[TN-Bird] Purple Martin roost in Nashville
- From: "Scott Somershoe" <Scott.Somershoe@xxxxxx>
- To: <tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Wed, 11 Aug 2010 22:20:58 -0500
After finding huge numbers of Purple Martins in August around LP Field in
Nashville last year, I kept an eye out for gathering birds late in the day
again this month after my Wed night bike races. I never found the roost last
year as the thousands of birds would just vanish at dusk as it is very hard to
see birds at a distance in low light.
Anyway, near the end of July I had about 2500 birds, but tonight I had 25,000+.
I wasn't sure I wasn't still seeing cross-eyed from the bike race I had just
done, but they are back in huge numbers. Just about 8pm local time I saw at
least 25,000 birds in one flock (possibly upwards of 30,000 or more) north of
the stadium and saw birds divebombing down into some trees. I knew I was
finally going to find this roost site! I drove a mile north or so and saw
hundreds of at a time martins bombing into shrubs along the edge of the
interstate at Oldham Rd. This is just south of the Spring Street interchange
on I-24. I don't know if the birds are roosting under the highway, but I
suspect so. I saw birds perched in the trees, but they would later disappear.
There are not enough shrubs and trees to support this many roosting martins.
It is a warehouse area, which is why birders hadn't noticed this roost before.
There have been no nuisance reports since it is not a spot that people use
daily for business. I plan to check out the site in daylight and see if I can
confirm them roosting under the highway. I also plan to make a couple trips
back to watch this incredible phenomenon at dusk.
The birds were circling similar to Tree Swallow "tornadoes" but not as tight
and then dropping from several hundred feet straight into the roost, much like
roosting chimney swifts all dive into a chimney at dusk. It is really one of
the most impressive sights I've ever seen.
A Coopers hawk also made a pass through the roost. Must be pretty easy pickings!
Great birding!
Scott Somershoe
State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6653 (o)
615-781-6654 (fax)
www.tnwatchablewildlife.org
www.pbase.com/shoeman
=================NOTES TO SUBSCRIBER=====================
The TN-Bird Net requires you to SIGN YOUR MESSAGE with
first and last name, CITY (TOWN) and state abbreviation.
You are also required to list the COUNTY in which the birds
you report were seen. The actual DATE OF OBSERVATION should
appear in the first paragraph.
_____________________________________________________________
To post to this mailing list, simply send email to:
tn-bird@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx
_____________________________________________________________
To unsubscribe, send email to:
tn-bird-request@xxxxxxxxxxxxx
with 'unsubscribe' in the Subject field.
______________________________________________________________
TN-Bird Net is owned by the Tennessee Ornithological Society
Neither the society(TOS) nor its moderator(s)
endorse the views or opinions expressed
by the members of this discussion group.
Moderator: Wallace Coffey, Bristol, TN
wallace@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Andy Jones
Cleveland, OH
-------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Dave Worley
Rosedale, VA
--------------------------------
Assistant Moderator Chris O'Bryan
Clarksville, TN
__________________________________________________________
Visit the Tennessee Ornithological Society
web site at http://www.tnbirds.org
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
ARCHIVES
TN-Bird Net Archives at //www.freelists.org/archives/tn-bird/
MAP RESOURCES
Tenn.Counties Map at http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/states/tennessee3.gif
Aerial photos to complement google maps http://local.live.com
_____________________________________________________________
Other related posts:
