give up!!!

[Guest]

KC, Thanks for the advice it just gets me how i can shoot 35 starlings and still not even make a dent in the population. Most likely will start trapping them. As for sparrows no problem so far have shot several Thanks again, Keith