pine shavings/GCFL entrance hole size

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rtanner77
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 10:47 am
Location: Georgia/Milledgeville
Martin Colony History: We've hosted purple martins since around 2002 and currently have 5 gourd racks with 22 Excluder gourds, 9 Super gourds, 18 Troyer gourds, 4 Bo gourds, 6 natural gourds, and 3 homemade boxes for martins to use.

Howdy folks,
Do any of you use or have you used pine shavings rather than pine straw in any of your housing or gourds? I use it often in my wood duck boxes and in many of my other nest boxes during the winter for any roosting birds.

Also, if any of you ever put up housing for great-crested flycatchers, can they utilize a nest box with 1 9/16 entrance hole? I've read both yes and no, and I'd like to see if anyone here can confirm either way. I usually use 2" holes for them, there are a few places on our property where starlings are around and could be an issue; therefore, I'd like to try to use 1 9/16.

trying to stay warm,
Ralph
"It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living." -Sir David Attenborough
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Bulldog1
Posts: 700
Joined: Fri Apr 08, 2011 8:33 am
Location: Mississippi/Hamilton

Still a newbie, but I would think that pine shavings would hold water, while pine straw lets any water drain out holes in bottom of gourd. JMHO

By the way, where I deer hunt we have lots of wood ducks. I planning on shooting(photos) some after deer season. Hopefully I will have some decent shots to share here.
PMCA member
2015 - 18 Gourds offered - 12 active nests, 62 eggs, 51 fledged
2014 - 18 gourds offered - 12 active nests, 52 eggs, 48 fledged
2013 - 12 gourds offered - 9 pairs, 56 eggs, 52 hatched, 49 fledged
2012 - 12 gourds offered -4 pairs, 20 eggs, 19 fledged
2011 - 6 gourds offered -1 pair, 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 fledged !!!!
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RC Moser
Posts: 1546
Joined: Fri Nov 14, 2003 3:25 am

Stokes field guide says 1 1/2" to 2 1/2". So your 1 9/16" should be OK depending on how thick the wood at the entry hole is? I make mine 1 5/8" with 2 by 4 1 3/4" hole tunnel. I have plenty of starlings around haven't seen one able to enter it yet. I have also noticed they like nest high up 15 to 20 foot or more in tree.
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cary-nw-fla
Posts: 141
Joined: Tue Apr 05, 2011 12:27 pm
Location: Holt, Florida

I agree with Bulldog said, believe the shavings would retain the moisture. I use pine needles, maybe someone who has actually tried the shavings could provide further input.
2010/2011: 0 / 2012: 8 Pair / 2013: 22 Pair / 2014: 35 Pair / 2015: 39 Pair / 2016: 73 Pair / 2017: 94 Pair
Cary
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4th Gen Martin Fan
Posts: 1498
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
Location: TN/Collierville
Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.

I have looked into the various types of pine shavings and shredded cypress shavings. They were all variations on the same theme in my view.
The amount of dirt and fine shavings would probably clog the drainage holes in the gourds.
If I had to resort to any of these choices, I would have to put shredded cypress shavings on the top of my list but I would only consider it if I first washed out all of the dirt and fine particles.
All of the above is inferior in my opinion. Dried pine needles far exceeds anything else I have seen.
Unfortunately all of the major suppliers in my area do not handle bales of pine needle straw. Even the garden/nursery suppliers do not stock it. I scanned the major suppliers' reviews and found that many people review the bales of pine straw as moldy, rotten, musty pine straw with lots of sticks and pine cones.
I have had to resort to raking up my own pine needles. I agree that it is a lot of work to rake only the top, fresher needles, pick out the sticks & pine cones, loosely bag in open draw string trash bags, and let dry for several weeks before they are ready for use in purple martin pre-nest.
Sorry for the bad news but I considered and rejected all of the common shavings that I could find.
If anyone else can come up with a better alternative, then I am all ears.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
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rtanner77
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 10:47 am
Location: Georgia/Milledgeville
Martin Colony History: We've hosted purple martins since around 2002 and currently have 5 gourd racks with 22 Excluder gourds, 9 Super gourds, 18 Troyer gourds, 4 Bo gourds, 6 natural gourds, and 3 homemade boxes for martins to use.

