Tonight, April 15th the nesting trays were put inside the houses at Hammo. These trays are used to make it easier to change out the nesting material after the martin chicks grow. Previously there was a flat piece of lucite that we would pull out to change the nesting. This tray design holds the loose nest more securely. Nesting trays generally cost 14-15 dollars a piece so thankfully we had some donations of plywood from a friend, Tom Tolla and some sheet metal from Knightsbridge. Terry designed this tray using several prototypes over the course of the winter. Finally they are in the martin house.
Next comes the nesting material, pine needles that we gathered earlier and place inside the nesting tray. The housing compartments are closed up with a piece of sheet metal until we are sure the martins have returned and are ready to nest. We have early reports that martins are around so we have removed the blocks on some of the houses. Already we have evidence of the house sparrows beginning to nest inside the martin compartments. We remove sparrow nests especially this early on, if we didn't move them out, they would take over the martin houses and the martins would leave. Since the martins are birds of concern and have limited places to nest, martin landlords generally don't feel bad about moving the sparrows on. We will talk more about the sparrows as the summer unfolds.
Next comes the nesting material, pine needles that we gathered earlier and place inside the nesting tray. The housing compartments are closed up with a piece of sheet metal until we are sure the martins have returned and are ready to nest. We have early reports that martins are around so we have removed the blocks on some of the houses. Already we have evidence of the house sparrows beginning to nest inside the martin compartments. We remove sparrow nests especially this early on, if we didn't move them out, they would take over the martin houses and the martins would leave. Since the martins are birds of concern and have limited places to nest, martin landlords generally don't feel bad about moving the sparrows on. We will talk more about the sparrows as the summer unfolds.