Get ready Indiana

[Indiana_Tom]

Boxercrazy, Sounds like you will have good site.

The crescent (half moon) enterences are good for keeping starlins out. You will still have to watch out for House Sparrows and Tree Swallows.

Tree swallows are really nice birds but you can not let them nest in in your martin house because they will not allow any other birds there. If you see them there you should probably close the enterences until they move on to another location.

English House Sparrows are a non native bird that cause a lot of problems. They also will try to take over the nest and will not let other nest. Most martin landlords either trap of shoot house sparrows any chance we get. They will also move in on a martin colony and destroy the eggs or kill the young. Then build their nest there.

It is probably too early for you to open the house yet. It should probably not be opened for about three more weeks. (Others join in if you disagree).

Be sure to look up Tree Swallows so you will know what they look like. They are a bueatiful little bird but do not nest in colonies. There is a good artical on this site in the archives. If you have a way to set up a one cavity nest about 40 feet from your martin site, and can get the tree swallows to move there, they will help protect your martin house. The will not allow other tree swallows to move in.

Good luck

[flyin-lowe]

You need to identify the birds that are trying to nest so you know how to deal with them. Sparrows and starlings should be trapped or shot. BB's and tree swallows will have to get established in there own box or gourd before the martins arrive. If not they will likely run off new martins. Martins that are returning to an established site will take the harassment and fight back defending their territory. New martins are easily discouraged and will look elsewhere.

On a side not my tree swallows just showed up for the first time today.

[Guest]

I do believe it is sparrows.
So, I shouldn't expect martins for about 3 wks?
Is that when I should start playing the CD?
I can borrow a BB gun I think, never thought I would have to get this aggressive with intruding birds but whatever it takes.
Thanks~

[Christopher Norris]

To all Indiana residents, I live in Knox County. 2 Pair of my tree swallows returned yesterday. Here is a picture of my set-up. Last year I had 23 pair, that fledged 92 babies. 1 adult pair and 22 subbie pair. I figure most of mine will be back the first 2 weeks of april.

[landonn]

Boxercrazy,

I disagree with Indiana_Tom( sorry Tom). I think you should open up your house now because martins are already in southern IN. If you open up your house now you might get some adults from another site. I would start to play you cd now. It might attract some adults, but what you really is subadults(this birds usually start the colony), but it will be at least 3 weeks till they are in your area.

Your site sounds great. I would add some gourds to your setup. Are your compartments large( at least 6x9) if not I would enlarge your compartments to 6X12. I would also trap or shoot sparrows. They will be a problem if you let them nest.

Indiana_Tom and Flying-Lowe

I have seen rat snakes in central IN, so I know they are around. I didn't think snakes would be a problem in IN. Do you think it just a problem for southern IN landlords or a problem for the whole state? Both my sites have raccoon guards, but I never thought about add snakes guards to my set up as well.

Landonn

[Indiana_Tom]

Hey landonn,
Disagreeing with me is not a problem. You are probably right. I know it is possible to get an adult pair or just the male the first year. And the chatter will help call them in.

Boxercrazy

The House Sparrows will probably cause you the most problems. There are a lot of them around and you will need to be after them all the time. I have shot 6 males this year but have not set out my traps yet.

Opening your house now is probably a goo idea. You may want to only open one or two cavities and leave the others blocked off. I do that here and leave compartments open that gives me the best shot for the HOSPs.

As far as Tree Swallows, the first pair of martins I thought I had turned out to be Tree Swallows. I had to hurry and get them moved to a different location.

I did see my first TS here, yesterday. I am hoping they will go to their normal housing when they pair up.

It is easy to get depressed later in the season if you don't have a pair yet. Stay with it. Many times the established colonies will have to fill up before the martins start looking for a new place. If you have any other colonies around your area, that will help.

Anyway, good luck and yell if you need anything.
Tom

[Indiana_Tom]

Landonn,

I know I have black snake and I like them around. I have seen one of them crawling across tree limbs 25 feet in the air. I have a 5 foot length of 6 inch PVC at the base of both my systems which should take care of all of the land preditors. But since I found the 3/4 inch netting pretty cheap at Tractor Supply, I added it. I mainly didn't want to have worked so hard to get the martins to loose the colony to a snake.

I am not sure what the snake problem is like in northern Indiana so I can't advise you on whether it is needed or not. If you can find the netting cheap it wouldn't hurt.

Best of luck this year

[landonn]

Indiana-Tom

I have seen gartar snakes in my yard. I think a pole guard would keep them off. Maybe I should start a new topic about whether snake netting is necessary in northern parts of IN and beyond.

Landonn

[Indiana_Tom]

landonn,

I have seen a report somewhere but I can't remember where that pertained to the length of a snake and what pipe type surface it would be capable of climbing. I know a snake can go straight up the side of a tree with only a slight bit of rough bark on it. A smooth surface like PVC makes it much harder. For those of sufficent length, they would need to wrap around the pipe two or three times and constrict on it tightly to work their way up.

