Visitors in Greenback Tn

[ldskidmore]

I'm still playing the dawnsong and daytime chatter cd's, but I had almost given up hope until today. I had visitors, 1 adult male with a sy female and a subadult male along for company. The ts chased the sy male but left the others alone. They looked things over really good, but I never saw them enter the gourds. Then they left and haven't come back. I know time is running out for nesting pairs here in Tenn. but I intend to hang in there and play those cd's until the end of June.
Is there anyone else in east Tenn. still getting visitors?

[Guest]

Well, your post encourages me. I'm in southern Indiana and have also been discouraged by thinking it is too late. If you can get visitors in Tennessee, then surely there is at least still a slim hope for me. Good luck!

On a positive note, a new pair of BB's has claimed my BB house in the past few days!

[avesrun]

Ldskid thanks for the post. Hopethe visitors turn into bgs (breeding guests )!
Your post sends encouragement up to Indiana as well as a few of us newbies in Iowa. I'm already thinking about how to improve things for next season but l will try to stay sharp till June 30. This has been a fun season for me as a perspective landlord. Had overnight male and female Asy martins in April for consecutive nights as well as sy visitors in May. At least I saw martins. I have an even better location to put a second setup near my home; I won't be able to observe as easy but is more open. I plan to stick up another setup there. . Anyway good luck down Tennessee way.
Tim

[ldskidmore]

Us new kids on the block have got to hang in there. I read on here that we should keep trying until the end of June, and then leave our housing up til the end of the season.. Oh well at least I haven't had to battle starlings and hosp.
I am also thinking about next year and what I can do to improve my chances. One thing is to move these tree swallows back a little further. Another is to add some gourds with round holes, because I haven't seen them going in these crescent entrances.

[ldskidmore]

Maybe I should add porches to those crescent entrances. Would that help?

[avesrun]

Porches would seem almost imperative to me when using sreh as much as I've watched the the martins that have visited struggle to enter my Conley sreh. I too have thought hard about going to at least a certain number of round holes but can't convince myself. I have way too many starlings in my area and feel that with patience I'll get my founding pair next season or within reasonable time (1 to 4 yrs. ) would be semi tolerable. I would not recommend going to round holes unless youvhave a good way to trap starling in the gourd/house you're using as well as other reliable starling trap setup on your property.
It's tempting when you see all these unmaintained houses with round holes that are active with a few Martin pairs coexisting with starlings and sparrows. At the same time I know the s&s are wreaking havoc on eggs/young/ and all martins on a constant basis.

[MM]

I feel it is difficult for them to access the SREH be it crescent or other entrance without a porch. Maybe there are others who don't find it that way but I would add porches.

[ldskidmore]

I have wondered if it's too late to add porches for this year. I think I will go ahead and order them, put them on and see what happens.
Thanks everyone for the advice