These are pictures of my purple martin site. As of now, I hve had no martins to stay. I have had a few come by, but I think ended up going to a neighboring site.
THe closest large tree is 52 feet from the tips of the limbs to one of the houses. I do have a wisteria bush (around 7 ft. tall) about 10 ft from the other house. I had one nesting pair spring of 2005 in the house with the gourds (which didn't have gourds at that time). THe rest of the area is what I would call open. There are lots of large trees a good ways away from the houses. You can also see a very open area for entry on the picture where you can see the highway. In that direction is where the neighboring colony is located. THe other trees are probably 3/4 lengh of a football field from the houses.
I am planning on cutting 2 of the large trees you can in one of the pictures and I am going to trim back the tree that is 52 feet from the house.
Does anyone have any suggestions on how I can improve my area so it will help attract more martins and maybe they will stay.
I could move my houses to the most open part of the field, but the gournd is lower in that area. Is it better to have the houses on a flat and higher area or can the ground a bit lower than the surrounding area?
Please advise me on this.
PICTURES OF PM HOUSE AREA-ANY ADVICE
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John Miller
- Posts: 4866
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
Terri
The site location is beautiful. It looks plenty open to me.
Most of us don't like these Heath style houses because landlords can't access the compartments, which also are shallow and leave birds vulnerable to owls. However, martins do nest in them and visually they are attractive. You'll also want predator guards on those poles when you get martins. Rat snakes and racoons can shimmy right up the poles otherwise.
Are those plastic gourds? If so, you might try a few naturals, although I know it's getting late this year. I use a Mississippi gourd vendor from Collinsville.
Good luck to you.
The site location is beautiful. It looks plenty open to me.
Most of us don't like these Heath style houses because landlords can't access the compartments, which also are shallow and leave birds vulnerable to owls. However, martins do nest in them and visually they are attractive. You'll also want predator guards on those poles when you get martins. Rat snakes and racoons can shimmy right up the poles otherwise.
Are those plastic gourds? If so, you might try a few naturals, although I know it's getting late this year. I use a Mississippi gourd vendor from Collinsville.
Good luck to you.
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Mary Dawnsong
- Posts: 1685
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 8:17 pm
- Location: Michigan, Livingston County
Hi Terri,
I would definitely get rid of the wisteria bush (can they actually be killed?)
or move the housing farther away from it. It could be part of your problem.
Martins like to be high. If you move the housing to a lower area, you might want to go with taller poles. Even if you don't move the housing, there is a chance that taller poles could help.
Personally, I wouldn't take down the trees that are over 50' away if the only reason for doing so is to attract martins. Your site looks very open and ideal martin colony habitat just as is.
But... you absolutely must get pole guards to protect from ground predators!
Good luck, Mary
I would definitely get rid of the wisteria bush (can they actually be killed?)
or move the housing farther away from it. It could be part of your problem.
Martins like to be high. If you move the housing to a lower area, you might want to go with taller poles. Even if you don't move the housing, there is a chance that taller poles could help.
Personally, I wouldn't take down the trees that are over 50' away if the only reason for doing so is to attract martins. Your site looks very open and ideal martin colony habitat just as is.
But... you absolutely must get pole guards to protect from ground predators!
Good luck, Mary
Click here to see my colony
"In Michigan every martin matters"
"In Michigan every martin matters"
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Guest
In my limited knowledge and what I have gleaned from others posts and a first hand look at a suceccessful site and then of course my crude set up . I certainly don't see anything wrong with what you have . I will watch in interest to see what the experts say.
