I have a simple question for many of you. I live in Pearland, Texas, which is near Houston. Last year was my first year to put up a house and I ended up having 3 pair of mating birds. When it was all over I believe there were about 15 birds total. I put that house up in early February.
When should I put up my house this year?
Do you think I will attact the same original pairs only, or will some of the new ones also follow?
Thanks for everyone's help.
Glen
When to put up house in Texas
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
My first birds come about 25 Jan, but with the warm winter, they may come a bit sooner. You should be fine to put it up anytime between 15 Jan and 15 Feb, as your returning martins will wait for you to put up the house if they are already here. The last arrivals come about 1 April, so you may not get birds as soon as I do because your colony is newer...Its great that you got some the first year, and good luck this year....I live SW of Houston in Richmond.
Yes, if your pairs successfully raised young, then they will come back, and they may even attract a lot of new pairs, so your housing will probably be nearly full. There usually are a few unused compartments
because 1 pair sometimes claim more than 1 compartment...
Yes, if your pairs successfully raised young, then they will come back, and they may even attract a lot of new pairs, so your housing will probably be nearly full. There usually are a few unused compartments
because 1 pair sometimes claim more than 1 compartment...
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Adam Romain
- Posts: 289
- Joined: Sat Apr 24, 2004 5:40 pm
- Location: Texas, Fulshear
Hello Glen!!!
Can't give you better advice than Emil
I live about 8 miles from Emil and my first returning birds last year came in mid to late Feb. My colony was on its second year so "my" martins arrive later than Emil since his colony is much older. No problem putting up your housing now and plugging until your birds arrive or using it to start controlling s&s problems if they exist. It's a personal choice, just be ready, they could return early.
One other item I would like to point out. On this Wednesday night, martin landlords from across our area will be getting together and sharing experiences. If you are available, I would highly recommend you stopping by. It's always a lot of fun and we will be joined by Ms. Louise Chamber of the PMCA which is quite an honor!!! Hope to see you there. For more info, follow link provided...
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=954
Can't give you better advice than Emil
I live about 8 miles from Emil and my first returning birds last year came in mid to late Feb. My colony was on its second year so "my" martins arrive later than Emil since his colony is much older. No problem putting up your housing now and plugging until your birds arrive or using it to start controlling s&s problems if they exist. It's a personal choice, just be ready, they could return early.
One other item I would like to point out. On this Wednesday night, martin landlords from across our area will be getting together and sharing experiences. If you are available, I would highly recommend you stopping by. It's always a lot of fun and we will be joined by Ms. Louise Chamber of the PMCA which is quite an honor!!! Hope to see you there. For more info, follow link provided...
http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=954
Adam
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Guest
Hi Glen,
I live in Pearland and have always used Valentine's Day as my marker to put up my houses. Timing seems to be pretty good and I haven't had any trouble with sparrows or starlings.
Good luck!
I live in Pearland and have always used Valentine's Day as my marker to put up my houses. Timing seems to be pretty good and I haven't had any trouble with sparrows or starlings.
Good luck!
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Glen, I think the Valentine's day deadline is a good suggestion. There will be earlier arrivals of small isolated groups of older adult martins beginning the middle of this month, primarily to older and larger colonies, and the arrivals will be of a small percentage of the ASY population. It is generally around the middle of Feb that we get large general arrivals of ASY birds along the Texas coast that begin to fill in most martin colonies.
Just keep an eye to the sky. If your martins return earlier they will be flying around your site early and late in the day and you should see them hanging around. Have a good season.
Just keep an eye to the sky. If your martins return earlier they will be flying around your site early and late in the day and you should see them hanging around. Have a good season.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
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Guest
Glen, we had our first scout arrive last year on February 8th, he did not stay all day, but by the 11th of February, we had 17 martins. Prior to that, we had our Mr blue show up one year earlier than that. We put up all of our gourds last Sunday, and I plan to start playing the dawnsong next week, as I do not think that Louisiana will be that far a flight for any martins to make, and sadly, I think now that so many have lost their homes due to the tragedies that fell on the nation this past year, there will indeed be martins needing a place to live. I wish you all the best in this new season, as I do for all the other landlords out there. I know Don and I are already fired up and ready!!!