I have TS issues last and this year. Last year I had a pair of SY's lay unsuccessful eggs and two other males roosted, unable to attract females.
I had to use the "trihabitation' rules and set up a TS house 30' away and that worked well, raising 2 broods of TS and first eggs for PM's.
This year, I put the house up april 1 with only 2 gourds open, the correct date, but, had TS putting a feather in the gourds, so I closed all the Pm holes. As of April 15, I had not seen my 2nd year (now adults) arrive, they should be here any day. I was at the site last on saturday and saw a pair check it out early am for only 2 minutes. Probably visitors. More than half the neighboring sites on our lake have their birds back.
One TS house has a nest and perching, and maybe copulation, but, no dive-bombing me yet or feathered nest or eggs.
The 2nd TS house is also 25' away from the PM house and about 40' from the other TS house. That pair is a little behind the other TS pair.
I cannot monitor but a couple three times per week and feel pressure to open at least a couple house holes, if not gourds they nested in last year.
What to do?
year 2 landlord needs help with TS advice and when to open
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
I am VERY INTERESTED in reading the responses to your question too as I have a similar situation here in DE. I expect the SY migration to arrive here soon and I am going to be away for two weeks beginning the end of April. I do not know if I should replug all the martin gourds and just leave the three tree swallow gourds (some distance away) unplugged or take a chance and leave all my gourds open. As you well know the TS are very desirable birds but really pose a major problem for people trying to also attract SY purple martins.
As I look at the migration map I have seen very little movement northwards, on the East Coast, of the SY martins. They have been in basically the same area now for at least two weeks.
As I look at the migration map I have seen very little movement northwards, on the East Coast, of the SY martins. They have been in basically the same area now for at least two weeks.
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John Kendall
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:36 pm
- Location: IN/Valparaiso
Since you mentioned looking for SY's, it sounds as though you had no martins take last year. If I have this correct, then you are looking to start a colony as I did last year finally, although my 2nd year birds aren't back yet.
Proceeding under this scenario, I hope you have seen the website on TS emergency! It tells you rule number 1: never leave your PM housing (esp. gourds) open and turn your back on TS until you have a committed TS pair nesting in alternative housing with 25 to 35 feet of the PM housing.
If you have eggs or a feathered nest and are being divebomed as you approach the TS gourds, they are copulating and committed. If not, you cannot leave PM housing holes open , particularly if you aren't going to be therre.
The good news is that the SY's you seek in your latitude will really not be making a play for housing and hence "recruitable" until into mid may at the earliest and sometimes June. Mine may have been in the area, and until I installed SREH to get one stubborn pair of starlings out of the picture, I had nothing. I put my TS house up 30' away and had eggs by may 21 and put up my PM house with SREH's and gourds (our starlings didn't like gourds) then next day. On the 22nd I had a trio of SY's that stayed all summer! and the TS stayed away and kept the other TS away, due to the location and distance of 30'.
So, I would button up the PM holes and force at least one pair of TS to nest within 25 to 25 feet of the PM housing and go away for 3 weeks. When you come back, you should have a TS nest and eggs and you can then open the PM housing. You may need SREH for starling control and shooting of house sparrows or trapping to succeed!
Proceeding under this scenario, I hope you have seen the website on TS emergency! It tells you rule number 1: never leave your PM housing (esp. gourds) open and turn your back on TS until you have a committed TS pair nesting in alternative housing with 25 to 35 feet of the PM housing.
If you have eggs or a feathered nest and are being divebomed as you approach the TS gourds, they are copulating and committed. If not, you cannot leave PM housing holes open , particularly if you aren't going to be therre.
The good news is that the SY's you seek in your latitude will really not be making a play for housing and hence "recruitable" until into mid may at the earliest and sometimes June. Mine may have been in the area, and until I installed SREH to get one stubborn pair of starlings out of the picture, I had nothing. I put my TS house up 30' away and had eggs by may 21 and put up my PM house with SREH's and gourds (our starlings didn't like gourds) then next day. On the 22nd I had a trio of SY's that stayed all summer! and the TS stayed away and kept the other TS away, due to the location and distance of 30'.
