Pictures as requested

[Dennis F.]

Your site looks great. Good luck this year!

[flyin-lowe]

I for one think the height of the house is fine, especially given the openness of the site. I also think that being in the yard is A Okay as well. I wouldn't go running at them jumping for joy when they show up but research shows that human activity is something martins like, it makes them feel safe. What it boils down to is the new martins in your area must find your site and like it better then other available sites close by. Not sure what is going on in your area as far as martin housing but sometimes you can do everything perfect and you just have to wait.

[Gobbler T]

Thank you Dennis.

flyin-lowe,
He was kidding, and he might as well have been, cause I ain't staying in the house! Of course, I don't go running out but I do spend a lot of time standing in the open door way looking and talking to them. As for whats going on with martin housing around me, I can tell you it ain't much! There's no such thing as an actual landlord anywhere close as far as I can tell.

[Annie G]

It all looks good to me. I can't see any reason why they wouldn't like your place. You have what it takes, so lets get the party started. Good luck! Annie

[JamesinIA]

I have a good feeling that the sy bachelor that was hanging out last year will come back all dressed in purple and start your colony for you.

Best of luck your site looks better than ever.

James

[Gobbler T]

Annie,
I've got the chips and dip ready!

James,
I thought that very thing in 2010. After a subbie spent so much time trying to atract a female in 09, he showed up 2 months earlier the next year dressed to the nines. He attracted the female, they stayed one night and the next evening at roost time they came home with another ASY male. He flew high above as they landed, after whitch he made one call. She flew off with him and never returned.

I still however have my hopes that you are right and it works this year.

[KathyF]

Tony - you do have a great site!

I know you build pre-nests - do you smear mud on the doors?

Do you offer oyster shells or egg shells? If not, I would suggest you dump a scoop or two onto a large bare spot or piece of plywood. I sometimes use the top cut out of a burn barrel. It seems to attract a lot of birds and it might just add one more 'detail' to your site.

Are there any stray cats in your area / yard? If so, they could be scaring off other birds and certainly martins.

I just can't think of why you're not attracting martins - you have a wonderful site!

[Gobbler T]

Kathy,
I do have the prenest, and I have in the past tried the mud. The oyster shells and egg shells, I have never tried. I just never thought that would be a deal breaker for the martins. As for cats, I was just outside talking to a neighbor about all the cats in the neighborhood.(he has 3) IMO all cats are stray cats! As no one seems to keep them up. I know there are some that are house cats but, for every one house cat there are a hundred that roam free! The cats however seem to have no effect much on the bird population here. I'm sure they catch a few but there are lots and lots of birds of every kind here. Every time night or day I see a cat on my property, I turn the dog out (a miniature dachshund) She thinks she's bad, and is as long as the cat doesn't turn around. Then it's yipe yipe yipe all the way back in the house.

I don't like them but there isn't much I can do about it. I have never had a problem with them getting or trying to get my BB's (knock on wood)

[KathyF]

Tony, it may not be a 'deal breaker', but it may be the 'added feature' that the martins say, "you know, I really don't like this or that, BUT HEY, he has oyster shells - woohoo - let's give it a go, honey"! (Yes, I have a repetoire of things that I imagine martins say! ).

BUT if you have cats roaming around, please put the shells up off the ground.

As to the problem of cats - I know that it's a common thing to think we still have birds and the presence of cats doesn't affect whether birds come around or not, but you'd be quite surprised to find that it has QUITE an impact. Birds tend to see a LOT more of what's going on on the ground from their point of view. I can tell you that since we've removed 7 cats from our property, we've seen a lot more birds and our covey of quail are roaming around a lot more.

Don't know your particular situation, but if it was me, I'd start live-trapping them and taking them to a shelter. Outdoor cats are a LOT bigger problem than people realize.

[Gobbler T]

I have been discussing the trapping with my wife for a little while now. She doesn't like them running loose ether, BUT she's an old softy, and doesn't want to haul off somebody's pet to the pound.

When one sprayed on her umbrella last week in the garage, she was a little more in line with my thinking!

[jeffwilliams72]

Looks great Tony, this HAS to be the year to get 'em. I know all too well, how hard it can be to attract them.
I started trying in '01, got an ASY pair in '08 they didn't return in '09 or '10, finally got 2 SY pair in '11, and I am hoping to get them back and more this year!
You have never given up, and you will be rewarded. I look at all the frustration of not being able to attract them as "landlord training" , just think how much more you know about Martins, than the guy who threw up a plastic house and had it fill up fast.
Once you do have them, YOU will never take them for granted because of all your efforts! GOOD LUCK!!!!!

[Wendell Hansen-IA]

Your site is looking good . I have trees on two sides of my set up, little less than 20yr on the east and west, north and south is open. We have some set ups around here were the housing are back under the trees and still have martin every year. Your set up should work, it looks ideal.

Kathy is right about what can make and break a site. For my two cents cats are a big time mistake. Look around the web start with Feral cats.

http://retrieverman.wordpress.com/2010/ ... pulations/

[Gobbler T]

Thanks guys,
I'm looking forward to giving it another go round this year. Of course every year I think my chances are better than last.