First time post. I'm hoping to become a new landlord, and would like your feedback on the setup below. This forum has been incredibly educational for me, and I value your feedback.
Because I'm probably able to install only one pole in my yard, I'm willing to make the investment to do it correctly the first time. I'm considering a T-14 w/ four gourds from Troyer's. (I've read here that martins sometimes favor gourds over housing, which is why I plan to have both.)
I live in eastern PA in a development on top of a hill. There are 200' of woods next to our property then some farmland. Plenty of quarries and ponds nearby (and my neighbor's pool!) for water.
The measurements below are to the nearest trees (55' and 40'), and to my house (62'). My neighbor's yard drops off about 8' so the perspective is off a little in the background. The trees along the back left are 60-80' tall, but the closest is 55' away. There's more airspace than there looks.
Anyone have any thoughts or concerns, either about the location or the equipment? I'm ready to place the order in the next few days.
Thank you in advance!
Dave
Bangor PA
Looking for feedback on house location
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John Miller
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- Location: St. Louis, MO
Dave
This is hard when one is not standing there, but one thing I tell folks is to try to avoid putting house by a solid line of trees or woods. It's better to be a little closer to a human building than by the woods, which the martins may know is home to owls. My inclination on your yard -- but not ready to say do it -- is to move the martin house some distance toward your house. If I could see an aerial it would help. John Miller
This is hard when one is not standing there, but one thing I tell folks is to try to avoid putting house by a solid line of trees or woods. It's better to be a little closer to a human building than by the woods, which the martins may know is home to owls. My inclination on your yard -- but not ready to say do it -- is to move the martin house some distance toward your house. If I could see an aerial it would help. John Miller
Thanks for the response, John. Here's an overhead view. My house is on the bottom.
Blue Arrow = Direction of previous picture
White Star = Proposed Pole Location
White Cross = A single, scrawny tree, ~12' high. (This is the one that's 40' away in the previous picture.) My initial thought is that this tree wouldn't pose much threat to the martins compared to the ones on the left which are much taller.
What do you think?
THANK YOU!
Blue Arrow = Direction of previous picture
White Star = Proposed Pole Location
White Cross = A single, scrawny tree, ~12' high. (This is the one that's 40' away in the previous picture.) My initial thought is that this tree wouldn't pose much threat to the martins compared to the ones on the left which are much taller.
What do you think?
THANK YOU!
- Attachments
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- House_Location_Aerial.jpg (102.82 KiB) Viewed 6725 times
I forgot to add, that my better half would very much prefer that the pole be near the northern edge of the yard, and not any further toward dead center. ...and I always aim to please. 
Last edited by Lozinger on Sat Feb 27, 2016 3:00 pm, edited 2 times in total.
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John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
The location you marked looks better to me in the aerial. It's still not as open as I'd like, but pretty good. I think toward the middle of the yard you'd not benefit from the flyways between the two houses. I'd need to see to the right, but you might consider the lower front yard down toward the drive ...tell your wife that it was my idea, not yours. If you are putting up a T 14 , it could be very pretty. John Miller
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John Miller
- Posts: 4863
- Joined: Mon Mar 22, 2004 9:11 pm
- Location: St. Louis, MO
gosh...I wish I were standing there to say with greater confidence. Hopefully others will chime in. Maybe 5 feet closer. It looks to be a medium sized, older tree that maybe won't grow much. martins won't come and measure. You just want good open flyways and get away from a solid line of trees or woods when one can. I don't know about the local martin population there. One often has to be even more ideally located, or even by water, in areas where there are fewer martins. But hopefully there are some colonies in your area.
I revisited my proposed location based on your feedback, and swung it closer to the house. I remember reading somewhere that martins are ok within 30' of a human dwelling, so that's what drove the distance to the house. I think I'm going to take a chance and place the pole 35' (instead of 40') from the scrawny tree, which is marked by the small white cross. This will enable them to make use of the flyway between the houses, which is bigger than it looks.
Anyone have any thoughts or concerns? I think it's the best I can do considering my limitations. If it doesn't work after a year or two, I'll plant another stake in the front yard and smile at the neighbors a lot.
Thanks!
Anyone have any thoughts or concerns? I think it's the best I can do considering my limitations. If it doesn't work after a year or two, I'll plant another stake in the front yard and smile at the neighbors a lot.
Thanks!
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John Miller
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- Location: St. Louis, MO
Looking at the new location.. "maybe" a little too close to your house, which appears to be two-stories, and I'd like to get just a little more out in the flyway between the houses. So maybe five feet further back toward the woods and five feet toward the tree.
John
John
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John Miller
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- Location: St. Louis, MO
whew..my apology. Looking back..my latest suggestion seems to take you back to where you were going to put the house in the first place.
that's the way of it sometimes.
John Miller
that's the way of it sometimes.
John Miller
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Forum Admin
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Is the scraggly tree possibly a candidate for removal?
Forum Administrator
Purple Martin Conservation Association - Please consider becoming a member of the PMCA.
