Decatur nest check and observations

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7 nest last year 22 this year
33 eggs last year 99 this year
fledged 32 last year 83 this year (4 1 week old babies orhers ready)

12 sg have 6 nest 2 R 10 SREH
10 big bo 3 nest all SREH
15 natural gourds 12 nest 8 R 7 SREH
6 bovilla, plastic house 1 nest
7 freon tanks 0 nest, back to the drawing board

For my 3rd year 06 I plan to have all SREH and want to fill my 2" pole to at least 64 cavaties plus the 12 sg rack. I may expand the sg to 24 and may try to add enough to make 100 in 07 then send them on up to our northern friends who are having a hard time attracting them.
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Laverne
Posts: 2216
Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
Location: TX/Alvin
Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.

Hey fashmore.

Looks like your colony is leaning toward a preference for naturals, too. Hmmm...

Somehow I had missed the freon tanks thing. Are they metal? How did you prepare them? Tell us all about them - this could be a good idea - they may just need a few modifications... I'd hate to see all your hard work go to waste.

Congratulations on the phenomenal growth of your colony! :grin:
Sincerely,
Laverne
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Guest

I have been trying for a couple or 3 years, they are the regular freon tanks that I cut out a 7' aquare opening in the middle of the side and put crescent openings with in/out pourches. The next year half eight were converted to round holes and I have not had anything live in any of them. Next year I plan to cut them in half around the middle and put SREH openings and removeable bottoms, I think they are too deep and hope the halvers will help the martins and keep some of the tanks out of the land fills.
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