I have counted 12 Martins hanging around now. It could be a good year if this keeps up. And the weather has finally turned for the better with many warm days forecast. They seem to really like the large porches and almost always choose them over the perches.
The sparrows have been plentiful. A pair of them insisted on making a home in one of my top compartments yesterday. A pellet gun put an end to that. So far 10 sparrows trapped and 4 shot. They are relentless little guys and plentiful. The less sparrows around the more Martins I see. I think it is vital to keep them under control if you want the Martins to succeed.