New Minnesota Roost Located
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LarryL-MN
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:08 pm
- Location: Minnesota/Brainerd
- Martin Colony History: Built first house in 1972 and have had Martins ever since. Became an active landlord in 2002 after finding the PMCA web site.
I found the Aitkin roost last night. This roost has shown up on radar since 2004. It is located on Sisabagamah Lake, 5 miles east of Aitkin on highway 47. The access is on the north side of the lake. The martins are roosting on a cattail island about 1000 yards out from the dock. They were already settling in when I arrived at 8:05 PM and all down by 8:25 PM. If you don't have a boat you will need binoculars or a spotting scope. I would estimate the number at 10,000. I did talk to a local fisherman who said some kind of swallows have been using the islands for many years.
Last edited by LarryL-MN on Wed Aug 22, 2012 9:44 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Laverne
- Posts: 2216
- Joined: Thu Jan 08, 2004 1:58 pm
- Location: TX/Alvin
- Martin Colony History: Erected 1st house in 1997. Birds were checking it out before Mike got down from the ladder. Six cavities had a little colony 1st year. Grown to 88 cavities all gourds with near 100% occupancy. Most important factor for success is rain = bugs.
Ahh, Larry. Isn't it exciting to see a roost... to "find" a roost??!! Have you got a photo you can post? Have you posted your discovery on Project MartinRoost?
I'm sorry, I love Purple Martin Premigratory Roosts. I get excited when somebody finds a "new" one. I want you to know how important I think this is. And, I want everybody else on the Forum to go to the closest roost and see what all the "excitement" is about!!
I'm sorry, I love Purple Martin Premigratory Roosts. I get excited when somebody finds a "new" one. I want you to know how important I think this is. And, I want everybody else on the Forum to go to the closest roost and see what all the "excitement" is about!!
Sincerely,
Laverne
Laverne
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LarryL-MN
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:08 pm
- Location: Minnesota/Brainerd
- Martin Colony History: Built first house in 1972 and have had Martins ever since. Became an active landlord in 2002 after finding the PMCA web site.
Thanks Laverne. Sorry, I don't have any pictures. I am with you 100% on the excitement of PM roosts. I was fortunate enough to find Minnesota's first roost in 2006 after 2 years of searching. The problem we have here is that there is so much suitable habitat for roosting in the area. Radar narrows it down but then it is being at the right spot at the right time. We normally have two larger roosts and this little unknown blip on the screen each year. Now we know where the little blip is. We have a PM Working Group that coordinates a roost tour by pontoon boat each year. It is always a fabulous experience. This year the martins haven't been real uncooperative so we may have to wait until next year for a boat tour.
Last edited by LarryL-MN on Fri Aug 24, 2012 7:36 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Dick Sherry
- Posts: 774
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:30 pm
- Location: Tulsa, OK
Larry, I am glad you found the roost. It is not an easy thing to do. Hope you had a good martin season.
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AvianStewardess
- Posts: 342
- Joined: Wed May 09, 2012 3:10 pm
- Location: Maryland/Cambridge
Love it!!! Congratulations!
~Michelle
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
PMCA Member
Heritage Farm Quad Pod Systems
Thanks Larry. Just last night my wife asked me where the martins went when they left here. My answer to her was that probably all the PM's from the Canadian Prairies went to a roost near a lake somewhere in northern Minnisota probably near Brainerd. I did not know the exact location. Thanks for the confirmation. Bill
Life is what happens while you're busy making other plans John Lennon
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LarryL-MN
- Posts: 52
- Joined: Mon Feb 09, 2004 2:08 pm
- Location: Minnesota/Brainerd
- Martin Colony History: Built first house in 1972 and have had Martins ever since. Became an active landlord in 2002 after finding the PMCA web site.
Dick, good to hear from you. I had a good season. 44 pair and fledged 198 from 208 hatches. I sure would like to make it down to the Tulsa roost again. Maybe next year.
AvianStewardess, Thank you.
Bill, if they aren't stopping hear they may be stopping at one of the other roosts in MN. One is usually in the Osakis area and the other is just south of Willmar. At that one they roost in a corn field. You guys up in Canada are doing a great job. Keep sending more down.
AvianStewardess, Thank you.
Bill, if they aren't stopping hear they may be stopping at one of the other roosts in MN. One is usually in the Osakis area and the other is just south of Willmar. At that one they roost in a corn field. You guys up in Canada are doing a great job. Keep sending more down.
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Dick Sherry
- Posts: 774
- Joined: Wed Nov 12, 2003 5:30 pm
- Location: Tulsa, OK
Larry, sounds like you had a great year! We would be glad to see you, if you can make it next year.
I have been seeing a ring about 28 miles west of me on radar . this is in Wabash County Indiana
The roost watch has a listing of potential martin roost in Indiana and this one is listed but has not been confirmed yet.
I put the coordinates in my navigator and went to these coordinates about .5 miles west of urbana. just north of the town of wabash .
I got there around 7: 45 but did not see or hear any martins. i went a mile south and north drove around for 30 minutes The area was farm ground and blocks of woods
I did not see anything but I have been seeing it on the radar, is there a way to get a more pin point location from the radar. And how much longer will this roost be active.
I still see a few martins flying by my colony the last martins I seen last year was the 28 of August . Here is the radar on the 20th with the ring about 30 miles south of the IWX ( north Webster Indiana radar ) What do you think about this ring.
http://vortex.plymouth.edu/gen_nids.cgi ... m=¢er=
The roost watch has a listing of potential martin roost in Indiana and this one is listed but has not been confirmed yet.
I put the coordinates in my navigator and went to these coordinates about .5 miles west of urbana. just north of the town of wabash .
I got there around 7: 45 but did not see or hear any martins. i went a mile south and north drove around for 30 minutes The area was farm ground and blocks of woods
I did not see anything but I have been seeing it on the radar, is there a way to get a more pin point location from the radar. And how much longer will this roost be active.
I still see a few martins flying by my colony the last martins I seen last year was the 28 of August . Here is the radar on the 20th with the ring about 30 miles south of the IWX ( north Webster Indiana radar ) What do you think about this ring.
http://vortex.plymouth.edu/gen_nids.cgi ... m=¢er=
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Bob Buskas
- Posts: 600
- Joined: Sat Nov 15, 2003 8:08 pm
- Location: Wetaskiwin Alberta, Canada
I think you probably have many Alberta birds in this roost as well. only got 3 returning late nesters here tonight, the rest have left to a southern roost, I'm sure Minn. gets all of our western Canadian Martins passing through.
Bob Buskas, Alberta, Canada (The Northern Sky's Colony) Supplimental feeding is the key during bad weather, but you must train them to feed ahead of time.