No, I figured I'd worry about considering that once a purple martin showed up (no purple martins have come by yet).
The starlings are now attacking the entrances and trying to widen them (unsuccessfully).
SREHs do appear to work
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
betaflame,
Once European Starlings get the idea that they can breach entrances, they rarely give up. They will test the flexibility of the plastic of an S&K house. They will try and use their strong and long legs to push their way through the entrance. They will turn sideways through the crescent SREH. They will crane their strong and long necks to work their way in.
Once they figure it out, then it gets easier and easier for them to enter and exit a standard crescent SREH.
With your camera setup you may already witnessed some of the starlings' attempts.
Once European Starlings get the idea that they can breach entrances, they rarely give up. They will test the flexibility of the plastic of an S&K house. They will try and use their strong and long legs to push their way through the entrance. They will turn sideways through the crescent SREH. They will crane their strong and long necks to work their way in.
Once they figure it out, then it gets easier and easier for them to enter and exit a standard crescent SREH.
With your camera setup you may already witnessed some of the starlings' attempts.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
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4th Gen Martin Fan
- Posts: 1498
- Joined: Thu Jul 04, 2013 1:19 pm
- Location: TN/Collierville
- Martin Colony History: I have been exposed to purple martin sounds in utero when my mother went out to get my father away from his martin colony.
I played around the martin colony every summer and watched as my father maintained his colony. In the late 50's until the 70's he did not notice European Starlings in south Texas.
When old enough, I helped maintain his colony. My primary task was eliminating English House Sparrows with a 1956 Benjamin 317 .177 air rifle.
When I settled into my own home, I started my first colony with an original Trio Castle and Trio Grandpa. When I moved again, I did not put up any martin houses. Frustration with European Starlings in the Southeast US was overwhelming.
Found PMCA Forum and learned about modern enlarged compartments and SREHs.
Inherited my father's last martin house, a Trio Grandma, modified it to modern specifications and have had good results since then.
betaflame,
With expanded compartments, the European Starlings will be even more interested in breaching the standard crescent SREHs of your S&K house.
With expanded compartments, the European Starlings will be even more interested in breaching the standard crescent SREHs of your S&K house.
Mark.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Firm believer in HOSP/EUST Control, Enlarged Compartments, SREHs, Pole Predator Guards, Owl/Hawk Guards, Mite/Parasite Control, Housing Insulation, and Vents for Compartment Cooling.
PMCA Member.
Great camara shot. Others have mentioned them being breached from time to time.I like the SREHs to keep the starlings at bay until I can trap or shoot them. It might be a good idea to try and eliminate them before Martins come.
Jeff
In the last few days they've gotten way more aggressive. The S&K plastic is probably fine, it doesn't look like they can do much to it.
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-WD4v ... qoZsaj86IJ
https://drive.google.com/open?id=1-WD4v ... qoZsaj86IJ
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Tengai
- Posts: 68
- Joined: Tue Apr 04, 2017 9:36 am
- Location: Townsend, DE
- Martin Colony History: 2017 first year
This is my third year and never had a problem with starlings and starling resistant entrances until now
A pair penetrated a gourd and built a nest I then made all the entrances flush with the floor with no gap and the martins initially struggled but get in and the relentless starling is now getting into a barn style house double compartment and building a nest. I have an in house trap but it’s too small for the starling.
Any ideas? I only have a BB gun not going to get close enough
I was thinking of trying to rig a trap in the inner compartment or lowering the house enough to reach with a ladder and plugging the entrance after he goes in for the night and retrieving in the morning
A pair penetrated a gourd and built a nest I then made all the entrances flush with the floor with no gap and the martins initially struggled but get in and the relentless starling is now getting into a barn style house double compartment and building a nest. I have an in house trap but it’s too small for the starling.
Any ideas? I only have a BB gun not going to get close enough
I was thinking of trying to rig a trap in the inner compartment or lowering the house enough to reach with a ladder and plugging the entrance after he goes in for the night and retrieving in the morning
Phil
Townsend DE
Townsend DE