height of martin house
question on height of martin house just put a martin house up with 6 gourds right on the water i mean the water is below it live in NH so i did it while the ice was still on the pond set something up in the fall so i could set it up while ice was still safe it about 7and a half ft above the water that should be ok right i have 6 gourds about 100 yards from the new set up had 5 pair last year they are about 10ft above the water do you think ill get some to head over to the new set up they will be able to see the new set up
anybody in NH doing purple martin watching and doing house,s and gourds
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3789
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
The more of an open area you have the lower the house can be. If you have a good open site (I assume at least one side is open since there is water) then that should work. If you go a couple of years and don't have any takers you might try raising it up somehow. I have seen some established sites around here that are about that height and have martins in them. Once they are established they tolerate a little more then when they are trying to start at a new place.
2026 HOSP 27
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3789
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
When you say it is in the water, is the pole actually in the water or is it on a dock or something? If it is in the water that will help you avoid problems with some predators. I don't know enough about snakes to know if a water snake would climb a pole, (I bet they will) and I also don't know if a rat snake would go into the water to get to a pole. I am sure one of the snake experts will chime in and let you know if you need some netting on your pole or not.
2026 HOSP 27
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
2025 62 pair HOSP 20
2024 60 pair, HOSP 44
2023 60+ pair, HOSP 8
2022 60 nests with 262 eggs, HOSP 14
2021 62 pair, HOSP 9
2020 42 nest, HOSP 8
2019- 31 pair
2018- 15 pair 49 fledged
2017 3 SY pair, 12 eggs , fledged 10. 4 additional lone SY's
2016 1 pair fledged 4
2015 Visitors
2014 Visitors
2013 Moved 6 miles, 1 pair fledged 2.
2012 30 pair fledged 100.
2011 12 pair 43 fledged.
2010 5 pair 14 fledged.
twins,
I think we some times get a little hung up on how high to put our martin apartments regardless of what type they are. IMO the lower the better, primarily for stability in high winds. If you have unlimited strength in your mounting poles ... then go for as much height as you want to deal with if you plan to make nest checks. Otherwise keep them as low as you can if the martins will accept them. On each of my poles I have 24 gourdes on 3 levels with 8 on each level. The bottom level is 10' from the ground and the martins readily accept them.
I would think you should be OK at 7', but wouldn't go much lower especially if there are squirrels around. We might be surprized at just how high they can jump.
I think we some times get a little hung up on how high to put our martin apartments regardless of what type they are. IMO the lower the better, primarily for stability in high winds. If you have unlimited strength in your mounting poles ... then go for as much height as you want to deal with if you plan to make nest checks. Otherwise keep them as low as you can if the martins will accept them. On each of my poles I have 24 gourdes on 3 levels with 8 on each level. The bottom level is 10' from the ground and the martins readily accept them.
I would think you should be OK at 7', but wouldn't go much lower especially if there are squirrels around. We might be surprized at just how high they can jump.
"Enjoying His blessings on purple wings!"
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Martin man RI
- Posts: 441
- Joined: Sun Dec 14, 2003 7:04 pm
- Location: MA/RI area
Hello twins
If you do have Martins they are consider endangered species in NH no joke
I document many of the colony's in New England. I know of only three colony's in NH the one at Fun spot,Wolfboro,and Greenland. Its sad that your
state has done nothing to help repopulate the birds in the 1980's the state
had 18 colony's and let them slip away. You have colony's over the state line in Maine. But please do every thing you can to save that colony dont
take chances with a low pole. Buy starling resistant gourds and no houses that are six by six on the inside with no predator protection. I have set people up that live just west of Boston so we hope they will see a comeback
invest in good units. Make sure you can lower all units and check on the birds. The birds have made a major comeback in southern NE and we
hope you northern folks can follow us. Most of the sites here are gourds
only and very few houses. Martins prefer gourds.....
Bests of luck and please email me with results and how its going
Ray
rmarr2@cox.net
If you do have Martins they are consider endangered species in NH no joke
I document many of the colony's in New England. I know of only three colony's in NH the one at Fun spot,Wolfboro,and Greenland. Its sad that your
state has done nothing to help repopulate the birds in the 1980's the state
had 18 colony's and let them slip away. You have colony's over the state line in Maine. But please do every thing you can to save that colony dont
take chances with a low pole. Buy starling resistant gourds and no houses that are six by six on the inside with no predator protection. I have set people up that live just west of Boston so we hope they will see a comeback
invest in good units. Make sure you can lower all units and check on the birds. The birds have made a major comeback in southern NE and we
hope you northern folks can follow us. Most of the sites here are gourds
only and very few houses. Martins prefer gourds.....
Bests of luck and please email me with results and how its going
Ray
rmarr2@cox.net
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AllenH
- Posts: 74
- Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2008 11:37 am
- Location: Minnesota/Crookston
- Martin Colony History: 2008 2 pair, 2009 22 pair, 2010 39 pair, 2011 51 pair
2012 66 pair, 2013 65 pair, 2014, 59 pair, 2015 67 pair
2016 78 pair, 108 nest cavities
Don Wilkins of Park Rapids, MN has his martin houses in the water on metal posts about 3 feet above the water and has a large colony. He has been shown on local PBS etc.. He shows 102 pairs on the Google map. I will try to find the pictures I have seen of his site and link to them. Update magazine Vol. 19 (1) page 24.
Al
Al
I have a short pole (next to the pond) that is used for "overflow". The bottom gourds are about 6.5' from the ground. This year there are 11 tunneled gourds hanging on that pole...and I expect about 8-9 pair. It's a very open area.
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