I realize the advantages of pine straw over wheat straw. I agree they do not hold the moisture and dry out much quicker. The pine straw I've been using is like hypodermic needles!! This stuff is hard and is hard on my hands!!!
Is there any softer pine needles in use? Any recommendations on different types of pine straw?
Mitch
Pine Straw
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Mitch Booth
- Posts: 480
- Joined: Tue Jun 03, 2008 6:23 am
- Location: Akron, OH
- Martin Colony History: 2012 - 0
2013 - 1 pair, 4 eggs, 2 fledged
2014 - 0
2015 - 1 pair, 5 died during week of rain
2016 - 0
2017 - 1 pair, 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2018 - 4 pair, 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2019 - 7 pair
2020 - 17 pair
2020 - 17 pair 77 eggs 69 fledged
2019 - 7 pair
2018 - 4 pair 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2017 - 1 pair 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2016 - 0 only visits
2015 - 1 pair 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 dead on days 6-7
2014 - 0 only visits
2013 - 1 pair 3 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 fledged
2012 - 0
2019 - 7 pair
2018 - 4 pair 19 eggs, 19 fledged
2017 - 1 pair 4 eggs, 4 fledged
2016 - 0 only visits
2015 - 1 pair 5 eggs, 5 hatched, 5 dead on days 6-7
2014 - 0 only visits
2013 - 1 pair 3 eggs, 2 hatched, 2 fledged
2012 - 0
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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
Most use White Pine Needles/straw. They are 3-5 inches long & much softer than other pine needles/straw. Best time to gather it is now, as they drop early fall. Find a place where there are a few nice big trees. The ground should be covered in it. Rake off the top layer. That's what you want.
Toy in PA
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
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flyin-lowe
- Posts: 3795
- Joined: Wed Mar 29, 2006 8:49 am
- Location: Indiana/Henry Co.
Are you using the short 1 inch or so thick ones? The white pine needles that most use are 3-4 inches long and somewhat soft. You usually see them layers on the ground, brown in color. Search google images and you'll see them. In my neck of the woods almost every golf course has them everywhere. They are very common trees and you should be able to rake up more then you could ever use for free.
2026 HOSP 29
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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ToyinPA
- Posts: 2227
- Joined: Mon Apr 10, 2006 6:07 pm
- Location: PA/Avis
- Martin Colony History: The 1972 St. Agnes flood wiped out all the Martins in my area. One day, in 1997-98, 5 or 6 Martins landed on the power wires crossing my back yard. I had no house for them. They kept coming back day after day. We got a martin house a few weeks later & they have been coming back every year since. I average 12-15 pair per year.
I forgot to mention...try to get them away from the road, so there is no salt or road dirt on them. Check at your local park for some or at a golf course.
Toy in PA
Toy in PA
PMCA Member
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Henry Limpet
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:48 pm
- Location: IN./Howe, via the s/w side of Chicago
- Martin Colony History: Trendsetter-8. Set up in 2014 at my summer cottage, a beautiful natural inland lake in N.E. Indiana's Amish Country. T-8 is on cleared land behind my pole barn and adjacent to a farmer's field
2015: Had several flyovers in early June with 1 dedicated SYM visitor who visited each day for well over a month. He brought by a few PM "parades", with 8-12 PM's who would visit all at once, but soon leave. (Added 2 gourds to bottom of the T-8). We discovered a large (Amish) colony apx. 3/4 mile South of our T-8. We think this will eventually be our "feeder" colony.
2016: Put up a Trio G'Pa lakeside. Overall, not as much interest as 2015, likely because of our vacation to Gulf Shores, AL. in early June.
2017: Finally switched over to wheat straw. Success!! One nesting pair. Fledged 4!
2018: Zilch.
2019: Slow start, nothing observed by mid June. Wet, cold Spring a factor??
2020: Barely any sightings.
2021: Several observed high in the sky, eating. No interest so far!
I am pretty sure that my 2017 success was due largely in part to a change over from pine needles to wheat straw.
All of the Amish in my area use wheat straw.
Just my 2 cents...
Happy New Year to all!! I want to wish PM success to all in 2018.
All of the Amish in my area use wheat straw.
Just my 2 cents...
Happy New Year to all!! I want to wish PM success to all in 2018.
Be careful how you wish . . for wishes can come true . . be sure that every wish you make is one that's right for you!
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dbutz
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Mon Jun 26, 2017 2:50 pm
- Location: Indiana
- Martin Colony History: 2023 2nd yr. of new colony. Landlord years ago for about 10 yrs until a move. Have this colony 60 miles from home on our private property (20 acres).
Henry : for your 2 cents. Any difference between the two that you could observe ??
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Henry Limpet
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:48 pm
- Location: IN./Howe, via the s/w side of Chicago
- Martin Colony History: Trendsetter-8. Set up in 2014 at my summer cottage, a beautiful natural inland lake in N.E. Indiana's Amish Country. T-8 is on cleared land behind my pole barn and adjacent to a farmer's field
2015: Had several flyovers in early June with 1 dedicated SYM visitor who visited each day for well over a month. He brought by a few PM "parades", with 8-12 PM's who would visit all at once, but soon leave. (Added 2 gourds to bottom of the T-8). We discovered a large (Amish) colony apx. 3/4 mile South of our T-8. We think this will eventually be our "feeder" colony.
2016: Put up a Trio G'Pa lakeside. Overall, not as much interest as 2015, likely because of our vacation to Gulf Shores, AL. in early June.
2017: Finally switched over to wheat straw. Success!! One nesting pair. Fledged 4!
