Any chance that these birds will nest at this point?

jogl · Thu Jun 30, 2022 6:26 am

I have six martins that have been hanging around for the last month. They have put some nest material in a few gourds and in a few compartments in an aluminum house. I have a selection of gourds and houses up and have been trying to attract martins for many years. There is a colony of eight nesting nearby at a neighbour's.

I am quite sure that the martins visiting us are the remains of another neighbours long established colony. Those neighbours have let the sparrows and starlings take over (they refuse to control them) and now the martins get chased away when they go there. Our place is kept sparrow and starling free. But they keep going to the neighbours and then come over to our houses and back and forth all day.

There is one ASY male, two ASY females, and I am pretty sure that the other three are SY birds.

My question is: Is there any chance that they will nest at this point? The martins are usually around here until mid / mid-late August.

Thanks, JP.

randyM · Sat Jul 02, 2022 12:19 am

It's getting pretty late in the season for martins to lay eggs, especially at a new site with no other active nests. If eggs in an earlier nest from a nearby colony were destroyed by a sparrow or weather (or infertile), perhaps an ASY female may have the urge to re-nest and make a late attempt at your site. I had an ASY female pair up with a SY male last year and she began laying a clutch of 6 eggs on June 26, so her clutch was completed on July 1. Are there any green leaves in your gourds that were placed by martins? If so, there is a slight chance for a late nest, but if no green leaves are present, I'd say your chances for a nest this year are pretty slim at this time. It's a good sign you have martins hanging at your site for over a month and have even placed some nest material in your housing. I believe if some of these birds survive to make the spring migration next year, you'll have nesting birds next year.

Good luck going forward!

Randy

Dave Reynolds · Sat Jul 02, 2022 8:31 am

... Maybe not this year... But if your neighbor lets his Martin houses go, then your in the perfect spot.. Keep the Starling and Sparrow away and you will be our newest Landlord -- next season for sure.... .Good Luck

Dave

C.C.Martins · Sat Jul 02, 2022 9:01 pm

Sad to see them victimized by sparrows but hopefully you end up with their birds, sounds like they will be in good hands. Hope to hear of your success.
Keep after those sparrows, give them no rest. Unfortunately, they have a sparrow breeding sight so your work is cut out for you. Iv fallen in love with van ert, and PMCA nest box traps, during their nesting phase and non nesting-a blains repeating trap....and of course gammo red fire pellets anytime.
Tom