I've only ever used pine straw, especially since here in Georgia it's everywhere with all the pines we have. I haven't had issues with the nest getting too wet with pine shavings in other houses I have, but then again, gourds are a little different.

On a side note, most of 'my' martins use my dad's hay to construct their nests, because he keeps most of his hay bales near my gourd racks. I've watched the martins land on the bales and gather pieces of hay. Pretty convenient for them I suppose.
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hay bales near the gourd racks
hay bales near the gourd racks
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"It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living." -Sir David Attenborough
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4th Gen Martin Fan
Posts: 1498
Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
Location: TN/Collierville
Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.

rtanner77,
I am jealous of your martin colony. What a great setup!
I want to hear more from you about your experiences with the pine shavings.
Is it possible for you to try some of the pine shavings in a few of your gourds and tell us of the results?
You are an amazing landlord. Your martins will thank you each year.
Keep up the good work.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
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Courtney-NC
Posts: 592
Joined: Tue Jul 15, 2008 2:28 pm
Location: Holly Springs, NC
Martin Colony History: 2009-2015-Helped to manage Raleigh site, 36 cavities
2016- 33 pairs at Raleigh site, 1 pair at home site.
2017- 34 pairs at Raleigh site, 3 pairs + extra SYs at home site
2018- 33 pairs at Raleigh site, 5 pairs + extra SYs at home site
2019 - 32 pairs at Raleigh site, 7 pairs at home site, 2 pairs at new Holly Springs park site

I built a box for them with an entrance hole that was 1 9/16". They used it last year. I have also seen them build nests and raise chicks with a standard 1 3/16" crescent.
-Courtney
-------------------
NC Purple Martin Society (PMCA affiliate)
http://www.ncpurplemartin.org
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rtanner77
Posts: 51
Joined: Thu May 10, 2007 10:47 am
Location: Georgia/Milledgeville
Martin Colony History: We've hosted purple martins since around 2002 and currently have 5 gourd racks with 22 Excluder gourds, 9 Super gourds, 18 Troyer gourds, 4 Bo gourds, 6 natural gourds, and 3 homemade boxes for martins to use.

Thanks! I'm going to give it a try. I just don't want to have them not be able to enter and waste a new nest box. I specifically make a few slightly bigger boxes for the GCFL. I'll give it a go.
"It seems to me that the natural world is the greatest source of excitement; the greatest source of visual beauty; the greatest source of intellectual interest. It is the greatest source of so much in life that makes life worth living." -Sir David Attenborough
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Louise Chambers
Site Admin
Posts: 6208
Joined: Tue Nov 04, 2003 1:07 pm
Location: Corpus Christi, TX

We have Brown-crested Flycatchers using our bluebird boxes, which all have 1-1/2 inch entrances that have been gently modified by Golden-fronted Woodpeckers (south TX equivalents to GCFL and Red-bellied Woodpeckers). I think I'll measure some of the entrances, you've got me curious.
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Ladybug
Posts: 243
Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:09 pm
Location: Indiana/ Jamestown
Martin Colony History: 2005-2019. Lots lookers, 2 successful nesting's.
2010-1 pair nested, 4 eggs destroyed(Wren).
2012- 1 pair nested, 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2019- 1 pair nested, 4 eggs, 4 fledged.
2021- 10 pair, 40 babies fledged.
2022- 17 pair, 10 eggs not hatched= appxy. 57 fledged.

What an awesome set up. Love seeing the Martins.
There is hope for us yet. We live in Indiana.
Lots of time still to wait.
Thanks for the photo.

PMCA member.
Joanne
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