I went looking for the roost last eveing, and it looks like the martins are back at the jail location on Denver Ave. north of Archer. There were several thousand martins on the wires along Archer west of Denver. Some martins were going into the trees at the jail complex.
Earlier I saw thousands of martin on the electric lines that cross the Arkansas River just south of 33 West Ave. and Charles Page Blvd., several miles west of the roost. This has been one of the major staging areas in past years for the martins before they move on to the roost.
The Tulsa Audubon Society has a Roost Watch event scheduled for Saturday, August 13th. I will post more info on that as it gets closer.
Tulsa Roost Appears to be at Jail Location Again
Won't be long now until our backyard is silent.
We still have two in the nest yet. My husband put one back yesterday. Male martin quickly posted himself outside the door and has been keeping watch. So far, so good. Both as still in for a few more days anyway. Mom just came by with a bug.
Seems to me some have left in the last day or two but still have around 18 birds total between the two houses.
It has been a good season for us in spite of the heat. I've only counted one that didn't make it.
How has everyone else made out this year?
We still have two in the nest yet. My husband put one back yesterday. Male martin quickly posted himself outside the door and has been keeping watch. So far, so good. Both as still in for a few more days anyway. Mom just came by with a bug.
Seems to me some have left in the last day or two but still have around 18 birds total between the two houses.
It has been a good season for us in spite of the heat. I've only counted one that didn't make it.
How has everyone else made out this year?
Redfinch
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Dick Sherry
- Posts: 774
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:30 pm
- Location: Tulsa, OK
Redfinch, I am glad you all have had a good nesting season at your place, because it has been a rough one at many colonies in this area. Fortunately, rehabbers in the Tulsa area have helped nurse many young martins back to very good shape, and I have been able to help with the release of 13 young ones over the last two weeks.
Hope your last two have a successful fledging.
Hope your last two have a successful fledging.
It's been quiet in our back yard for almost three weeks now. We still have a few visitors here & there but they're pretty much gone. This has been a pretty painful season for us. We had daily hawk visits up until about mid-June and then the heat set in. Out of 66 hatchlings I can confirm that we lost 17 either to predators (neighbors dogs or other neighbors cat) or by simply suffocating in the nest. I'm betting we lost closer to half of them. We're hoping the poor success rate doesn't diminish our colony next year.
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Dick Sherry
- Posts: 774
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:30 pm
- Location: Tulsa, OK
Marley, these cycles happen and the martins keep bouncing back. There won't be as many year-old birds next year, but hopefully we will get a more normal spring and summer and the adults will have a very successful nesting season. I am curious to see how the numbers at the roost are this year compared to the last few years.