Beak to Beak rescue!

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

A few days ago I submitted a post about one of my visiting martin's being stuck inside my Coate's house. This morning I witnessed a rescue by one martin to another. I am sure you experienced martineers have seen this before but wanted to share it with the other newcomers.
This morning my lone ASY male who has been here for a couple of weeks brought back four other martin's; two ASY males, an ASY female and a SY female. One of these males finally worked up his nerve to go into one of the double compartment Big Bo gourds w/ SREH. I watched him attempt numerous times to exit the gourd but to no avail. I thought I was going to have to again lover my house and help this poor fellow out. Finally, after about 10 minutes, he made his way out of the gourd. My other male martin who has been here for past two weeks watched this from his perch on the house. The male who just got out of the gourd made a circle up high, came back down and went to the same gourd he had just exited and went back in. Again, he made several attempts to get out but was unsuccessful. The other ASY male, who was still up on the perch, flew down to the porch of the gourd, reached in and the two birds locked beaks. With their beaks locked together, the one male pulled the other male out of the gourd. This extraction took no more than 3 seconds. Both males landed and perched on the house.
I learned several things by witnessing this. The martins, if they apparently like a site, will go into the SREH. I also learned, these birds are not only pretty to watch and listen to, but they are SMART!
Tim

[CUL Lou~Mich]

Tim. Oh wow. That must have been a thrill to see. Sounds like that new one really really likes the gourd, and wants to use it. Hopefully, he'll go on a mini diet, so he can get in and out on his own. Thanks for sharing this story. CUL Lou

[Guest]

Tim, thanks for sharing that story. That was really very cool to read about. Those of us who don't yet have martins sorta get to enjoy them through the eyes of those who write about them.

[Donnie Hurdt MN]

If a martin is having trouble getting out of a gourd I would check to see if the martin is getting enough traction inside the gourd to help him get out. If there is smooth plastic in there you will have to roughen it up so he can get a toehold to get out.

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

The cresent hole is the correct size and I had recently put down traction tape on the inside. In watching the bird attempting to depart, he was coming straight out instead of coming out at a slight angle to get his wings through. Hopefully he will learn the correct technique.
Tim

[zoefluf]

Tim,

Sounds like you have a lot of action going on around there.

Maybe now you will have your first pairing. Your site must be just what they are looking for.

I'm hoping my lonely pair will bring home some friends soon. I changed my Natureline gourds to RH but so far have had no visitors.

Jeanne

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Hi Jeanne:
I don't know if my "place" is just what they are looking for, but I am trying to offer them the "security" that I really believe they can sense. I am in the process of putting up a perching station about 10' away from my house. From all the pictures I have seen on the forum with perching stations, the martin's really seem to like and use them.
My adult pair that brought in the other martin's yesterday have been gone all day. The two adult males they brought in yesterday have been here most of the day. One of them took my secound gourd and has had no problem going in or out of it with the SREH. Don't know if this was the same one that got stuck in the other gourd yesterday or not. But he has the entry and exit out of the second gourd down pat. The other adult male has laid claim to the porch on my Coates house. I haven't seen him go in or out of the SREH compartment yet, but no other martin better land on the porch!. My main pair spent all day yesterday defending the entire house that is why I am a little concerned that I have not seen them since this morning. They usually come in to roost between 7 and 7:20 so I will be out on the deck watching for them
Tim