2018: Zilch.
2019: Slow start, nothing observed by mid June. Wet, cold Spring a factor??
2020: Barely any sightings.
2021: Several observed high in the sky, eating. No interest so far!
Hey dbutz,
It seemed as though any PM visitors I had, when using pine needles, would never stay for long. I have an unlimited supply of clean, dried white pine needles, too. Go figure.
So I finally bought a bale of wheat straw last spring on my way up to the lake. I didn't plan that too well, because I had a full load in my car and had to put the straw bale on the front seat (city boy), duh. That straw bale trashed my interior. Who knew that straw bales shed? Not this guy!! LOL
Anyway, after switching, those random PM visitors would remain in the compartment for a much longer time.
Again, I attribute this to what is used locally by the Amish. They have some huge colonies around here. For me, the wheat straw never really got wet or buggy.
I pre-nested a base of clean cedar shavings (for a pet hamster cage) under the straw, and treated the nest and compartment with Sevin dust. I only did one nest change at 10 days in. My next opportunity to do a nest change was too close to fledge date, so I just let them be, as the nest didn't seem to be in too bad of shape.
Which IN. County are you in? Maybe you can update me on arrival sightings in 2018.
It seemed as though any PM visitors I had, when using pine needles, would never stay for long. I have an unlimited supply of clean, dried white pine needles, too. Go figure.
So I finally bought a bale of wheat straw last spring on my way up to the lake. I didn't plan that too well, because I had a full load in my car and had to put the straw bale on the front seat (city boy), duh. That straw bale trashed my interior. Who knew that straw bales shed? Not this guy!! LOL
Anyway, after switching, those random PM visitors would remain in the compartment for a much longer time.
Again, I attribute this to what is used locally by the Amish. They have some huge colonies around here. For me, the wheat straw never really got wet or buggy.
I pre-nested a base of clean cedar shavings (for a pet hamster cage) under the straw, and treated the nest and compartment with Sevin dust. I only did one nest change at 10 days in. My next opportunity to do a nest change was too close to fledge date, so I just let them be, as the nest didn't seem to be in too bad of shape.
Which IN. County are you in? Maybe you can update me on arrival sightings in 2018.
Be careful how you wish . . for wishes can come true . . be sure that every wish you make is one that's right for you!
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Henry Limpet
- Posts: 122
- Joined: Mon Jan 12, 2015 3:48 pm
- Location: IN./Howe, via the s/w side of Chicago
- Martin Colony History: Trendsetter-8. Set up in 2014 at my summer cottage, a beautiful natural inland lake in N.E. Indiana's Amish Country. T-8 is on cleared land behind my pole barn and adjacent to a farmer's field
2015: Had several flyovers in early June with 1 dedicated SYM visitor who visited each day for well over a month. He brought by a few PM "parades", with 8-12 PM's who would visit all at once, but soon leave. (Added 2 gourds to bottom of the T-8). We discovered a large (Amish) colony apx. 3/4 mile South of our T-8. We think this will eventually be our "feeder" colony.
2016: Put up a Trio G'Pa lakeside. Overall, not as much interest as 2015, likely because of our vacation to Gulf Shores, AL. in early June.
2017: Finally switched over to wheat straw. Success!! One nesting pair. Fledged 4!
2018: Zilch.
2019: Slow start, nothing observed by mid June. Wet, cold Spring a factor??
2020: Barely any sightings.
2021: Several observed high in the sky, eating. No interest so far!
Hey dbutz,
It seemed as though any PM visitors I had, when using pine needles, would never stay for long. I have an unlimited supply of clean, dried white pine needles, too. Go figure.
So I finally bought a bale of wheat straw last spring on my way up to the lake. I didn't plan that too well, because I had a full load in my car and had to put the straw bale on the front seat (city boy), duh. That straw bale trashed my interior. Who knew that straw bales shed? Not this guy!! LOL
Anyway, after switching, those random PM visitors would remain in the compartment for a much longer time.
Again, I attribute this to what is used locally by the Amish. They have some huge colonies around here. For me, the wheat straw never really got wet or buggy.
I pre-nested with a base of clean cedar shavings (for a pet hamster cage) under the straw, and treated the nest and compartment with Sevin dust. I only did one nest change at 10 days in. My next opportunity to do a nest change was too close to fledge date, so I just let them be, as the nest didn't seem to be in too bad of shape.
Which IN. County are you in? Maybe you can update me on arrival sightings in 2018.
It seemed as though any PM visitors I had, when using pine needles, would never stay for long. I have an unlimited supply of clean, dried white pine needles, too. Go figure.
So I finally bought a bale of wheat straw last spring on my way up to the lake. I didn't plan that too well, because I had a full load in my car and had to put the straw bale on the front seat (city boy), duh. That straw bale trashed my interior. Who knew that straw bales shed? Not this guy!! LOL
Anyway, after switching, those random PM visitors would remain in the compartment for a much longer time.
Again, I attribute this to what is used locally by the Amish. They have some huge colonies around here. For me, the wheat straw never really got wet or buggy.
I pre-nested with a base of clean cedar shavings (for a pet hamster cage) under the straw, and treated the nest and compartment with Sevin dust. I only did one nest change at 10 days in. My next opportunity to do a nest change was too close to fledge date, so I just let them be, as the nest didn't seem to be in too bad of shape.
Which IN. County are you in? Maybe you can update me on arrival sightings in 2018.
Be careful how you wish . . for wishes can come true . . be sure that every wish you make is one that's right for you!