Minnesota Landlords

[Guest]

Hey MN PM Landlords!

Have you put out your houses yet? I put mine up 2 weeks ago... took it down last night as I had 2 pair of rotten starlings trying to take up residency!

I'm in St. Michael... this is my 2nd year, but last year I only had visitors to my house... any suggestions on when to get the house up for new landlords??

[Jim Koenig]

Kelly, the temps are going to stay very cool for the next 7 to 10 days. I read on the forum that martins can't feed if the temp remains below 50 degrees--no flying insects. Considering the forecast, I don't think that ASY's will move further north until the weather warms.

In the mean time consider that you will still have to deal with the starlings after the weather warms. Starlings are persistent and have to be dealt with effectively if you don't want them to drive your prospective tenants away.

Jim in Minnesota

[Guest]

I've got 18 gourds up. Had lookers last year but no takers. Have caught a few starlings (NB tipping can trap) and one hosp. Working on getting set up to play PM sounds CD when weather turns for the better.

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

I am afraid that the martins reported back in MN. in Prior Lake and Chaska are in for a rough time for the next week. Unless they are feed I dont like their chances of making it.
Jim, you guys over there in Cold Spring have a good bunch of martin houses around town, and with the river there it is even better. I like the looks of some of the homemade houses there.

[D. Doll MN]

Kelly as Jim said the starling is very persistence ,I also think you should put your house back up and remove them starling how ever you can. If you can trap them or if you can shoot them do what ever or they will keep coming back. I always put my house up early to attract starling just to trap and shoot them to rid them from the area. Last year I had 11 starling and 22 sparrow this year so far 9 starling and 4 sparrow. Then most of the rest of the year is fairly good, I had one male sparrow come back mid season last year and peck and kill three chicks. You don't want to see what that looks like! Place your house up and block all the holes except the one that you may want to place a trap in or is best for a shot. Not sure what type of holes you have but starling love round holes, Thats why one side of my house has just round holes. Word or caution when the martin do come back in numbers remove your trap so you don't catch them returning. Two different years I have caught my first martin at my site not sure if they stay or leave But I fill up anyway. In the future if you can thin the problem out ahead of time you will have more fun and less worrys to in joy your martins later on. Good luck

[Guest]

Sorry to resurrect an older thread. I'm new here, and live in Plymouth, MN and am on our third season of attempting to attract martins to our place. As I said in my profile, I think we have a reasonably ideal location here (plenty of open space, pond nearby, etc) and have played the dawn song each year but so far, nothing. I'd really like to make this year "the year" so am soliciting any tips you might have.

The first season after we had installed the house the previous summer, I had one martin sit on top of it in early April -- but I hadn't opened the house yet (thought it was still to early). After it left I immediately opened 1/2 the holes and started playing the dawnsong, but nothing came of it, and last year, I didn't even see any birds roosting on top.

If posting pictures of our setup would be helpful, I'll do that. Just hoping to be a landlord soon!

-Tim

[Bob Flam]

Some of this may help ya out.

top 10 reason's people fail to attract Purple Martin's. Housing location is number 1. http://www.purplemartin.org/main/topten.html

A couple articles on attraction.

http://www.purplemartin.org/update/9(3)social.html

http://www.purplemartin.org/update/10(2)justus.html



Glance over the archives.

http://www.purplemartin.org/forumarchives/archives.html

hope it helps...

bob

[Guest]

Thanks Bob and everyone for your responses!

I appreciate all the articles that may help me in my journey to Landlord-hood!

You all are so supportive of us newbies! Thanks again!

[Dennis D]

Tim, If you want to post some pics we'll be glad to take a look at your set-up. Good Luck!.