What do you feel would do this? In previous years we have often found one or two eggs in a clutch out of the nest cup, and assumed the parents tried to remove eggs that were not viable, or put it down to sparrow interference, but this seems to be total nest failure in three nests on one gourd rack - the other one had no signs of trouble at all. Six days ago, all was fine at both gourd racks. We did have a hawk harrassing our birds a while ago - can a hawk reach in and grab a martin through a porched SREH - and would this cause the eggs to be dragged to the front? The nest is otherwise undisturbed. We have not had hawk attacks before, to our knowledge at any rate, so are unsure. I have hawk/owl guards to attach, but I've read I should wait until the babies are 2-3 days old. So my nest question - my hatching dates are mostly going to fall during a week when I am away. Should I put the guards on before I go and take my chances the birds will adapt when they just have eggs, or wait until I return and take my chances that the babies will still be there and attach the guards then? Thanks for any insights you have.What is the most likely culprit?
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Mary Wilson-SW Ont
- Posts: 218
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:24 pm
- Location: Leamington Ontario
I checked our gourd racks today at the golf course. I found three nests with all eggs out of the nest cup and rolled towards the front of the gourd - some on the interior porch - a total of 17 eggs that now won't become martins. What do you feel would do this? In previous years we have often found one or two eggs in a clutch out of the nest cup, and assumed the parents tried to remove eggs that were not viable, or put it down to sparrow interference, but this seems to be total nest failure in three nests on one gourd rack - the other one had no signs of trouble at all. Six days ago, all was fine at both gourd racks. We did have a hawk harrassing our birds a while ago - can a hawk reach in and grab a martin through a porched SREH - and would this cause the eggs to be dragged to the front? The nest is otherwise undisturbed. We have not had hawk attacks before, to our knowledge at any rate, so are unsure. I have hawk/owl guards to attach, but I've read I should wait until the babies are 2-3 days old. So my nest question - my hatching dates are mostly going to fall during a week when I am away. Should I put the guards on before I go and take my chances the birds will adapt when they just have eggs, or wait until I return and take my chances that the babies will still be there and attach the guards then? Thanks for any insights you have.
What do you feel would do this? In previous years we have often found one or two eggs in a clutch out of the nest cup, and assumed the parents tried to remove eggs that were not viable, or put it down to sparrow interference, but this seems to be total nest failure in three nests on one gourd rack - the other one had no signs of trouble at all. Six days ago, all was fine at both gourd racks. We did have a hawk harrassing our birds a while ago - can a hawk reach in and grab a martin through a porched SREH - and would this cause the eggs to be dragged to the front? The nest is otherwise undisturbed. We have not had hawk attacks before, to our knowledge at any rate, so are unsure. I have hawk/owl guards to attach, but I've read I should wait until the babies are 2-3 days old. So my nest question - my hatching dates are mostly going to fall during a week when I am away. Should I put the guards on before I go and take my chances the birds will adapt when they just have eggs, or wait until I return and take my chances that the babies will still be there and attach the guards then? Thanks for any insights you have.-
Emil Pampell-Tx
- Posts: 6743
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 1:26 pm
- Location: Tx, Richmond (SW of Houston)
- Martin Colony History: First started in Gretna, La in 1969 with a small homemade house, have had martins ever since at 2 different homes in Texas
Mary, owls are very persistant, as they keep coming back after they are successful. I would put up the owl guards since you have them. I don't think that they are complete protection, but every little bit helps on owls. I think that a 3in tunnel & a SREH would keep any owl from reaching the eggs or martins, as their body is shaped so that they probably couldn't reach further. Deep cavities also helps a lot to protect from owls.
About the eggs being out of the cup, maybe the owl is grabbing the gourd and tilting it severely, just hanging on the entrance, which may cause the eggs to roll out. When they get real bad, the owls can play volleyball with the gourds. Maybe the owl guards would prevent that.
Most of my owl predation comes at daylight & dark, as the owls catch the martins on the outside before they get into the cavity.
The best solution for owls is to never have them catch the first bird, but that is sometimes difficult.
Hope you have a nice vacation.
About the eggs being out of the cup, maybe the owl is grabbing the gourd and tilting it severely, just hanging on the entrance, which may cause the eggs to roll out. When they get real bad, the owls can play volleyball with the gourds. Maybe the owl guards would prevent that.
Most of my owl predation comes at daylight & dark, as the owls catch the martins on the outside before they get into the cavity.
The best solution for owls is to never have them catch the first bird, but that is sometimes difficult.
Hope you have a nice vacation.
PMCA Member, 250 gourds, 6 poles, 2traps
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Mary Wilson-SW Ont
- Posts: 218
- Joined: Tue Nov 11, 2003 6:24 pm
- Location: Leamington Ontario
Hi Emil, thanks for your response. Our gourds are bolted to the wooden crossarm, so the only movement possible is a slight side-to-side pivot on the bolt - the gourds can't be tipped forward to cause the eggs to roll. So I was thinking that if it were a hawk/owl dragging the adult bird out, that could cause the eggs to move along with her, but would expect the nest to be quite disturbed since H/O would have to reach in and grope around through a small opening - SRE crescent - and then have to drag its catch back over an interior porch. Nothing seems amiss except the eggs where they shouldn't be. Well, I guess I'll never know for sure without camping overnight on the driving range 
However, I'll start putting up the owl guards now that its going to get a bit warmer again - I was concerned to do it when it might frighten momma off her eggs for a while when she's incubating and they would get cool, but this afternoon should be OK.
Thanks, Emil, I WILL have a nice vacation - I'll just have to make sure I don't spend it worrying about these little beauties .....
However, I'll start putting up the owl guards now that its going to get a bit warmer again - I was concerned to do it when it might frighten momma off her eggs for a while when she's incubating and they would get cool, but this afternoon should be OK. Thanks, Emil, I WILL have a nice vacation - I'll just have to make sure I don't spend it worrying about these little beauties .....