Purple Martin Roost in Dallas (video)

[Guest]

There is a giant Purple Martin roost going on every evening here in Dallas. Purple Martins arrive in huge numbers from all over North Texas. Some of them initially perch on nearby power lines, but eventually they are all in the air circling, doing flybys unitil they finally settle into a row of oak trees for the night. It's an amazing thing to see.

I went there on July 10 and took some video. Here's some of the video I took.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p-h07GjaODY

[trisha]

Fantastic video Gus! I was there and met you that night. I am still in awe when I think of all those birds! Everyone in the DFW area should go!

[Guest]

Yes, I remember you! It really WAS a fantastic thing to see. I'm glad it turned out good for since you came all the way from Burleson!

[mflangolf]

where in dallas is this roost?

[Dennis - AL]

Wow! Imagine that in your back yard..... might get on your neighbors nerves, just a little bit.

I am amazed that they do not find dead martins all over the ground after the roost... head on collisions. Do you think?

Thanks for the post.
Dennis

[Linda Reynolds]

mflangolf, I am not Gus, but suspect this post might list one of the roosts he is talking about, and one of the sites where he captured the video.

Good work, Gus!

mflangolf, I hope this link might help identify a roost in the DFW area. They are spectacular.

http://www.purplemartin.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=17317

[Guest]

where in dallas is this roost?

The address is at the beginning of the video. It's 1950 Marketplace Drive, Garland, Texas. From LBJ (I 635) take the Northwest Highway exit. Turn northeast, go under LBJ and continue on Northwest Highway to Marketplace Drive. Turn right on Marketplace Drive and go a block or two and look for the AMC Bowling Alley on your right. Turn into the parking lot and park at the southwest end of the lot.

BTW, Linda, there are NO Purple Martins at the Sonic, at least there were none there on July 10th, After I left the bowling alley, I went over to the Sonic and there were zero Martins there. So unless Penny has mentioned something just lately, there is no point in going over there.

[Guest]

I lot of us wonder where the Purple Martins go during the day. Well, I just happened to find a large number of them on a cell tower and power lines at the south side of White Rock Lake in Dallas. This was at 10 o'clock in the morning on July 8th.

Here's some still shots of these Martins. Click on the link below, then click on the "Next" button at the top right of the page to go to the next photo. There are six photos. The original photos I uploaded are fairly large, 1280 pixels wide. But you can see SO much more detail if you leave the display at that size. Maximize your browser window so you can see the entire photo without scrolling.

Warning: You may view any of the other photos on my pbase site but be aware that the entire site is a mismash and is in desparate need of a complete overall.

http://www.pbase.com/fotoman/image/126791710

[Joe Zorn]

Hey Gus! I loved your photo gallery! Those are great photos of the hummingbirds and others.

I have been seeing this powerline crew for the past week or more here in the Terrebonne Parish area, near Schriver. I studied them as carefully as I could while driving at 60mph, but couldn not be sure they were martins. I was guessing that they might be starlings, as they are known to flock and land together.

Thiat's not a common site here in my area, as I recall (starling flocks day after day). So it had to be martins, since it happens every morning and afternoon.

The closest roost to me is only about 45 miles away, at Lake Pontchatrain, according to the morning radar about 6am. By the time the birds in New Orleans at the south end of the causeway bridge disapate from the radar view, they are halfway way to my house already.

Thanks for pointing this out to me, helping me to realize what I was seeing.

Joe