FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] RPT: Purple Martin Roost

["scott freidhof" <scottf@xxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Aug. 12, 2006: The search for a purple martin roost near Maysville was
successful.  We began our search in a large cemetery on the east side of
Maysville around 8:00 pm.  There were lots of chimney swifts, starlings
and grackles in the air but no martins.  Around 8:15, a small group of 6
martins appeared flying east to west parallel with the river.  They
dropped down out of site close to the river about a ¼ to ½ mile west of
the cemetery.  We moved west to the large earthen flood wall along the
river.  Small groups of martins were then flying west to east toward
some trees near River Park.  We moved to the boat launch at River Park
and climbed to the top of the earthen flood wall again.  On the opposite
side of the flood wall from River Park was a small apartment/housing
complex.  Time was about 8:45 by then and we could hear martins in the
trees around the apartment complex.  Occasionally we could see martins
fly out and circle into the trees, but the poor light prevented us from
determining which trees the martins were using.  This was not a large
concentration of birds.  Just a guess on my part, but there were
probably less than 100 martins.  The ?significant? roost pinpointed by
radar in 2004 by the Purple Martin Conservation Association may be out
there somewhere within 15 miles of the radar center or maybe the
majority of birds moved to a new roost location in Ohio or Ky.  Evelyn
and I would like to thank Jim, Marie, and Phyllis from Lexington for
joining us on this birding adventure.

 

Scott Freidhof

Morehead