Purple Martin Conservation Association - Please consider becoming a member of the PMCA.
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Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
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- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
If martins are plentiful, you may attract some martins, but if martins are scarce in your area, it may be more difficult. Keep trying, you may have great success, and best of luck to you. The nearby treeline is the biggest problem.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
I would think maybe 20-30' more south on the first aerial shot would be better. Puts them closer to your porch for evening enjoyment and more out in the open for a better flyway. The wife will learn to love the sounds they make once you attract them in.
2014 8 gourds, 3 pairs nested. Ended w/ 24 total
2015 24 gourds, 22 nests. Lotsa birds!
2016 24 gourds and good activity.
2017 32 SREH gourds. Great activity.
2018 40 SREH gourds. Good finish despite big storm damage. No more dangling gourds.
2019 56+ SREH gourds, all on 3/8 rods. Birds did very well.
2020 56 SREH gourds.
2015 24 gourds, 22 nests. Lotsa birds!
2016 24 gourds and good activity.
2017 32 SREH gourds. Great activity.
2018 40 SREH gourds. Good finish despite big storm damage. No more dangling gourds.
2019 56+ SREH gourds, all on 3/8 rods. Birds did very well.
2020 56 SREH gourds.
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John Barrow
- Posts: 982
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 4:12 pm
- Location: Corpus Christi / Sandia , Texas
Dave,
Having looked at the different options, I would move the pole closer to your house than originally planned, but like John Miller suggested, not to the 32 foot range. I would lean more toward 40 feet from the house. I would also consider positioning the house so that entrances face the longest flyways. In other words the openings would face more NE/SW on opposite sides, rather than N/S. One set of openings would be focused more toward the southeast corner of your neighbor's roof, which would leave the opposite side facing toward the most open part of the SW corner of your lot. Opposite sides would also be positioned more toward the open flyways.This would help minimize your house and the treeline from being directly in front of the flyways. I agree with Emil and John that the treeline is your major obstacle--much more so than the single tree to the north. There is a benefit to having the system closer to your house, but because of its height, too close could create problems in avoiding any hawk attacks.
You have a beautiful site. I wish you great success with your effort.
Having looked at the different options, I would move the pole closer to your house than originally planned, but like John Miller suggested, not to the 32 foot range. I would lean more toward 40 feet from the house. I would also consider positioning the house so that entrances face the longest flyways. In other words the openings would face more NE/SW on opposite sides, rather than N/S. One set of openings would be focused more toward the southeast corner of your neighbor's roof, which would leave the opposite side facing toward the most open part of the SW corner of your lot. Opposite sides would also be positioned more toward the open flyways.This would help minimize your house and the treeline from being directly in front of the flyways. I agree with Emil and John that the treeline is your major obstacle--much more so than the single tree to the north. There is a benefit to having the system closer to your house, but because of its height, too close could create problems in avoiding any hawk attacks.
You have a beautiful site. I wish you great success with your effort.
~~TEAMED WITH A MARTIN GODDESS~~
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Member/Mentor-PMCA. I do regular nestchecks and participate in PROJECT MARTINWATCH!! Coordinated 3 geolocator studies-2009, 2010 & 2013. State and Fed licensed bander (retired Jan., 2020)
Your wife is going to learn to love the martins once they start to visit, and your enthusiasm is going to be contagious! Show her the feedback you have received on the forum and maybe she can compromise a bit on location (even a few feet in the right direction may help).
The T-14 is a beautiful house (and gourds will be beautiful too) and provides a great view and topic for conversation with friends and family. My T-14 martin house positioned where I can see it from my computer, my husband from his computer, from our kitchen, from our living room, and from our pool deck where we often sit in the evening enjoying all of our birds.
I hope everything works out for you. Good luck!!! Martins need people such as you and will not survive without our help as they are totally dependent on human provided housing for their existence!
- Judy
The T-14 is a beautiful house (and gourds will be beautiful too) and provides a great view and topic for conversation with friends and family. My T-14 martin house positioned where I can see it from my computer, my husband from his computer, from our kitchen, from our living room, and from our pool deck where we often sit in the evening enjoying all of our birds.
I hope everything works out for you. Good luck!!! Martins need people such as you and will not survive without our help as they are totally dependent on human provided housing for their existence!
- Judy
2016 - 4 Pairs with 16 fledged
Thank you all for the feedback! I will digest it tonight into tomorrow.
And unfortunately, no, removing the tree in the middle is not an option...yet! It belongs to my neighbor, but he's been talking about how nothing grows in our soil. He also loves birds, so maybe I can sweet-talk him into allowing me to either remove it or at least cut it back.
What a wonderful source of knowledge this forum is!
And unfortunately, no, removing the tree in the middle is not an option...yet!
It belongs to my neighbor, but he's been talking about how nothing grows in our soil. He also loves birds, so maybe I can sweet-talk him into allowing me to either remove it or at least cut it back.What a wonderful source of knowledge this forum is!