[va-richmond-general] Purple Martins-roost

I sent the following posting a couple weeks ago and think it may not have gone 
out on the listserve:

One evening last week, several of us went down to the Farmers' Market area to 
see the martins roost.  From 8-8:30pm, it was just amazing to see wave after 
wave of martins come into a few trees along the street there.  It seemed 
impossible for those thousands of birds all to get into those few trees!  The 
sky was full of swarms of birds; some just milling around within their swarm 
and some doing the swarm swooping thing around the sky.  A friend who lives on 
Church Hill said she sees the flocks fly in formation up and around to Main 
Street Station, then all of a sudden sweep off somewhere else, but all within 
the general area.  Mr. Fitzgerald (who send in the original email) was there 
and said the birds might be there another couple weeks.

Nelda and Buz Snyder

Also, did everyone receive Sue Ridd's posting--same subject?  Can RAS do 
something to stop a possible removal of the roost area?

Here's Sue's message:

On Friday evening, August 24, 2007, I left home at 7:26 pm. and arrived at the 
Farmer's Market area. My goal was to find 17th and Main street where the Purple 
Martins come into the area to roost. There were two men looking up into the sky.

After parking, I asked them where the Purple Martin roost was and Mr. Herbert 
(Jimmy) Fitzgerald said, "If you'll stick around for a few more minutes you'll 
see it for yourself."
We walked a short distance and stood in a vacant lot between two buildings. 
Across the street there are 21 Bradford Pear trees in a line. 

Without binoculars we looked up into the sky above and saw masses of Purple 
Martins flying in circles. Suddenly a Peregrine Falcon appeared in the middle 
of a swirling mass of martins. It appeared that the bird was successful because 
we did not see the Peregrine again.

Quickly, birds began zooming over our heads and flying into the Bradford Pear 
trees. I felt that I was in Alfred Hitchcock's movie, "The Birds," but I didn't 
need to worry. Several thousand birds were roosting in the trees. It was noisy 
but after nightfall, the sound became less. 

While the three of us were standing there, a man walked by and informed us that 
these trees would be cut. That there was a "surprise" about to happen on Sept. 
21st and he asked us to come to this area on Sept. 21st. Does anyone know 
anything about this?

This information seem to dismay Jimmy Fitzgearald and Steve Osberger. 
Apparently, both have visited this site regularly for the last two years 
watching this Purple Martin phenomenon. 
Mr. Fitzgerald said he found this site on Dopplar radar and that it is one of 
two sites in central Virginia. Any suggestions on saving these trees? Thanks, 
Sue

Nelda Snyder
snyderfolks@xxxxxxxxxxxxx

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