I had a SY male trying to get a female to join him in my crescents. Earlier in the month I had a ASY male doing the same and moved on because the SY female would not go in. I did not want to lose the SY pair so I filed out the crescent by 1/16, out of 8 compartments I just enlarged 2 of the compartments. Now the SY pair is nesting, This is my first pair. They are putting pine bark in and pine needles from the other compartments, just sticking their heads in to pull out the pine needles. I am worried about starlings. They come around a lot but I trap and shoot them daily. When should I change back and not lose my pair? Should I wait til next season?
Ya know, I've had this sorta thing happen to me on two different occasions. Both times it was a ASY male with the crescent tunnel. Both times he never went all the way in. I dont know he he couldn't fit or just didnt want to go in all the way. Happened just yesterday on my new rack... Must be eating to many dragonflies...lol
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
You can check the entrances on the crescents to make sure they are 1 3/16" high at the middle. Emil has shown examples of a "no-go gauge" where you use something like an old credit card cut at an angle and mark a line at 1 3/16" to make sure the gauge goes in to that line. If it does not go in all the way to that line, it is undersized.
Here is some info I found from doing a forum search:
Martin Colony History: Started trying to attract purple martins in 2012! It's finally happened in 2017! 5 years!!! ASY male and SY female came May 1st, fledged 5 babies!
Thanks for this information guys. being a newbie I. Sure would hate to miss my opportunity with wrong size hole. I have all crescent. I cut a old pharmacy card I had and checked all of mine. It made it very simple Thanks again. Good luck to all!
To many dragonflies I did check the size when the ASY female did not want to go in and they were the right size. All the Martin houses around me have round holes, I think its just what they are use to, hopefully they will get use to them I just love these lil Emoticons I am just so happy they are nesting. Can't stop watching them.
They will go in when ready. They use caution. But everyone in a while you do get a fat male. I had one and filled the top and he went right inside. That's when you know they was just to big. I could see the top of his back hitting the top.
This is my first pair. 
They are putting pine bark in and pine needles from the other compartments, just sticking their heads in to pull out the pine needles. I am worried about starlings. They come around a lot but I trap and shoot them daily. When should I change back and not lose my pair? Should I wait til next season?
