Ok, I tried to glue trap the sparrows, they detected it, slept somewhere else last night and today are attacking house #1 (they were in house #2).
I can't shoot anymore accurately (I'll try on a fence, but no way I can attempt it on the martin house).
Due to medical costs, there is no more cash in the martin till until 3-4 months (so basically this martin season).
The martins are not laying eggs yet, but I fear its gonna be soon, at least in the 2 oldest nests.
What I need to know is:
1) Do I take down the martin houses, displacing the martins who may or may not find a new home in time for eggs.
or
2) Leave them up, and just keep trying for the sparrows on the slim chance I'll catch one away from the martin house, and just HOPE (yeah, right) that they won't destroy all the martin eggs.
Those are my only two options. So I'd like to know what some of you would do. I'm leaning towards taking down the homes, but I really want to help the martins out, but I'll burn down houses down before I let even ONE sparrow egg hatch.
Even if I have to lose martins, after I get back on my fiscal feet, I am going to dedicate the rest of my days to killing sparrows, hopefully having martins again someday, but if not, I'll just keep adding up sparrow kills until I just can't kill them any more. Any that I can't kill, I will harrass, destroying their eggs, taking over their homes, anything that they now do to martins. Maybe if I get martins again, I'll keep sparrows in a cage where they can watch martins breeding and fledging young, but they can't get out to do anything about it. Maybe I can tie them on a string to feed to passing hawks and cats.. whatever it takes. I can get some joy looking at the pictures of everybody elses martins, knowing that I helped by killing sparrows and all their descendants...
I need some opinions...
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Guest
I wouldn't take your houses down. You'll lose your colony.
Here is an idea. Do daily nest checks while the Martins are gone and clean out any sparrow nests to prevent them from breeding. Spend as much time as you can near the housing, Martins will get used to you but the sparrows usually won't. You might just get in some shots from close range, if you miss this will make the sparrows more afraid of you. Male sparrows with nests and eggs are subject to revenge behavior so be careful there. If you're having trouble with your aim you may need a support for gun such as a bipod if you are shooting free standing. If you can rest the gun against something solid this will improve accuracy. All this is provided you have a reasonably accurate pellet gun. Emil and others may have better ideas.
Hope this will help
Rahn
Here is an idea. Do daily nest checks while the Martins are gone and clean out any sparrow nests to prevent them from breeding. Spend as much time as you can near the housing, Martins will get used to you but the sparrows usually won't. You might just get in some shots from close range, if you miss this will make the sparrows more afraid of you. Male sparrows with nests and eggs are subject to revenge behavior so be careful there. If you're having trouble with your aim you may need a support for gun such as a bipod if you are shooting free standing. If you can rest the gun against something solid this will improve accuracy. All this is provided you have a reasonably accurate pellet gun. Emil and others may have better ideas.
Hope this will help
Rahn
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Sigundo
Rahn, the pellet gun is accurate. Sadly, my diabetes is making me shake enough that at 45 feet, not to mention the blurred vision. I have a pattern of about 5 inches or so, even resting it on a window ledge.
I seem to do a LITTLE better with the scope off, as I can't see the crosshairs moving so much, so I don't try and compensate. With the scope off, I can hit a coke can 4 out of 5 times, at about 45 feet, but of course a sparrow is much smaller than that, and the stray rounds will easily kill any martin in my S&K house (its almost full) and the pellet gun is powerful enough to go completely through the entire house, unless it hits the metal pole or tries to go through 3 floors (the thickest plastic). Walls will not even slow it down.
OH, and I have spent time outside near the houses, I spent 4 hours one day sitting.. the sparrow wouldn't even land near the house, but landed behind me and made that horrible "battle sound" they make, but would fly whenever I turned (or else he would set somewhere not safe to fire because of what was behind him).
I seem to do a LITTLE better with the scope off, as I can't see the crosshairs moving so much, so I don't try and compensate. With the scope off, I can hit a coke can 4 out of 5 times, at about 45 feet, but of course a sparrow is much smaller than that, and the stray rounds will easily kill any martin in my S&K house (its almost full) and the pellet gun is powerful enough to go completely through the entire house, unless it hits the metal pole or tries to go through 3 floors (the thickest plastic). Walls will not even slow it down.
OH, and I have spent time outside near the houses, I spent 4 hours one day sitting.. the sparrow wouldn't even land near the house, but landed behind me and made that horrible "battle sound" they make, but would fly whenever I turned (or else he would set somewhere not safe to fire because of what was behind him).
Sigundo,
Please call Dave on his cell. I am sure Goo Ole Dave is going to come thru for you . Thanks Dave. John in Ala
Please call Dave on his cell. I am sure Goo Ole Dave is going to come thru for you . Thanks Dave. John in Ala