Can this be a purple martin nest?

[wbmiller3]

It looks like a wrap of vines and all the other ones I have had look more like the first picture (pile of leaves). I have not seen other birds at the house, but now I am paranoid.

[Stephen Cruse]

To me it looks like the beginning of a sparrow nest.

Stephen

[Mary Dawnsong]

The top nest looks like the nests my martins usually build. However, I have had martin nests that were different - very grassy like the second nest. The bits of green leaves incorporated look more like something a martin would do than a HOSP or EUST. I wouldn't tear it out without being sure.

[Donna - TX]

I have had some martins use the grass and vines just like this so just like Mary said I would not tear it out.

[wbmiller3]

I am in trouble either way! The green leaves are my wife's Tatume squash seedlings that just came up! If the martins are getting them that's bad.

It's funny though. There were 3 other kinds of squashes in the same plot. They raided only the Tatume leaves, and took every one. Maybe this should be grown as a martin attractant!

[Sandy - NC]

I have also had martins build nests like this. Keep a close eye on it, and if in the next two days, the cavity is so full that it seems nothing else can fit, then it is a sparrow nest. Last year, and this year, I have had martins build large nests, but they will not fill the cavity up. Leave it alone and check it again in two days. You will know for sure then.

[Mary Dawnsong]

The green leaves are my wife's Tatume squash seedlings that just came up! They raided only the Tatume leaves, and took every one.

Oh man, your #$% is grass, too!

[T Seber]

I don't believe the squash seedling leaves will be harmful to your martins

[Sparky]

Yep, martin nest. The green leaves are the hint. I've got ASY's that vary in trends of nest design from year to year. It must be flying to closely to Bed, Bath and Beyond on the way up during migration. Sorry, I just got a new flyer in the mail this morning.

[stan davison]

To me it looks like a sparrow starting to build over a martin nest. I would keep an eye on that compartment. Good luck..

[Dawn~KS]

I think it quite possible to be a Starling nest................but obviously you can't tear it out until sure!! Maybe watch that compartment closely to see if you see the tenants. Before I had martins one season I let a pair of Starlings build a nest and then switched to a crescent to see how bad they would try and get in. That nest looked very similar to this and they had fresh and older green stuff mixed throughout...................namely my mums that were in the garden right by the poles! There were also grasses that seemed to have a *rooty* end on them. The Starling nest isn't near as messy and trashy as the sparrow's is!

Dawn

[Guest]

Looks like a starling nest to me too. They tend to bring in seedlings and weeds--especially ones with flowers.

[Guest]

Question for those of you with more experience (not counting mud dams and not counting the fresh leaves brought to the nest for eggs):

For any given nest, do you find that the martin pair uses numerous different materials for building, or do they stick to one material?

For instance, last year I found that the pair was very consistent in using the same material to build the entire nest, as you can see in the slide show we made.

http://s278.photobucket.com/albums/kk92 ... s2007b.flv

- Steve

[wbmiller3]

Thanks to everyone for the input. I still am not 100% sure after watching all weekend, but I think it is a starling nest. One landed on that house's perch a couple of times and was run off by the martins. I installed a SREH in that house so hopefully that will fix it either way.

And, if the evil starling got my wife's plants, I may be OK after all!

[wbmiller3]

The evil squash stealers were starlings. When I put on the SREHs they were extremely perturbed but finally left. The martins did figure the SREHs out and I have one nest with eggs in the Quad Pod. There is one nest with eggs in the plastic house and one nest with no eggs yet.