Thanks to All Who Came to Tulsa Roost Watch Event

[Dick Sherry]

Thank you to those who came to the event Saturday evening. Some traveled hundreds of miles. Unfortunately, between Sunday, Aug. 3rd and Friday, Aug. 8th about half the martins went south, and the remaining martins roosted in a group of trees about 100 yards to the southwest of the DoubleTree parking garage. There were still thousands of martins in the air, but they weren't zipping in right above your head to enter the roost trees, and letting us look down into a tree filled with martins.

It was great to meet Jim Ray from Texas and TonyG from Kansas and their spouses, and great to see Larry Leonard again who came all the way from Minnesota. There were nearly 250 people who attended, and the hotel did a nice job of roping off the upper deck from vehicle traffic, and they provided a bar, and tables and chairs.

The Tulsa Audubon Society presented the Downtown DoubleTree with the first ever "Bird Friendly Business" award in recognition and thanks for the hotel's cooperation in protecting the martin roost on their property for quite a few years. The Tulsa Audubon President, John Kennington, was told that the hotel's owners decided they should embrace the martins being there, and not try to fight it. All those who love martins should be grateful for the way they have dealt with the roost.

We had two fronts that came through last week, and I am wondering if that wasn't a factor in so many martins moving south. We may be looking at moving the first Roost Watch next year into the last of July. We will be monitoring the number of birds at the roost over the next week to determine if there will be enough to warrant having the second Roost Watch on August 23rd.

Again, thanks to all who came out to support and enjoy the martins.

[Jim Ray]

Great work by all you locals that made that a very special night! Great, great time!

[Guest]

Just wanted to say the Riner family had a wonderful time at the Tulsa roost this year. Special thanks to the Double Tree, the Tulsa Audubon Society, and the PMCA! Jim, it was great to meet you and watch you make the rounds and interact with everyone. Thank you so much for the PMCA license plate covers and Jackson wanted to make sure to say Thank You for the gourd seeds. It appears you will make a great addition to the PMCA staff and certainly have a job to envy! Some have said the roost could have been even more spectacular, but this was our first year and thought it was fantastic! Something to look forward to for next year I guess.

[Jim Ray]

Thank you Cliff! Your family is fantastic. Today, I shared your article and the photo of Jackson and I with our mutual friends, the McCays, formerly of the Christian Church in Nowata, now at our church in Amarillo. He lit up! He guessed your Granddad as soon as I mentioned Nowata and Purple Martins. He will be giving your mother or Grandmother a call if he hasn't already!

Tell Jackson that it was a pleasure and he and I are friends for life. Jim Ray, PMCA Chief Wildlife Biologist.

[tonyg]

Thanks Dick, we had a good time! Finally got to put faces with names! Nice meeting you, Jim Ray, and Stan Davidson...Introduced myself to Jackson Riner, cute little boy and future landlord..it's in his genes!

I wouldn't worry much about the numbers of the roost, it's hard to determine when and where they will show up...we told you it happened to my wife and I at the Humming Bird festival in Rockport Tx, so you can blame us!!

[Tim Mangan-Kansas]

Sounds like everyone who attended had a great time. Wife and I will try to make the event next year.

Tim

[LarryL-MN]

Thanks Dick. It was a wonderful event. It is always great to meet so many enthusiastic Purple Martin lovers. Hope I can make it down again some day.

[DornCounty]

great report.. too bad the roost lessened and moved a bit. when they roost in the parking garage tree it is so much more interactive.

[Dick Sherry]

Thanks everyone for the positive feedback. Hosting an event like this is like inviting friends to go with you to a great fishing hole, and then hoping the fish show up too. We can't control all the variables - but you should have seen it on August 3rd!!