Out with the old-- in with the new (AAA-16 goes up)

[dsonyay]

I have the AAA 16 up. Only have 6 gourds for now, but I have a couple more on the way. I'll add the rest of the gourds bit-by-bit (payday by payday actually).

Here's a pic:


Build quality is outstanding. Will have to see what the future tenants think.
There's a lot of perching spots on this type of rack.

What I love is the ease of doing nest checks with this design.

[Guest]

Very nice set up!!!
Good luck this year

Mike

[dsonyay]

Thanks Mike-
Good luck to you as well. This will be my second year. I'm hoping to get 2 or 3 more pairs at least.

Everyone advised me to add gourds. I had 6 last year. Even though I had one pair, late in the season we were getting a couple dozen every morning visiting and checking out the gourds. It was really noisy.

I hope with the added gourds the colony will grow.

[Virgil McCoy]

Very Nice !

[flyin-lowe]

I ended up getting the EZ off predator gard to go with that rack. It goes on and off with little effort.

[dsonyay]

someone mentioned placing a 6" pvc pipe 48" inches long on the ground around the pole.

[jim h]

Hey David,good looking rack. Good advice on the gourds too. I started with a plastic house and was advised to add gourds.

We hosted 8 pair our first year and 22 pair last year, all in gourds. I still have plastic house up but have yet to have the first pair stay overnight.

Good luck, Jim

[tonyg]

Looks nice Dave...Mine is up with no gourds yet...I have to wait another 2 months on my birds..i've also added the EZ off guard..

[CNO~La]

Nice Rack! Jealous

Good Luck!

[Gobbler T]

David
Was your original set up that close to the high grass? I've been stressing for 5 years about a wisteria vine (bush) being too close and /or too high too my set up. The closest pole is about 20 feet from it, but if the weather will hold, it's fixing to be about 100 feet.

[dsonyay]

Nice Rack! Jealous

Good Luck!

Rack envy, Todd? LOL.

[dsonyay]

David
Was your original set up that close to the high grass? I've been stressing for 5 years about a wisteria vine (bush) being too close and /or too high too my set up. The closest pole is about 20 feet from it, but if the weather will hold, it's fixing to be about 100 feet.

Yes my old setup was about a foot away from the new spot. They were just as tall last year but today I have to do some hedge trimming in the front yard and will likely chop a couple feet off the pampas grass too... as well as knock off the extending blooms.

[Jeff Robinson]

Nice gourd rack, and wishing you the best for 2012. Tony, however, does make a good point about vegetation being that close to your setup, especially that high. Some likely will comment that they don't have a problem with vegetation close to their housing, but some of them were likely already well established colonies. Just a thought, as simply adding rocks to my setup for aesthetics caused difficulties when I was trying to get my colony established - the martins appeared nervous and were always looking down at the rocks as they tried to determine if they wanted to set up home at my place.

Jeff

[dsonyay]

Thanks Jeff-
Last year was my first year in Slidell. I was able to one pair. They laid eggs and I had three hathlings and three fledged.

By the time they were ready to fledge we had dozens hanging out at the site during the morning. They were all going in and out of the other 5 gourds... almost like they were trying to nest.

It didn't seem to phase them that the bushes were there. The one pair I had actually picked a gourd facing the bushes. They were nearly over it actually.

But like I said I will be knocking them down a few feet anyway.

Thanks for the tips... I'll keep an eye out on how the birds react.

[Jeff Robinson]

Wishing you a full house for 2012 David. Will be watching for your success as I wait for late March to start my year!

[Chriscreole]

Great rack setup, you should easily double your martin population, thats what they tell me anyway. Good luck!

[dsonyay]

Thanks for the advice all.
Yeah this setup could really improve things. The so more more room to perch. Even without the two perching rods, the arms offer plenty of extra room.

[dsonyay]

David
Was your original set up that close to the high grass? I've been stressing for 5 years about a wisteria vine (bush) being too close and /or too high too my set up. The closest pole is about 20 feet from it, but if the weather will hold, it's fixing to be about 100 feet.

Tony - wanted to add that the pole is about 8 feet from the bushes. I think the angle makes the pole look right on the bushes.

[Gobbler T]

David
I'm not knocking your site by any means. It's just that my mentor preached and preached about vegetation anywhere near my set up. I may be wrong but I have convinced myself over the last 5 years that the wisteria bush in my yard has been my down fall. (I gota blame it on something!)
I've gone so far this winter, that the last tree on my property is laying on the ground in the front yard right now waiting to be cut up for fire wood. (today if the weather will hold)
As soon as it's cut up, the wisteria will replace the tree. Then there will be no excuse at all for a martin to shun me!

I didn't mean to change the topic of your thread to my problems.
I know you will enjoy the new AAA. The feeling of control is so much greater than a winch. (IMO) I hope you fill it up!

[Don~VA]

Great looking set up David. I hope mine looks that good when I get it up. I know I read a post from you that said you had decoys. Don't forget to put them up there as the martins should be close to you by now. :-)