Relentless Martin

Kellye · Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:35 pm

Hi,
So I have this adult male Martin who has been dive bombing me or anybody who gets near the housing! The other Martins are starting to do it too, I think. This has been going on for about 3 weeks or maybe even longer. I’m out there either every day, every other day or every two to three days, and I’m getting really tired of his right after another dive-bombing!! Is there something I can do to get him to relax? Or something to discourage him?
Thanks!
Kelly

taxidermy lady · Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:37 pm

Spend more time outside with them! They completely ignore me! I’m outside all the time when I get done working!good luck!

Kellye · Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:41 pm

Okay! Thank you!! I will start spending some time out there when it cools off a bit.

-=DKC=- · Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:58 pm

taxidermy lady wrote: ↑
Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:37 pm
Spend more time outside with them! They completely ignore me! I’m outside all the time when I get done working!good luck!

This is the right answer.

I'm under the housing so much day to day that they don't mind me at all. Now, I do have a couple of floaters that complain but I didn't ask for their opinion.

Kellye wrote: ↑
Thu Jun 28, 2018 5:41 pm
Okay! Thank you!! I will start spending some time out there when it cools off a bit.

I'm in South Texas. That means hot! Historically, I haven't spent much time in my yard in the summertime. But after I got Martins I'm sitting out there every evening watching them. Get you a cold beverage of your choice, some mosquito repellent, find a shady spot and join the socializing.

Kellye · Thu Jun 28, 2018 6:14 pm

I could sit in the shadow of the houses!
Thank you all so much!!
Kelly

~Ray~Gingerich · Thu Jun 28, 2018 9:53 pm

I had one like that several years ago. I spend a lot of time outside around the martins but to this martin it didn't make a difference, he would do dive attacks any time I got close to his gourd rack. Sometimes a wing would sweep thru my hair when he passed. One day I set some decoys out on another rack and he went absolutely berserk, so much that he had the entire colony upset. I took them down and all was good with him. Here's a picture

Fuzzmeister · Thu Jun 28, 2018 11:21 pm

Hi
I have to say that I to have had a encounter with a adult male today, I have a RV trailer close by my PM house I crawled up on the roof to check it today and iam sure that his wings touched my ear while he dive bombed me, I have a garden right underneath my PM house and they have never bothered me till I got on the roof of my RV I think it’s due to the fact that they have babies now and are in the protective mode, I guess we have to be a little careful and keep our heads up at this stage.

jpp77 · Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:00 am

I spend a fair amount of time outside with mine (if not at work), and I had one last year and I'm assuming the same one this year that acts very similar. Doesn't get super close to me but it definitely buzzes me. Had a couple jumpers yesterday that I had to place back in nests and he didn't bother me then. Who knows.

Kellye · Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:20 am

~Ray~Gingerich wrote: ↑
Thu Jun 28, 2018 9:53 pm
I had one like that several years ago. I spend a lot of time outside around the martins but to this martin it didn't make a difference, he would do dive attacks any time I got close to his gourd rack. Sometimes a wing would sweep thru my hair when he passed. One day I set some decoys out on another rack and he went absolutely berserk, so much that he had the entire colony upset. I took them down and all was good with him. Here's a picture

That’s exactly what mine is doing! Thank you! I’m hoping, if he doesn’t calm down this year, that next year he’ll calm down!!
Kelly

Kellye · Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:22 am

Fuzzmeister wrote: ↑
Thu Jun 28, 2018 11:21 pm
Hi
I have to say that I to have had a encounter with a adult male today, I have a RV trailer close by my PM house I crawled up on the roof to check it today and iam sure that his wings touched my ear while he dive bombed me, I have a garden right underneath my PM house and they have never bothered me till I got on the roof of my RV I think it’s due to the fact that they have babies now and are in the protective mode, I guess we have to be a little careful and keep our heads up at this stage.

Thank you!
Kelly

Kellye · Fri Jun 29, 2018 9:24 am

jpp77 wrote: ↑
Fri Jun 29, 2018 8:00 am
I spend a fair amount of time outside with mine (if not at work), and I had one last year and I'm assuming the same one this year that acts very similar. Doesn't get super close to me but it definitely buzzes me. Had a couple jumpers yesterday that I had to place back in nests and he didn't bother me then. Who knows.

Thank you!
Kelly