RD's DAWNSONG GUIDE. Just may help.
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packerbacker
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:19 pm
- Location: Appleton, WI
Is there any harm in just blasting my songbird magnet all day long?
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terriergal
- Posts: 76
- Joined: Thu Apr 26, 2012 12:41 pm
- Location: MN/Hutchinson
We had a nifty setup where our audio receiver would come on at 430-5 am and we just had the audio feeding into it all the time so that when the receiver turned on it would automatically be sending the signal out to the house. Got lazy this year and have only been turning it on manually at about 7 am but as soon as we did they started showing up. They even dive-bomb my dogs so I assume they are wanting to stick around again. Fledged 16 from three pair last year!
Paula in MN
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packerbacker
- Posts: 30
- Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2016 3:19 pm
- Location: Appleton, WI
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Only got ride of 3 and now they just fly by and leave the house alone (knock on wood). I wonder if a powerhorn would be louder than the songbird magnet? And if so, would the sound really carry that much further. So I'm playing 4:30-9:00, should I also be playing from 2:00-3:00? or in the evening?
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Ryan
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
- Location: Eganville, Ontario
- Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.
Wow, it's been six years since my first post in the thread. Still playing the dawnsong unfortunately.
I've got a better set-up this year and can blast south from a high hill a stones throw from my housing. Hoping it works.
I've been playing it from 4:30 am to 10 am, but I may push it back to noon.
I've got a better set-up this year and can blast south from a high hill a stones throw from my housing. Hoping it works.
I've been playing it from 4:30 am to 10 am, but I may push it back to noon.
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
I recently posted maybe a month back about how my first year at trying to attract martins has been a bust. After my post I decided to buy the dawn song and day chatter CD's to try. I've only played them a few times as I don't really have a good setup yet to schedule it automatically. I just play it in the evenings after work, or weekend mornings. Basically just anytime I am around to watch. The very first time I played it, I got a martin to come and check things out. It was the first martin I had even seen come around. Sure made a believer out of me real quick. I plan to try and figure out a way to get a permanent setup going in the off season.
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Doug Martin - PA
- Posts: 1988
- Joined: Thu Mar 25, 2004 10:47 am
- Location: Pennsylvania/Fombell
- Martin Colony History: First pair in 2009 after 28 years of trying. 3 pairs 2010, 17 pairs 2011 and 35-45 pairs since. Many additional colonies are now springing up around mine in an area once completely void of Martins. I offer 50 compartments at my site consisting of primarily Excluder II gourds on Gemini racks. Also a wooden T-14. I utilize electric fence type predator guards on the base of the poles. Supplemental feeding is crucial in maintaining my colony. I platform feed throughout the season as needed. My site tends to be a stop over point for additional birds as they migrate further north.
Bumping this up for another season. Good luck to those trying.
Doug
Doug
Supplemental feeding plays a major role in Western Pennsylvania. Finally got my 1st pair in 2009 after 28 years of effort. The colony has grown quickly to 45 pairs that I care for. Many new colonies have now sprung up around me in the past few years as well. Where there was none.... there is many.
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Ryan
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
- Location: Eganville, Ontario
- Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.
This is a good read for people trying to attract. Can't believe I'm now in the 13th year since my first post in this thread.
Good info though.
Good info though.
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
Hello!
I put up my first set of houses about a month ago and have been playing the dawn song every morning. I seem to have at like 5-6 birds, including one adult male and unknown subadult males/females who have stuck around for the last couple weeks. I’ve seen birds go into my gourds. Do I continue to play the dawn song? If so, how long into the season do I continue to play it?
I put up my first set of houses about a month ago and have been playing the dawn song every morning. I seem to have at like 5-6 birds, including one adult male and unknown subadult males/females who have stuck around for the last couple weeks. I’ve seen birds go into my gourds. Do I continue to play the dawn song? If so, how long into the season do I continue to play it?
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Ryan
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
- Location: Eganville, Ontario
- Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.
If you have that many at your housing daily I think you're safe to stop the dawnsong. Maybe gradually turn down the dawnsong daily until you get it completely off a week or two from now. Martins will attract martins better than a recording and if they have claimed your housing then I think you're safe to turn it off.Lauren wrote: ↑Mon May 20, 2024 3:11 pmHello!
I put up my first set of houses about a month ago and have been playing the dawn song every morning. I seem to have at like 5-6 birds, including one adult male and unknown subadult males/females who have stuck around for the last couple weeks. I’ve seen birds go into my gourds. Do I continue to play the dawn song? If so, how long into the season do I continue to play it?
If they're only stopping by here and there, then I'd leave it on.
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
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Ryan
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
- Location: Eganville, Ontario
- Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.
No martin visits this year yet, but that's pretty much to be expected up here.
Are your birds still there and possibly nesting?
Are your birds still there and possibly nesting?
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
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MY FYN 79
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:58 pm
- Location: Chilton Wisconsin
- Martin Colony History: 2019 - Sighting
2020 - Pair investigating
2021 - Got 2 eggs. HOSPs poked holes in them. Commence HOSP reduction
2022 - Off to a good start, tree swallows took over and Martins left
2023 - Off to a good start, Martin population dwindled and they eventually left
2024 - New standalone pole and gourd rack. 1 nest, 4 eggs, none hatched
2025 - 9 nests, 37 eggs, 23 hatched, 19 fledged!
Helpful post. Blast from the past for sure.
Are we still a little down on the chatter cd? I’ve been playing dawnsong from around 5am when I get up until about 6:45am when I leave for work. Before I leave I switch it to chatter and let that run the rest of the day.
Should I switch it up?
Are we still a little down on the chatter cd? I’ve been playing dawnsong from around 5am when I get up until about 6:45am when I leave for work. Before I leave I switch it to chatter and let that run the rest of the day.
Should I switch it up?
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Ryan
- Posts: 308
- Joined: Sat Apr 15, 2006 4:19 pm
- Location: Eganville, Ontario
- Martin Colony History: Visitors are rare. On the northern edge of the martins range.
For me I find that dawnsong vocal to be just so much more clear and loud, easy to distinguish. I need to cover a lot of distance or "air" with the vocals, and I just find it more clear when played loud rather than the chaotic daytime chatter vocals. That's just my opinion, but at least early to mid season, I don't think you can find a better attraction than the dawnsong. Chatter maybe has it's advantage later in the year to replicate a natural later season colony.
2010- 1 SY male on and off for a couple weeks
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
'11- 0 visits
12- 0 visits
13- 0 visits
14- 1 SY male stopped by over 2 weeks.
15- 0 visits
16- 0 visits
17- 0 visits
18- 0 visits
19- Break-through year. Had a SY Male stop in on June 7th and stay all day, every day until end of June
20 - The male didn't return. I did see a SY male do a few flyovers.
21- a couple brief visits
22-3rd rack added, all within a mile. This one at prime location, 0 visits
23- 0 visits
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MY FYN 79
- Posts: 163
- Joined: Wed Aug 15, 2018 8:58 pm
- Location: Chilton Wisconsin
- Martin Colony History: 2019 - Sighting
2020 - Pair investigating
2021 - Got 2 eggs. HOSPs poked holes in them. Commence HOSP reduction
2022 - Off to a good start, tree swallows took over and Martins left
2023 - Off to a good start, Martin population dwindled and they eventually left
2024 - New standalone pole and gourd rack. 1 nest, 4 eggs, none hatched
2025 - 9 nests, 37 eggs, 23 hatched, 19 fledged!
Thanks for the tip Ryan, sounds logical enough!
I’m going to try switching up my approach a little.
I’m going to try switching up my approach a little.