Trying to start colony
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jason_schwarm
- Posts: 3
- Joined: Wed Jun 21, 2017 2:26 pm
- Location: Lima, Ohio
Live in northwest Ohio. Been trying to get a colony started for four years now. Have CD and have seen martins every year, just can't get them to stay. Was cold/rainy for several days this spring after a lot of them had already arrived. My dad has a colony, and we were worried about how they would 'weather the storm'. They got so week that he had one land on his lap while he was mowing. They nested late, but he now has more nests than he's ever had. I've had what I think is a female for about a month. Here almost all day. Occasionally will have what I think is a SA male, and when it shows up, they both frequently go in and out of the house. Just wondering what the latest anybody has had a pair nest in this area? Also, if they don't nest, does a single martin build site fidelity without nesting? Will it return next year?
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3789
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
It is really toward the end of the season to get new arrivals this year but you never know. As far as site fidelity I started my first colony with a lone SY male that never attracted a mate but returned the next year as an ASY. Do you have any pictures of your housing and your yard? Sometime we can make recommendation to help you out.
2026 HOSP 28
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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Mhoover
- Posts: 213
- Joined: Wed May 30, 2012 10:30 am
- Location: Indiana/Monticello - White County
- Martin Colony History: Started with 2 pair in 2014 - 7 eggs -7 fledged
I had a SY pair start nest building on July 8 last year. They stayed and fledged 4 healthy chicks on Aug 25 so it is possible.
2017-5 pair
2016-4 pair- 18 hatched-18 fledged
2015-1 pair -Both ASY- 6 eggs-5 fledged
2014-2 pair- 1 ASY-M/SY-F-1 ASY pair - 7 eggs-7 fledged
PMCA Member
2016-4 pair- 18 hatched-18 fledged
2015-1 pair -Both ASY- 6 eggs-5 fledged
2014-2 pair- 1 ASY-M/SY-F-1 ASY pair - 7 eggs-7 fledged
PMCA Member
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C.C.Martins
- Posts: 3368
- Joined: Fri Apr 14, 2017 11:15 am
- Location: Corpus Christi Tx
- Martin Colony History: 2016- Visitors.
2017- 5 pair. 15 fledged
2018- 18 pair. 85 fledged
2019- 17 pair. 81 fledged
2020- 25 pair. 111 fledged
2021- 28 pair. 118 fledged
2022- 33 pair. 151 fledged
2023- 33 pair. 165 fledged
2024- 40 pair. 185 fledged
2025- 40 pair. 181 fledged
HOSP:
Home colony: mix natural, super, Troyer and excluder gourds, enlarged compartment house. All SREH.
Satellite colony: Oso Bay Preserve: 49 PMCA excluder gourds; 16 room Lonestar Goliad with Modified Excluder entrances.
2019: Visitors
2020: 3 pair, 11 fledged
2021: 10 pair, 30 fledged
2022: 11 pair, 35 fledged
2023: 18 pair, 101 fledged
2024: 39 pair, 181 fledged
2025: 51 pair, 216 fledged
PMCA member
Jason, sounds like something's keeping them back, trees, house height, etc. the pros here can help, send a picture or describe what you have like flyin-lowe suggested. your attracting them, half way there.
A good house sparrow is a dead house sparrow.
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
HOSP: 17. Starlings: 23
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philsergeant
- Posts: 18
- Joined: Sat May 27, 2017 7:16 pm
- Location: Florida
- Martin Colony History: 2017 first year, 8 pairs, 32 Hatchings, 27 Fledged
2018 second year, 8 pairs, 44 hatchings, 44 Fledged
2019... has already started...
Yes, I can only think it has to be location and surroundings. I am sure they won't stay where they feel threatened. The first week that I had my first tenants a huge owl perched nearby and luckily I was around and went running down to the lake and scared him off within a few minutes of him arriving. But I get the feeling that if they gain an inkling that the location is not safe to lay and hatch... they are off.
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StevenEastburn
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Tue Jun 20, 2017 6:33 pm
- Location: Urbana ILL.
I had a couple of sub adult females arrive 6-6-17. Then some sub adult males showed up. I also had a couple male decoys on my S&K barn. They stayed around the birdhouse for a week. I haven't had any luck with them to stay and start a nest either. I have seen them very early morning and then they disappear during the day.
