Martins left nests in gourds - July in Rehoboth Ma
Hi, We have a 6 gourd unit that we put up last year and live a few houses down from Crestwood Country Club which has a huge colony. None came last year, however this spring we were fortune enough to get a few living in the gourds. However, a little over a week ago, they had vacated. They used to always come around when I came outside and now there is no trace of them. In the evenings there are probably 50 or so feeding in the hayfield on the side of my house but they seem to have abandoned the nests. We pulled it down to check and there were 4 nests, 1 which looked like a sparrow may have started a nest in there. It was completely filled with hay. Should we take them down and clean them for next year?
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 2879
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair.
HOSP: 52 Starlings: 29
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 36 PMCA excluder gourds, 6 room trio mini castle with troyer tunnels and enlarged compartments.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair,
PMCA member
HI! Congrats on your martins! Nice area of the country.
Guess first question is did they fledge any young or simply abandon the site? If the answer is you had sucessful fledges then id leave it up until they all clear the area for their roosts and migration and plan on next year. Look to see if they are coming back to preen and socialise in the morning. If so, definitely leave it up.
If they abandoned their nests id look for the reason, predators for example and adjust as necessary.
Do your best to rid the area of sparrows.
Tom
Guess first question is did they fledge any young or simply abandon the site? If the answer is you had sucessful fledges then id leave it up until they all clear the area for their roosts and migration and plan on next year. Look to see if they are coming back to preen and socialise in the morning. If so, definitely leave it up.
If they abandoned their nests id look for the reason, predators for example and adjust as necessary.
Do your best to rid the area of sparrows.
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
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Martin man RI
- Posts: 440
- Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:04 pm
- Location: MA/RI area
Hi My name is Ray Marr I manage the Crestwood Colony on wheeler Avenue Im not sure if you
are the site that i helped place gourds before you moved to that farm. I was friends with the
former owner. Who moved away about 5 yrs ago. Many of the older birds are done and will
return for days to roost before they head for South American. You can be very proud you have
neighbors that host as many as 131 pairs and the largest colony in New England and probably the
northeast. Crsewood has 84 gourds and a member next door has matched there 84 gourds. Because
of there kindness Martins have spread far and wide in towns there have not seen Martins in over 100
years. With your colony will just add to there success. Barrington RI has the second largest in this
area of New England with over 120 pairs. If you have any problems or questions please email
I like to keep records of all new and older colony's The Martins is still very Rare Bird in MA. But
is recovering. The entire town will be a buss with Martins for everyone to enjoy for the next few weeks
Enjoy them! Hope to hear from you! [email protected] Ray Marr
are the site that i helped place gourds before you moved to that farm. I was friends with the
former owner. Who moved away about 5 yrs ago. Many of the older birds are done and will
return for days to roost before they head for South American. You can be very proud you have
neighbors that host as many as 131 pairs and the largest colony in New England and probably the
northeast. Crsewood has 84 gourds and a member next door has matched there 84 gourds. Because
of there kindness Martins have spread far and wide in towns there have not seen Martins in over 100
years. With your colony will just add to there success. Barrington RI has the second largest in this
area of New England with over 120 pairs. If you have any problems or questions please email
I like to keep records of all new and older colony's The Martins is still very Rare Bird in MA. But
is recovering. The entire town will be a buss with Martins for everyone to enjoy for the next few weeks
Enjoy them! Hope to hear from you! [email protected] Ray Marr