Either way, the netting I have cost about 10 dollars so I added it.

Hopefully the new topic will provide more information.

[Grady]

I'll start by saying herpetology is my first love. I have been significantly involved with reptiles and amphibians and their conservation for more than 30 years. You'll have black rat snakes all the way through northern Indiana into Michigan. In North Western Indiana you have both black rat snakes and western fox snakes snakes both of which are great climbers and love birds. You are correct in that a tube will stop a garter snake. Garter snakes aren't nearly the climbers that rat snakes are. Even with all of the experience I have had, I learned on this forum about bird netting. I get called a lot when people want to know what to do about wild snakes in or around their homes. Since there is no real repellent that works I offer up the idea of netting.

[landonn]

Grady,

Thanks. I think I will put netting on my poles. How do you put the netting on the pole? What kind of netting do you use? Thanks.

Landonn

[Indiana_Tom]

Landonn,

I use bird netting and they also have deer netting. Mine has 3/4 inch openings. some have 1 inch openings which is a little large. It's primary purpose is for stretching over fruit trees to protect the fruit from birds.

I purchased mine at a store called "Tractor Supply" here in Central IN.

I think the last I noticed, a larger role cost about 20 dollars.

I have seen it installed a couple of ways. I made a wire frame out of #10AWG copper wire. Somewhat in the shape of a small umbrella frame.
I then layered 5 or 6 layers of netting over the frame. then wove 4 or 5 short lengths of wire from the top to the bottom of the original umbrella frame. I think there is an article in the archives about this frame.

Another way is just to bundle a bunch around the pole and secure it with wire or tape. Then sort of frill the edges out so a snake would most likely try to go through it. Once he tries to get through, he is trapped but unhurt. Just being held out in the thin strands of netting prevent him from being able to move farther.

Here, I would carefully cut the netting away releasing him and then, I would take him back to the barn.

If you can't find it for some reason, let me know and I will send you some.

[landonn]

Thanks Tom,

I think I will do the tape method. Do you have any pictures of the netting on the pole using the tape method? We have rural king where I live, so I can get it there. It's a type of farm store.

Landonn

[flyin-lowe]

I see today there are reports as far north as Hartford City. Which is a good 75 miles north east of Indianapolis, and about 35 miles north of me. I am still hoping to to have not have any return for another week or so. The rest of this week our weather is not going to be the greatest. My TS have been here since last Friday but have not even landed on their gourds yet. I am going to be in Chicago for a couple days next week. I don't want to leave my housing open because I know the TS will move in. I don't want to leave it closed either in case the PM's show up. I am going to leave about 5 cavities open and hope is some ASY's return while I am gone they will fight off the TS.

[Indiana_Tom]

Hi All,

I had an ASY male show up today. He circled the gourd rack several times. Finally landed on a Natureline gourd porch. He only stayed about a minute and then headed west, the way he came in from.

[landonn]

There was a report in my county on the 20th. Getting excited.

Congrats IN-Tom on your arrival.

Landonn

[Rich Jewell In]

Somebody needs to chase the martins South. 36 deg today with wind chills at 15. Going to be in the 30's and 20's at night. I went thru this a few years ago and most didn't make it. I usually get them around April 15th but they are too close already. It won't warm up for another 10 days so I hope they take there time.

Rich

[Louise Chambers]

Don't forget you can heat a multi room house with a 40 watt bulb in a center room (block that entrance), or with handwarmers under nest material. Those also work in gourds or other house styles.

We used handwarmers and a supply of dead crickets inside gourd tunnel for our early arrival and got him through a 5+ day period of no feeding and very cold (for TX!) night temps.

[landonn]

Thanks Louise. I'm pretty worryed about this weather. Hopefully this weather will stop any more arrivals.

Landonn

[Indiana_Tom]

I agree with you landonn. I am really worried about this cold weather.

Louise, Thank you very much for the information.

Last night (Friday) wasn't quite as cold as expected. It is 8:00am with a (low) temp of 32.7. We are supposed to get this cold for most of next week.

Here is about the only plan I can come up with. I have seen one ASY arrive here mid week but I don't know if he stayed or not. I have two gourds open, one Troyer HQ and one Natureline. I have some crickets on hand and will have them ready shortly.

At about 9:30 am, I plan to lower the housing and see if any martins are present. If one comes out, I will try feeding (flipping) some crickets to him and will also put some crickets in the nest he came from.

In addition, I have several of the 10 hour chemical pocket heating packets. I will add one under the nesting material if a martin is present.

That is all I know to do but everything is a big maybe.
1 maybe a martin is there
2 maybe he is still alive
3 maybe he will eat some of the flipped crickets
4 maybe he will return to the same gourd (now with heater)
5 maybe he will eat crickets left in gourd

AND maybe he will do this cycle for the next week.

Good luck to all