worried newbe

[white-out]

Greetings, I built two houses last year and mounted them in the fall. Now, I'm second guessing the location may be too close to the water's edge? Trees are also a concern but I have no other options in the last location. Also, we live in Northern Ohio approx 10 miles south of Lake Erie and wondering when the houses should open and raise? Thank you in advance

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[Dave Reynolds]

white-out .... First let me welcome you to the PMCA forum... Always great to see new members here.. Your houses look good.. If you have put them is the most open area that you have, that is about all you can do the first few years.. But don’t open the houses up, until the Sub-adults are coming into your area.. Check the home page here for the arrival times for your area.. Others may chime in to give you some more advice, Good luck and again... Welcome

Dave

[rrmartins]

The house mounted next to the fence will need a predator guard mounted very high, the fence gives predators easy access onto your pole. The house in the second pic, will need the two trees behind it removed. Both houses need very good predator guards on them, snakes will easily climb the poles. Seeing your out in the woods, I would think you would have lots of owls and hawks, so I would also suggest owl guards on every compartment. The lake is a big plus, unless it’s full of snakes, which is not good next to your housing. This is probably not the info you wanted to hear, but to have a chance of establishing a colony, you will need too address these issues. Good luck to you!!

[Dave Duit]

Hi white-out,
Your martin house is not too close to the waters edge. If a newly fledged nestling accidentally hits the water on its first flight, it will flap its wings and return to the shores edge. It is an instinctual behavior.

[rrmartins]

https://www.purplemartin.org/purple-mar ... predators/

[flyin-lowe]

Nice looking houses, I have 1 T 14 and am halfway through building my second one. I have always liked them. As others have said your housing will be fine near the water. The greater concern would be the ability for predators to get to the martins. 4 foot high is the minimum recommended height from the ground to the top of the predator guard. To get something four foot above the structures near the house could be tough. Some people use electric fencing which would probably be the easiest in your application but not everyone uses those. When I started my children were younger so I never used electric, just in case.

If you can keep competitors out of the housing I would open up the housing as soon as the martins start to return in your area. If you have problems with competitors deal with them. SY's are more likely to start a colony but many colonies have been started with ASY martins as well, when their housing from last year is either not put back up, they suffered a predator attack, or there is tree encroachment. I had a colony of 30 pair at my old house and when I moved the people that bought my house were not interested in keeping the colony going so the next year there was 30 ASY pair looking for a place. I like to think I helped many people start or add to their colony.

[white-out]

Thanks! The last pic with the two trees in close to my house and these trees must stay to shade the pool area. I was hoping for more interaction with the martins but......do you think I should move this house close to the other house in the 1st pic. I want to help the martins more than have a view of them outside my window. Does it matter if gourds are under the t-14 vs their own pole? Thanks again

[GFB]

Your house kind of looks like mine! I'm no expert also being a newbe but I had a good year last year. June 28 I had an adult male and a couple of SYF's fledge 10 birds but the first week of July I had around 50 birds hang around all summer. It looks to me the house by the fence is in a good location. Its hard to tell about the house by the trees, just wait and see what happens. I'm in upstate NY about a half mile from Lake Ontario and also right next to a pond so I think we"re in the same climate zone. We're all hoping for you. Sorry for the sideways picture, can't figure how to rotate it.

[white-out]

Yours look very nice! Here is a close-up pic of the house by the fence that the bluebirds are currently using. With the tunnels (that have porches to attach) on two boxes and dowel porches for the other two, do I need more/better owl protection?
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[rrmartins]

My apologies, I didn’t see the tunnels and rods for owl protection. I personally don’t have issues with owls where I live and my dogs chase the hawks away the best they can. I do know that they can ruin a colony, I’ve read numerous post on this forum about people having problems with them. I’m only trying to give you knowledge on what can happen. Somebody more knowledgeable with the issue will hopefully chime in and give a yay or nay on what you have. I think the tunnels are probably fine, not sure about the rods working.
Just wondering if you own the property along the lake shore that’s past the fence, also do you own the property on the other side of the asphalt driveway?

[white-out]

No apologies, I'm trying to crash course the "Martin Landlord" thing and glad you and others are willing to share! Owls, hawks, raccoons and sometimes water snakes are here and need help/ideas to deter.

I do own the area on the other side of the fence and approx 40 feet to the right of the driveway. Doug

[rrmartins]

If it was me, I would put both houses on the other side of the driveway next to the big open field. The martins will enjoy the open fly ways onto the housing. This will make it a lot easier on you putting a predator guard on your pole that’s mounted next to the fence. Even along the shores edge is better than being next to a fence or near trees, unless the pond floods easily. Since you already have owl guards, you will only need some cheap bird netting for the snakes. If you search the forum, you will find lots of pics of snakes caught in the netting. Might need to sit on the porch to enjoy your colony, but it will be worth it in my opinion. Probably not what you want to hear, but as you are learning, the location of the housing is very important for your success.

[white-out]

Thanks. I'll take a pic from the road tomorrow and maybe you can pick the best spot for both houses. Thanks again all!

[TheSmiths]

Thanks. I'll take a pic from the road tomorrow and maybe you can pick the best spot for both houses. Thanks again all!

An aerial shot of your property (using Google) may be helpful in determining the best location for your housing.

[flyin-lowe]

A sometimes better option is to grab a screen shot from Google earth of your property from overhead. That gives a better layout then seeing it from ground view.

[white-out]

I have not been successful uploading it here(don't know how). I was going to private message someone my address but I think I'm not allowed yet.

[rrmartins]

Go down your driveway and take a few facing your house. That field looks very promising to me so far.

[white-out]

Not the best pics
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[Louise Chambers]

I think you said that bluebirds are using one of the martin houses right now? That could be a problem, as bluebirds will chase martins off if they are allowed to use the house. Best fix is to put up one or two bluebird boxes (tree swallows might want one of them) about 30-40 feet away from martin house(s), and then plug the martin units closed, to force bluebirds into house of their own.

[rrmartins]

In my opinion, I would put both houses on the field side of the driveway. I would also consider hanging gourds off the bottom of the T14s. A gas powered auger will make short work on the holes, if you have some help to run it. I think you will increase your odds greatly by having them out in the open.