Picture of hawk

Trishy · Tue Jul 24, 2018 7:25 pm

I was going through trailcam pictures today and found this guy. This is the one giving me so much trouble this year. I cannot tell if he went away empty handed or not.

C.C.Martins · Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:16 pm

wow, neat set up. hope he went away hungry and chases the billion or so starlings instead.

Trishy · Tue Jul 24, 2018 8:29 pm

Tom, I have been saying that for most of the summer. Nice, big farm right down the road with lots of nasty starlings and sparrows, and he wants to pick on the martins.

Dave Duit · Tue Jul 24, 2018 9:48 pm

Trishy,
It is good to see you have owl cages as they can deter a successful attack from hawks sometimes. It may give the martins a second or two to avoid the hawks or at least not get picked off from a porch.

Trishy · Tue Jul 24, 2018 10:05 pm

Dave, I saw the cage on the furthest rack save a martin from this hawk, at least I presume it was this one. I stepped outside just in time to watch the hawk follow the martin right up to the gourd. I am sure he was very surprised to run into the owl cage. I watched for several minutes to make sure both parents returned to the gourd, and they did. I was so relieved.

Dave Reynolds · Wed Jul 25, 2018 8:27 am

Great Photo... Good looking owl guards.. Job well done...

Dave

randy741985 · Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:30 am

It is a hawk but the tail shape is throwing me off. Its not shaped like a coopers and it looks to big to be a Sharp shined. can anyone identify?

Dave Duit · Wed Jul 25, 2018 3:54 pm

Trishy,
Nice to hear your confirmation that the cage saved a martin life. I do feel that cages give a sense of security for the martins. The young fledglings stay under my canopy roof on the gourd rack arms at night.

randy741985 · Wed Jul 25, 2018 7:31 pm

randy741985 wrote: ↑
Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:30 am
It is a hawk but the tail shape is throwing me off. Its not shaped like a coopers and it looks to big to be a Sharp shined. can anyone identify?

After looking closer, that is a dove . But im sure you have hawks also.

That is a nice looking site.

Trishy · Wed Jul 25, 2018 10:46 pm

You may be right Randy. I guess I thought it was a hawk because it looks so big in the picture. Yes, I definitely have hawks. Thanks for figuring that out. Sorry everyone. My bad.

randy741985 · Thu Jul 26, 2018 6:45 pm

No problem.
I enjoy watching birds thats what got me in this hobby. Have you seen hawks get inside that netting to the martins?
Also are those S&k BO11 gourds?

Trishy · Thu Jul 26, 2018 7:54 pm

Those are Bo11’s. I have tried different gourds and these seem to work the best for my setup. I have not seen any hawks get under the cages yet. My fear is the owls may figure it out some day. I might have to put a bottom on them to prevent that.

terrapincove · Fri Jul 27, 2018 9:56 am

nice setup, looks fantastic

Spiderman · Fri Jul 27, 2018 12:32 pm

I agree it's a dove, he's just close to thr camera and looks Big.

Did you buy those cages or make them yourself. If you made them what type of material is the cage made out of?

They look Great. You did a really good job and will save allot of Martins over time!

Trishy · Fri Jul 27, 2018 7:54 pm

Thanks everyone. My brother in law made them. It is green fencing with the 2”x2” openings. I cut a wire out in front of each gourd opening to make it 4”x4” in front of the holes. I also used cable ties to attach wooden dowels the length of the openings. Easier to perch. A lot of people use the heavier fence because it doesn’t bend as easily as this, but that would be too heavy for my poles. He also built the supports on top that hold the cages, and he built the poles. He is a good welder. I bought the fence at Menards. I don’t get as many martins returning with babies after they fledge, but it’s better than not having any.

Trishy · Sat Jul 28, 2018 8:46 am

SpiderMan, the openings may be 2”x3”. It has been a couple of years since I bought them. Good memory, just short.