Leaves For Nesting
My Martins use leaves from the Tallow trees of the lot next door as nesting material. Soon the neighbor will start to build, and the trees will be cut down. What other tree could be planted that would provide the right leaf for my birds? I live in Houston.
-
Thomas Maddox
- Posts: 274
- Joined: Fri Jun 25, 2021 5:23 pm
- Location: Sulphur, Louisiana
Many PMs use Oak leaves. Any of those nearby?
-
Jones4381
- Posts: 723
- Joined: Sat Apr 25, 2020 10:54 pm
- Location: Rocky Mount VA
- Martin Colony History: 60 gourds
2020- visitors
2021- 1 pair-5
2022- 5 pair-20
2023 34 pair-44
2024 39 pair-TBD
Most fruit trees and wild black cherry up here are the favs with the pear fruit tree being #1 but it's also the closest to them. Watched them try and get a leaf from a 400 year old Southern Oak by the house and couldn't pull it off so they moved on to easier Pickens.
"Be content with what you have; rejoice in the way things are. When you realize there is nothing lacking, the whole world belongs to you." - Lao Tzu
-
Martintown33
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Yes, I find that they use green leaves off of almost any nearby tree, but mine do seem to prefer oak leaves..
Rob
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La
This year I placed pine straw in the bed & breakfast feeder and they emptied three trays a day for about a week and topped off their nests with oak leaves. In a couple of nests, they used mostly hay, oak leaves and a couple pieces of plastic wrappers. 
2019- 6 Pair, 31 Hatched, 30 Fledged
2020- 8 Pair, 38 Hatched, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 51 Hatched, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 154 Hatched, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 128 Hatched, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
PMCA Member
2020- 8 Pair, 38 Hatched, 32 Fledged
2021- 10 Pair, 51 Hatched, 39 Fledged
HOSP count 130, Starlings 2
2022- 31 Pair, 154 Hatched, 146 Fledged
HOSP count to date 17, Starlings 1
2023- 28 Pair, 128 Hatched, 124 Fledged
HOSP count 47, Starlings 1
PMCA Member
-
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
Wouldn't worry, that tree was close and they went for it. They will find what they want, ours used to go for a ucalyptus tree, it has since died. Kinda relieved really, they would fill the nest with those narrow leavs.
Look at it this way, you won't have a mature 50 foot tree to worry about encroaching!
Ps: being from Texas this may appeal....get some corn husk tamale wrappers from HEB, cut them into 3 inch long 1 inch wide strips and place in a pile where they can see them they love tamale wrappers.
Tom
Look at it this way, you won't have a mature 50 foot tree to worry about encroaching!
Ps: being from Texas this may appeal....get some corn husk tamale wrappers from HEB, cut them into 3 inch long 1 inch wide strips and place in a pile where they can see them they love tamale wrappers.
Tom
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
-
Constant patrol
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Tue Feb 22, 2022 9:17 pm
- Location: Livingston, Tx
I live north of Houston. The martins here use leaves from Japanese persimmon, almost entirely. Plus, the fruit is large and delicious!
When the martins first came to the housing, I called them "my birds". After a few years I now know they are God's birds.
This, have an oak tree in the backyard. Martins add about 10 leaves on the top of their pine straw and start laying.
Colony started in 2002
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
Offering 82 Troyer Horizontal Gourds
2018 - 45 PAIR - FLEDGED 203 MARTINS
2019 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 268 MARTINS
2020 - 82 PAIR - FLEDGED 392 MARTINS
2021 - 78 PAIR - FLEDGED 349 MARTINS
2022 - 76 PAIR - FLEDGED 373 MARTINS
2023 - 68 PAIR - FLEDGED 355 MARTINS
*2023 Added 2”X4” wire cages to all three Troyer Gemini Gourd Racks to deal with Great Horned Owl predation on Colony.
-
flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3582
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
I am surrounded by crop fields but have a variety of trees on my property. The nests I see are almost entirely made of corn fodder and other scraps from the local corn fields. I get leaves brought in to line and cover eggs but hardly ever seem them built into the actual nest. When I see them with leaves I know eggs are their or on the way.
2024 HOSP count-26
2023 60+ pair, HOSP count-8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP count-14
2021 62 nest fledged aprox. 230, HOSP count-9
2020 42 nest, Fledged 164, HOSP count-8
2019- 31 Pair over 100 fledged
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair nested, 12 eggs total, fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles away, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2023 60+ pair, HOSP count-8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP count-14
2021 62 nest fledged aprox. 230, HOSP count-9
2020 42 nest, Fledged 164, HOSP count-8
2019- 31 Pair over 100 fledged
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair nested, 12 eggs total, fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles away, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
Thank you all for the recommendations.
We have a variety of trees especially oak, but I have only seen them use the Tallow leaves to line the nest before laying. I assumed it was because they are soft and easily plucked from the branches.
I am so relieved. I had such fear they might not return if the right leaves were not in supply. Whew!
I especially like the corn husk idea. That's easy enough. HEB is right around the corner.
We have an abundance of birds this year YAY YAY YAY!!
We have a variety of trees especially oak, but I have only seen them use the Tallow leaves to line the nest before laying. I assumed it was because they are soft and easily plucked from the branches.
I am so relieved. I had such fear they might not return if the right leaves were not in supply. Whew!
I especially like the corn husk idea. That's easy enough. HEB is right around the corner.
We have an abundance of birds this year YAY YAY YAY!!
-
Martintown33
- Posts: 1029
- Joined: Tue Jun 01, 2021 6:21 pm
- Location: Laplace,La
- Martin Colony History: Colony started in 1998. 2 s&k modified houses and gourd rack
Hi thomabear.. I saw your post about your martins emptying 3 trays a day of pine needles.. I was afraid to load my trays with pine needles, this year, because I had a hawk attack, last year, when he was drawn to the martins continuously going to the trays to get the pine needles… you didn’t have any issues with that? I would like to go back to loading my trays with pine needles for next year, but I was to worried to do it this year..
Rob
Rob
PMCA member
Laplace, La
Laplace, La