I know higher is better and clearance is better but the PM's also seem to adapt to the conditions. My house is located on a fence line dividing small city lots. The fence seperating houses that are back to back is the major flyway for these birds, but I have seen my male bird come into the house on many occasions flying between houses that has fence seperation between them also and is 90 degrees to the main fence flyway. He will come in between the houses flying lower than peaks of the roofs. Its kinda comical to watch his flight antics,our military jet pilots would be envious.
dick
I know higher is better and clearance is better but the PM's also seem to adapt to the conditions. My house is located on a fence line dividing small city lots. The fence seperating houses that are back to back is the major flyway for these birds, but I have seen my male bird come into the house on many occasions flying between houses that has fence seperation between them also and is 90 degrees to the main fence flyway. He will come in between the houses flying lower than peaks of the roofs. Its kinda comical to watch his flight antics,our military jet pilots would be envious.
dick
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birdy girl
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
- Location: Mississippi/Dumas
Thanks for your response. I think I am going to cut 2 large trees closer to the road area and place my new gourd rack along with natural gourds (which I should be receiving any day now) out there. I will also add my supergourds also. It won't be as close to the house but maybe the martin's would think it is a better location. My gourds in the pictures are supergourds. I just got them in the other day and put them up. I also added a outdoor speaker to the top of one of my heath houses. I have played dawnsong for the last couple of days, once midday and early this morning. Both times a martin showed up, circled around several times, and then left. I think he is smart enough to know there are no live birds at this site. I have 3 decoys attached to this house. I think he is probably the one that came about a week ago and stay 1 1/2 days and found two more martins but then they all left. When we bought the heath house, we didn't know it wasn't the best choice of houses. But I did have luck with it last spring. Also, these are the houses that the owner of the neighboring colony uses. That is what I just don't understand about the whole situation. I can attract the birds, but they always seem to leave. I guess this is a similar situation to the horse saying,"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." My situation is "I can attract birds to the site, but I can't make them stay."
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Guest
As I was coached your site looks right to me. Perfect is seldom an issue.
Consider using nesting material if you do not already. Leave a bit of your straw and pine needles lay out, in the field some distance. Seems in one instance they enjoy going somewhere and bringing it back.
Most of us have quite a bit of time, in which the first nesting pair may show up and stay. Good luck. Seems to me that may be all you need.
Consider using nesting material if you do not already. Leave a bit of your straw and pine needles lay out, in the field some distance. Seems in one instance they enjoy going somewhere and bringing it back.
Most of us have quite a bit of time, in which the first nesting pair may show up and stay. Good luck. Seems to me that may be all you need.
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birdy girl
- Posts: 1179
- Joined: Wed Apr 19, 2006 9:09 am
- Location: Mississippi/Dumas
I put pine straws in the gourds. However, I didn't put any in the field. I will try that next spring.
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Guest
One more thing I might mention is get the dawnsong and play it loud according to directions. It will bring them in and if there are any still there looking for a site yours looks perfect. Good Luck! Dennis
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Guest
terri99 wrote:Thanks for your response. I think I am going to cut 2 large trees closer to the road area and place my new gourd rack along with natural gourds (which I should be receiving any day now) out there. I will also add my supergourds also. It won't be as close to the house but maybe the martin's would think it is a better location. My gourds in the pictures are supergourds. I just got them in the other day and put them up. I also added a outdoor speaker to the top of one of my heath houses. I have played dawnsong for the last couple of days, once midday and early this morning. Both times a martin showed up, circled around several times, and then left. I think he is smart enough to know there are no live birds at this site. I have 3 decoys attached to this house. I think he is probably the one that came about a week ago and stay 1 1/2 days and found two more martins but then they all left. When we bought the heath house, we didn't know it wasn't the best choice of houses. But I did have luck with it last spring. Also, these are the houses that the owner of the neighboring colony uses. That is what I just don't understand about the whole situation. I can attract the birds, but they always seem to leave. I guess this is a similar situation to the horse saying,"You can lead a horse to water but you can't make him drink." My situation is "I can attract birds to the site, but I can't make them stay."
The main thing is that you are having visitors,they spend most of the time bugin with their friends,make sure you have the Dawnsong fired up at first light ,it does bring them to your site.
