[TN-Bird] Purple Martins in mass

I was downtown Nashville Wed evening watching bike races at LP field (yup, =
where the Titans play football) and about 7:45 pm I saw the most purple =
martins I've ever seen at one place in my life.  The sky was covered in a =
huge flock from horizon to horizon.  Densest numbers over the stadium =
proper and towards the southwest side of the stadium from what I could =
gather.  Estimating such numbers is really tough, but from the experience =
I have with estimating large numbers of birds (snow geese, wintering =
shorebirds, etc), there had to have been at least 5000-7000 martins, if =
not over 10,000.  I wonder where they were all roosting? =20

On an aside, a sharp-shinned hawk was flying through the group.  Looking =
for a evening snack I guess.

Cheers,
   Scott Somershoe

State Ornithologist
Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency
P.O. Box 40747
Nashville, TN 37204
615-781-6653 (o)
615-781-6654 (fax)
=20
UPS address: 440 Hogan Rd
                         Nashville, TN 37220
=20
FedEx address: 5107 Edmondson Pike=20
                           Nashville, TN 37211


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