Tulsa Roost

[daveh]

I had the opportunity to go to Tulsa Ok. saturday Aug. 10th to see the purple martin roost and meet up with Dick Sherry & company.

What a sight and sound! I heard people say 100K, maybe 150K birds And all of them trying to land in a few trees next to the parking garage of the Doubletree Hotel, downtown Tulsa! Like people have said, it sounded like a big locomotive releasing steam out of the engine. It also reminded me of someone cooking a big skillet of bacon.

The roost is very close to the people watching, maybe 15-20 ft. Nothing spooked the birds. They just kept coming and coming and landing in those few trees.

Dick is a nice man, very knowledgable about the roost and martins in general. He had a good showing of people that night, maybe 45-50 people on the parking garage watching the spectacle. Everyone there was amazed! I heard a lot of "Oh My Gosh"!

The people in the hotel didn't really know much about the roost. I spoke with the lady in charge of the restaurant explaining that they really have something special at there location. They could capitalize on advertising the roost. Even have nightly specials in the restaurant to draw in clients and optimize their highly prized "roost" location! After dinner, they could have a tour to the top of the parking garage and view the spectacular roost. Most people would be totally amazed at the experience, and might even engage more of their friends to come and enjoy the food and sights! It would also be a way to get the 'word' out and encourage more interest in purple martins. And also offer a parking validation to the $7 parking fee if the clients eat in the restaurant.

I even got some guys from the bar area to check out the birds. They didn't have a clue what a purple martin was, but they do now. I told the bar tender he should advertise purple martini's during the roosting season. It gave him a good laugh, but thought it sounded good!

The wife and I had a good time, plus we visited with a nephew that just moved to Tulsa. We may have to do this again next year. From Kansas City, straight shot is only 4 hours, not a big deal.

There's still time, several weeks, to check out the roost and chat with Dick. You will be awed!

dave

[art]

In Austin, Texas, the Congress Avenue Bridge is a huge tourist attraction where people come to see over a million Mexican Free-tail Bats leave their day roost before dark to feed. Restaurants have sprung up along the river in response to the attraction. A good source of income for many businesses close to the bridge. It's been going on for years.

[Dick Sherry]

Hi, Dave. I was glad to meet you and your wife, and thanks for making the trip. Sounds like you did some good PR work with the hotel and the bar tender. When the story runs in the newspaper, I will try to get it posted on the Forum. The outdoor writer had a time lapse camera set up on a sign in the driveway area, so I hope to get to see what that picked up.

Come back next year and bring a few friends!

[DornCounty]

Hey Dick,

I think I'm going to head down Sunday to check out the roost. If you happen to be there look for the crazy guy from Kansas. It would be great to meet you.

[Dick Sherry]

I will try to make it down there. You will be amazed at the sight of all these martins in one place!

[John Miller]

this video of the Tulsa roost -- set to music (ha) -- was posted earlier, but I think it's about the coolest thing I've seen on the web.

John M

http://vimeo.com/71871295

[DornCounty]

this video of the Tulsa roost -- set to music (ha) -- was posted earlier, but I think it's about the coolest thing I've seen on the web.

John M

http://vimeo.com/71871295

cool

Here's one from 2 years ago that really well done: http://vimeo.com/27747071

Bob.. is the best place still on the roof of the doubletree parking area?

[Dick Sherry]

John and DornCounty, thanks for posting these videos. They contain some great scenes of the martins and the downtown buildings in the background.

The top level of the Doubletree parking garage is the best place to watch the martins, and if the conditions are right, you should be treated to a spectacular view of the sunset.

[redfinch]

Wish some of those roosting martins could have come our way this year. Have two houses up and this is the first time in 13 years no one stayed. Four birds arrived just about right on time and then left within a week. We had several visitors during the season, but only during the day.

Our neighborhood use to have several houses up, but through the years we are the only ones left. I knew last year when one house only had the old pair that had been coming for several years that it may not be occupied this year.

Very disappointing to say the least. We look forward to their arrival. They are such a fun bird to watch and so social. My husband talked to them all the time.

Well, we'll see if any come next year. We miss caring for them.

[Bulldog1]

Incredible, simply incredible

[daveh]

John and Dorn, really nice videos of the martins and downtown Tulsa. Hadn't seen either one of them. Thanks.

dave

[DebA]

Dave,
Way to go with marketing! Do you have a marketing or business degree/mind? Yes you do!

Loved, loved, loved the videos. The gal in Dorn's, Michelle, is just so cool. So glad their response was to research and decide to not disrupt them.

I am 80 miles west of Wichita KS. Wichita has a significant roost too. I always theorized my birds go there but now I wonder if they go more south first. To Tulsa or OK City. Why waste the miles flying laterally east? Even though 80 is just a hop for them. Just one of those mysteries of where do my babies go.

Thanks for posting!
Deb

[MamaBruff]

John and Dorn, thank you so much for sharing these videos. They gave me goosebumps and I even got a little misty eyed. Loved them both! Now if I can just talk my husband into going to Tulsa instead of the Lake next Saturday...

Question: How long will the martin roost be there? Could a person see them, say, on Labor Day?

[Dick Sherry]

MamaBruff, there will most likely still be martins at the roost on Labor Day weekend, but the numbers will be a lot less than what we saw last night. It is just a continuous winding down once we reach this point in August.

[MamaBruff]

Thanks!

[DornCounty]

mama.. just drive down today.. I was home by 11:30 last night. It's worth it to see it near it's peak.

[MamaBruff]

Dorn, I think I can talk Papa B into something like that! Hope to make it Saturday evening. Fingers crossed...