Recently I looked at the mud nests of cliff swallows that are under the Aurora Avenue Bridge in Fremont (Seattle), and found that some of the occupants were house sparrows; I also noticed the same scenario at the Twin Barns at Nisqually NWR.

Just west of the Fremont Bridge, at the dock of the King County Environmental Lab, I have a few natural gourds and wooden boxes for nests; violet green swallows are using a gourd, and have also used the wooden boxes. Tree swallows and house sparrows have used just the wooden boxes. I have yet to see a house sparrow or a starling show any interest in entering a natural gourd, although I have heard of starlings being a problem in Dave Fouts' gourds on the Columbia River.

I've contemplated whether gourds may be the band-aid solution to purple martin recovery here, due to the possible lack of interest from competitors. Vandalism is sometimes an unfortunate occurrence, but at sites where I consider it unlikely, I am optimistic about gourds. I've had gourds broken and presumably vandalized at Shilshole Bay, Luhr Beach, Pier 90, and T-105 on the Duwamish. For anyone contemplating the use of gourds, I suggest not putting them in places where stones are readily available for people to pick up and throw. Perhaps the sparrows have no tolerance for a nest that swings in the wind?

Right now on lower Elliott Bay (Jack Block Public Access) it seems there are five pairs of martins nesting in gourds and three pair using wooden boxes. I've had to evict house sparrows from the boxes on several occasions this season, but I have yet to see the sparrows approach a gourd. I use the term "nesting" rather loosely here, I haven't confirmed eggs or nest material in each case; I've sometimes just witnessed consistent use of a cavity, often along with aggression towards crows and other birds.

At T-105 on the west side of the Duwamish River there are one or two pairs of martins using wooden boxes, and the gourds appear to be empty. House sparrows have been a major problem here.

At Kellogg Island (near Herring's House Park) there are one or two pairs of martins in the wooden boxes, and none in the gourds. These cavities are relatively far from shore and sparrows have not been observed in them. One starling nest was removed about a month ago.

Ballard (Shilshole Bay public access) has three pairs of martins, all nesting in wooden boxes. House sparrows have been a problem.

I understand Picnic Point has two pairs of martins, Edmonds (S of Edwards Pt) has one pair. Swamp Creek has had tree swallows and house sparrows.

Kevin Li
Ballard, USA
kdli at msn.com