100% Occupancy "Problem"

[SoIndyDon]

I'm way ahead into next year with this one. But I've got 100% occupancy in my gourd racks. There are 16 gourds on 2 racks and they are all being nested. Last year I had 15 of 16 used. This is my third successful year with my martins. How big do I want this to get?

A wise old fish hobbyist once told me that when the amount of fish tank maintanence exceeds the time you spend enjoying your fish is the time to scale back. I broke that rule and was left the hobby for a number of years. Martins are an important responcibility, arguably more than aquarium fish.

A third pole with 8 gourds would be okay next year. But what do you all think is an ideal number of nest numbers to be an active, responcible landlord?

May I add that I've got my neighbor a mile away starting a successful colony and another neighbor to take interest in his old martin houses/gourds.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Don, only you can make the decision on whether to expand or not. I started small, kept watching them fight over new gourds, kept adding, finally I had to stop. It all depends upon how much time you have or how much time you wish to spend on them...its fun when you can "fill-ur-up"...

[Glen Webb Jr]

Martins are an important responcibility, arguably more than aquarium fish.

Yes, it is arguably, but I don't think it's more work than aquarium fish. Well it depends on the fish in question I suppose, but I have goldfish and they are messy messy messy fish. Some people are overly obsessive of "their" purple martins. I mean, I love the birds, otherwise I wouldn't have 42 pair right now, but I can only commit so much time to the colony. The rest is up to the birds. The martins are a part of my life, they are not my life.

But you don't have to have more gourds up for next year. If 16 pair is all you want, and all you can manage, then that is fine. That's really not a problem. I'm sure we've all seen disgustingly poor situations in which martins are nesting, and obviously your birds are not living in scumbeak ally.

I'd say keep what you have now if that's all you are willing to care for. No point in going overboard and regretting it.

[Lislou]

Hi IndyDon - Congratulations on your success with the Martins. This is my first year trying to attract them - I've had lookie-loos but none decide to stay. I have an S&K Barn and eight gourds all with crescent sreh openings. I watched a large ASY male try for an entire day to enter the cresents - he finally gave up so I'm back to square one.

You're not far from me in So. Indiana. What openings are you using? Are starlings as big a problem in Scottsburg as they are here? I work and can't watch my housing all day so I went with SREH's but I'm so discouraged with the martins not taking to them.

[John & Linda - KY]

Lislou -- You don't mention a female martin. I suspect your male really wasn't motivated to get through your crescents, he may even have a mate and nest at another colony. Now, let a female show up and you'll see a motivated martin! My gourds are about 25% crescents and the martins have absolutely no problem getting in them. I will be switching to all crescents in the next few years. If you really believe the crescents are the reason you lost the martin, select the smallest gourd you have (less attractive to starlings) and convert it to a round hole. Be sure it is in a position such that you will be able to shoot starlings off of it. Good luck, it's still not too late in Jasper but it's getting close. -- John