Today I had a good low tide at lunch hour for installing 4 more martin
gourds at the Ballard public access beach. No martins were in sight,
although earlier in the morning I had seen 16. A dozen gourds now hang at
the site, probably close to its maximum. I plugged all the wooden nestboxes
due to the preponderance of house sparrows. In previous years the house
sparrows have kept me frantic doing evictions, so I'm pleased at the
apparent success of the gourds at deterring them. Only once have I found a
house sparrow nest in a gourd, but it was in a very protected spot with
little wind to make the gourd swing.

At high tide this evening I went out in a boat, and went down to Interbay by
the north end of Myrtle Edwards Park; two adult male martins were present.
Last year was the first year that any martins nested here. Chris Barnes
helped me install one more gourd. It's looking to be an outstanding year for
martins!

Kevin Li
Ballard, USA