When will next chance to get martins
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Duane33067
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Tue Mar 17, 2015 2:51 pm
- Location: MO/Exeter
I have 3 houses up and hope to get martins in them this year, I have to check them every week to clean out starling and sparrows nest cause they keep filling the houses. My neighbor has about 20 martins in his houses and they fly over my house all the time. Any other things I need to do to make sure I get them in my houses? Thanks
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phldave
- Posts: 528
- Joined: Fri Jun 15, 2012 2:44 pm
- Location: Iowa/Pleasant Hill
- Martin Colony History: Started trying in 2012 and still trying
probably the best thing you can do, is keep the S&S from getting a toe hold on your sites. Do everthing you can through trapping and shooting to do away with them so they don't compete with the martins. Do your best to do away with them before they get a chance to stuff the houses. At first it can be a real battle before the martins get established.
2012 late start
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
2013 nothing yet, lots a lookers
2014 Bust again
2015 Bust again
2016 Bust again
2017 Bust again
2018 April 14 a group joined me, but moved on after a week
2019 Had SY male seriously check me out but didn't stay
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bwenger
- Posts: 1057
- Joined: Thu Jul 14, 2005 7:24 pm
- Location: Pennsylvania/Espyville/Pymatuning Reservoir Area
- Martin Colony History: Taking care of 11 active public colonies and trying to start two more in northwestern PA. Also attempting to restart another one in southwestern PA, in Collier Township's Hilltop Park. In 2017, not sure what happened but the ASY male returned and then a couple of weeks later he was gone. It could have been weather related. No other birds showed up. I had a starling nesting at the Public site that I had trouble getting rid of.
In 2018, we fledged 629 martins at all of the sites.
Duane,
I agree totally with phldave. Cleaning out house sparrow nests once a week is not enough. You need to trap or eliminate any non-native species that is trying to build a nest in your martin housing. You also need to keep native species from nesting as well, but you can't harm them, but don't let them get started, or put up some bluebird houses for them to nest in.
You can keep starlings from being a problem by having Starling Resistant Entrance Hole's, SREH's for short, to keep them from being a problem.
Over the years, I think that timing is everything. If you get a pair of martins visiting for a place to nest, and you have a male house sparrow there who feels that this is his home, he will chase them away. If you eliminate that HS male early in the morning, that pair of martins visit, check out the housing, and start to get comfortable with your site. Which scenario would you rather see happen!
This is a critical time for you to either get martins this year, or have to wait another year, so it's partly up to you, and a pair or two of martins that are looking for a place to nest this year. Timing is everything!
Good luck,
Bill
I agree totally with phldave. Cleaning out house sparrow nests once a week is not enough. You need to trap or eliminate any non-native species that is trying to build a nest in your martin housing. You also need to keep native species from nesting as well, but you can't harm them, but don't let them get started, or put up some bluebird houses for them to nest in.
You can keep starlings from being a problem by having Starling Resistant Entrance Hole's, SREH's for short, to keep them from being a problem.
Over the years, I think that timing is everything. If you get a pair of martins visiting for a place to nest, and you have a male house sparrow there who feels that this is his home, he will chase them away. If you eliminate that HS male early in the morning, that pair of martins visit, check out the housing, and start to get comfortable with your site. Which scenario would you rather see happen!
This is a critical time for you to either get martins this year, or have to wait another year, so it's partly up to you, and a pair or two of martins that are looking for a place to nest this year. Timing is everything!
Good luck,
Bill
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Archer
- Posts: 786
- Joined: Fri Mar 11, 2011 1:09 pm
- Location: Manitoba/Altona
- Martin Colony History: six pair in 2014, have grown to 52 pairs in 2017.
I'll second that motion Dave. Get rid of starling and sparrows. Duane, have you heard of Starling Resistant Entrance Holes (SREH)? A great invention, they keep most starlings out of housing. So that's half your battle won right there. Lots of traps for sparrows and SREH sold at the PMCA shop. http://shop.purplemartin.org/
2011- first year trying, a few visitors.
2012-One ASY pair, raised two young, lots of subby visitors. So thankfull.
2013-daily subby visits.
2014-Six SY pairs
2015-18 pair, 83 fledglings
2016-36 pair, 147 fledglings
2017-52 pairs, 192 fledglings.
2018-60 pair, 246 fledglings.
2019-59 pair, 238 fledglings.
2020-62 pair.
2021-65 pair.
2022-63 pair.
2023-60 pair
2024-62 pair
2012-One ASY pair, raised two young, lots of subby visitors. So thankfull.
2013-daily subby visits.
2014-Six SY pairs
2015-18 pair, 83 fledglings
2016-36 pair, 147 fledglings
2017-52 pairs, 192 fledglings.
2018-60 pair, 246 fledglings.
2019-59 pair, 238 fledglings.
2020-62 pair.
2021-65 pair.
2022-63 pair.
2023-60 pair
2024-62 pair