There were ten diving waves of purple martins into the Bradford Pear trees on Friday Night…….July 22, 2011. There were at least one thousand in each wave. So I am estimating that at least 10,000 martins are roosting in those pear trees at this time.
This is another successful year for the Gone to the Birds Festival which will be held right here in Richmond VA at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market location near this gigantic purple martins roosting site.
I certainly hope that our three major television networks hear about this so that they will inform the public who will come down to observe this spectacle and subsequently attend the Gone to the Birds Festival on Aug. 6 from 6-9 p.m. By the way, the purple martins count will probably reach between 13,000 and 15,000 on the day of the festival. — Adolph White, Richmond.
Last night, 7/26/11, I estimated 15,700 birds entering the trees from my usual spot on the corner of 17th and Grace Streets. I am not getting down there often, but will post when I do. The festival should not have less than that if history is a good indicator! It is already a spectacular sight.
OK, the first wave on 7/28/11 was crazily huge, so I cut the number to 7,000. Final tally was about 20,400. I kept thinking they were done and then a few hundred more would come in from the horizon, not from flocks milling around overhead. I don’t usually see them come from a distance at the very end. Total trees utilized tonight is roughly 12, up from the 8 to 10 they have been using. Would love to start getting decibel levels every night if anyone has that capability.