So, I would button up the PM holes and force at least one pair of TS to nest within 25 to 25 feet of the PM housing and go away for 3 weeks. When you come back, you should have a TS nest and eggs and you can then open the PM housing. You may need SREH for starling control and shooting of house sparrows or trapping to succeed!
JK you are really savvy on the TS Interference problem. In fact, I think you have already answered your own question that began this thread. You and I are in exactly the "same boat" as to being "sophomores." After 8 years of trying, I finally got two broods of martins last year using the TS protocol... which I helped research and have posted.
So far this year, I have been luckier than you, however, as I have three ASY males "parked" here waiting to court the SY's... or waiting for something. I'll say a prayer that your adults from last year made it through the horrible hurricaine season and will show up this very day to renew your colony.
Just like you, I am expecting a handful of SY's (10) to return to my site, where they were hatched and fledged.
Your advice to Carlton has been "right on!" The hardest part of the protocol is the discipline required to "shut down" the PM rig to deny the TS... when you know there are martins in the neighborhood. BUT... It's gotta be done! ...and you and I (and many others) can attest that it pays off in the end.
Good luck! ~Dan
So far this year, I have been luckier than you, however, as I have three ASY males "parked" here waiting to court the SY's... or waiting for something. I'll say a prayer that your adults from last year made it through the horrible hurricaine season and will show up this very day to renew your colony.
Just like you, I am expecting a handful of SY's (10) to return to my site, where they were hatched and fledged.
Your advice to Carlton has been "right on!" The hardest part of the protocol is the discipline required to "shut down" the PM rig to deny the TS... when you know there are martins in the neighborhood. BUT... It's gotta be done! ...and you and I (and many others) can attest that it pays off in the end.
Good luck! ~Dan
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Carlton
- Posts: 1959
- Joined: Tue May 17, 2005 6:42 pm
- Location: Florida/Deerfield Beach
- Martin Colony History: I moved to South Florida, from Delaware, in August of 2015.
I care for a 6 condo Sunset House as well as two Deluxe Gourd Racks, with 24 Chirpynest/Excluder gourds, along a canal in Pompano Beach, Florida.
At Quiet Waters Park, nearby in Deerfield Beach, I care for a Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 TVG's. I also care for a Deluxe Gourd rack with 12 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder entrances. I am substituting 6 Chirpynest boxes for 6 of the Conley II entranced gourds in 2026.
At another local park, Tradewinds Park in Coconut Creek, I care for a Trendsetter 12, 5 gourds rack with 60 Excluder gourds with Modified Excluder Entrances and 1 Deluxe Gourd Rack with 12 Troyer Vertical Gourds with Starling Stoppers over the Conley II's to keep out smaller starlings.
WONDERFUL advice! I REALLY appreciate your suggestions. I will follow them.
Carlton
Carlton
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John Kendall
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Sat Mar 12, 2005 3:36 pm
- Location: IN/Valparaiso
Thanks, Dan and I see you aren't too far from me. I shot two sparrows tuesday when I did my checks and no signs of PM's at least at mid-day. However, I can report TS house progress, the nest was freshly feathered! No dive-bombing yet, though, and TS still flying at the gourd entrance that is shut, trying to get in. A few days from eggs I think,
so I opened two SREH's on the house and a couple hours later, TS had perched as they always do on the PM house, but, no interest in the SREH--the worst that could happen before fri. or sat. is a HS may try to move in.
Good luck to you, Carlton!
so I opened two SREH's on the house and a couple hours later, TS had perched as they always do on the PM house, but, no interest in the SREH--the worst that could happen before fri. or sat. is a HS may try to move in.
Good luck to you, Carlton!