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handyman315
- Posts: 300
- Joined: Thu May 12, 2016 11:03 am
- Location: SW Ohio
- Martin Colony History: Colony established May 20, 2017 after three unsuccessful years. Persistent and aggressive Tree Swallows plagued the site, but beyond learning - and practicing - to control them, was the return in 2017 of a 2016-SY-M previously unable to find a mate. As a handsome ASY-M, he brought along two females and a swagger that soon put the Tree Swallow issue to rest. As the anchor pair, he and his mate hatched all six of their eggs into fat and healthy babies into what settled in to be a three-pair, flourishing new colony with up to 11 birds total, including 3 SY-M trouble makers.
In answer to your question about site fidelity by a single bird . . .
Have every reason to believe that my new colony was started this year (after three failed attempts) by a SY-M who could never find a mate last year. I might not know him?
I'd know him anywhere! What are the odds that my now ASY-M (in all his regal black) would pick the same gourd on a 16-gourd pole and perch exactly like he perched last year? Of my four nests with 15 eggs, he and his mate have six in a perfect nest (for a Martin).
Site fidelity? This IS his colony.
As a newbie I had - and still have - issues, very aggressive Tree Swallows for one. This Forum and website were of immense help and encouragement, a wealth of ideas.
Have every reason to believe that my new colony was started this year (after three failed attempts) by a SY-M who could never find a mate last year. I might not know him?
I'd know him anywhere! What are the odds that my now ASY-M (in all his regal black) would pick the same gourd on a 16-gourd pole and perch exactly like he perched last year? Of my four nests with 15 eggs, he and his mate have six in a perfect nest (for a Martin).Site fidelity? This IS his colony.
As a newbie I had - and still have - issues, very aggressive Tree Swallows for one. This Forum and website were of immense help and encouragement, a wealth of ideas.
2023-42 Nests, 197 Eggs/Babies
2022-48 Nests Fledged 203
2021-43 Nests Fledged 185
2020-31 Nests Fledged 133, three early deaths due to cold & rain
2019-19 Nests Fledged 84
2018-11 Nests Fledged 48, ASY-M Arrived April 6, Despite Snow & Cold, Joined Soon by Mate & Two Adult Pairs
2017-3 Nests Fledged 13, FIRST-YEAR LANDLORD! Resident SY-M from 2016 Returned (as ASY-M) on May 20. At Least 11 Adult Residents
2016 Late-Arriving SYs, Resident Lone SY-M
2015-14 Many Visits
2022-48 Nests Fledged 203
2021-43 Nests Fledged 185
2020-31 Nests Fledged 133, three early deaths due to cold & rain
2019-19 Nests Fledged 84
2018-11 Nests Fledged 48, ASY-M Arrived April 6, Despite Snow & Cold, Joined Soon by Mate & Two Adult Pairs
2017-3 Nests Fledged 13, FIRST-YEAR LANDLORD! Resident SY-M from 2016 Returned (as ASY-M) on May 20. At Least 11 Adult Residents
2016 Late-Arriving SYs, Resident Lone SY-M
2015-14 Many Visits
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3789
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
Also don't think that just because you have waited 5 years that something is wrong with your site. It is not uncommon to wait that long or longer, even in ideal conditions. My first site was about as good as I could have asked for. Very open fly ways, 1000 acre lake less then 100 yards away, and colonies near by. My 5th year was the successful year. I moved from there in 2012 and thought I would have quicker success at starting over since I was more experienced then when I first started. I still have a pretty good location (7 miles away from my last place) still have lots of water near by and lots of open fly ways. Well here it is (2017) and this year I finally have 4 pair. I have had some single SY pair over the last couple year but none of them ever made it back the following year. 4 pair still doesn't guarantee returning ASY pairs next year but my odds are up. Needless to say both times it has taken me 5 years to get to this point.
2026 HOSP 28
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.
Welcome, Jason Schwarm and StevenEastburn! I am having the same issues as you are - waiting and trying everything I can to attract and keep them here. I keep thinking maybe today, maybe today........but so far not. It is encouraging to hear there are others, here, who have had late comers with success so I am not ready to throw the towel in for this year quite yet. I admit to being disappointed and frustrated and extremely green with envy when I read the success others are having but for me, and you, maybe today. 
Billie from southern Wisconsin