I figured it out!

[taxidermy lady]

I am getting my roof started next Wednesday. I have waited 2 yrs. for this. I've been through 4 carpenters. You just can't get them to do anything. Nobody works any more. But my point is God has his reasons to make me wait!
Maybe the activity will help get some lookers and keepers.

[lynnh]

They do like human activity.Got my fingers crossed for ya Sharon!!!

lynn.

[taxidermy lady]

I'm outside all the time Lynn. I took my sawhorses out Monday and have sawed, routered, sanded, and stained 22 backboards. My garden is right by the poles, I have a redneck swimming pool out there. So always cleaning the bugs out of it. I mow grass every week. There's people picking up and dropping off. I don't know how much more they would want. I would stand on my head if I knew it would help. I'm having Mother's Day bbq Saturday. I was hoping the pool would be warm enough for the kids to get in but I don't think it is. I'm giving it all my knowledge I have learned and gratefully appreciate the support.
Last night I shot a starling out the front door and somehow got my left middle finger inbetween the gun and door and smashed it good. But I got that sob.
Good luck to all!

[Larry A Kronemeyer]

You make me smile, Sharon!

[taxidermy lady]

! You are making me smile to since I've met you and Larry!

[Gauxt]

Nice shot.

[taxidermy lady]

Yeah I think my finger nail will be not looking good for a while!!!,

[Insectivore Villa]

Just had to chuckle at that door shot, I did the same thing Sunday night, got two starlings with one shot when they were beside each other, got lucky and I am a cheapskate...

When your nail turns blue, paint the other nine the same color and no one will notice

I think I got a couple more ASYs tonight, really hard to tell, they never hit the "all stop" button and cooperate, even on cool crappy evenings like tonight (again..) and then they just bomb into their rooms right at dark/dusk at Mach Stupid miles per hour.

Still hoping and praying for your success.

[David W]

Sharon, I do hope that this year is your year.
Glad to hear that you got a starling, and sorry about your finger. Last year I had no problems with starlings going into the gourds. This year I have a pair that when I open the door to rest the pellet rifle on the frame for support they fly away and now are so spooked that I can't even open the door without them flying away. The gourd pole is 40 yards away and the few times I have shot at them missed. I am temped to use my shotgun but there are too many martins now to do that.
It will get them one way or the other.

Good luck to you.

[taxidermy lady]

Wow Henry what a set up. That's a neat house. I bet they love that. Thanks so much for the support. I'm just hanging out working and not paying to much attention to it. The best is yet to come with SY's and some really nice warm temps. I hope you warm up soon to. 80's are just around the corner.
That's a good idea about the fingernail polish! Will do that because that bugar is blue. I was so involved of getting that sight down on that starling I didn't get my finger out of the way. It was a 20ga. Pump. But he didn't fly away!

David thanks for your support. I have a lot of fun shooting those things. I have never pulled a sparrow or starling nest out of any cavities. I go through several boxes of shells per year. I think I'm on #3 right now. I like when they land in my yard in the winter and their all bunched up feeding before a snow or cold front. I get several in one shot. Thanks again and good luck.

[MichaelH]

Yes that house is crazy looking would like to see more pics from different angles insectivore villa .,good shooting Sharon .i shoot a sparrow or two every week and early on shot prob 6starlings and now they stay away,I have a plastic s n k barn house that is in the east side f house I leave it up all year and starlings go to it and this year they very rarly go to north side of house to visit martin houses and gourds if they do they will get shot and I think they know that,.did see 3martins take a starling to the ground that dared to land on the trendsetter .it seems my martins don't need much help from me very territoral they are .
Mick

[taxidermy lady]

I did the same Mick. I put a house in the front yard and I can shoot them from my front door. Martins in the back yard. It's working. I have a few round holes I offer just because. I'm hoping the next wave of SY's is coming?

[John Evans]

Sharon, the first year I had martins in this location ( I had waited 2 years ) , was when a guy was digging out my 3 acre pond feet away from the gourd rack. I ended that year with 5 pairs! Maybe the roofers can drag it out for a few weeks!

[taxidermy lady]

Yeah with this weather and roofers it may catch a martins attention. They'll be starting Wednesday. Thanks John and goodluck with your colony this year!

[Gobbler T]

Hi Sharon, I haven't been on here for quite a while, but your update info was the first I looked for! I can't BELIEVE you don't have resident birds yet! I just knew you'd be rocking it by now! Hang in there and try a little country music on a loud speaker worked for me!
I got all the faith in the world in ya. You'll get there!
Oh turpentine on that finger before you go to bed will take the soreness right out.Just don't wrap it up because it will blister you. Let it air dry.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I live about 3/4 mi. From a river and there's a lot of dense woods.

The distance to a dense forest could be a problem. Martins like to have open fields surrounding their housing. Just how far away are those dense woods. I am thinking that you should already have had martins

[taxidermy lady]

I took pictures out in the open field towards my house. I just can't get nothing to stick. There's been a lot of visitors but apparently they are established somewhere. Only playing cd's on and off. So it's up to them. The trees in the front yard is 200' away and threes behind the shed is 150' away.

[taxidermy lady]

Gobbler thanks for your support. It's just a waiting game. Nothing stays!

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Sharon, the photos show that you have a lot of open area around your housing, and this is just great. The question is about dense forest and open fields. Do you have many open fields around your housing, say like within 1/2 mile of your place, like is there none, is 20% open, or is 50% open, etc. The martins need open areas to feed over the fields, as bugs are not plentiful above dense forests. Its very difficult to establish a colony in the middle of a dense forest, even if the housing is in an open area, as the martins have no place to feed.

[taxidermy lady]

Yes Emil there's a lot of farmland around me. So I would say yes there is plenty of fields for them to feed. They just won't stick. I've has an ASY male with a SY female visiting two times yesterday and Twice today. Not real sure if there's anything to it but it's nice they seem interested a little. I'm just going to have to wait until a pair needs a home. My site looks good and inviting so it's up to them. Thanks for supporting me. I'm ready but their not. Lol