Comments for Gone to the Birds 2011

Comment on Purple Martin Roost is Almost to 30,000 Birds! by Adolph White

Adolph White — Tue, 02 Aug 2011 18:56:20 +0000

There are 27,500 or more Purple Martins roosting on 17th Street in 11 Bradford Pear Trees at this time. This means that there are going to be many more by Saturday Aug. 6, the day of the Gone to the Birds Festival 2011 to be held from 6 to 9 p.m. in downtown Richmond, VA. at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market area.

Please encourage your friends to come and see the Purple Martins create a variety of high flying patterns for the purpose of evading the attack of the Peregrine Falcon. This falcon finds it difficult to attack flying upward. Therefore, after spotting the Peregrine Falcon perching on the tall Monroe Building, the Purple Martins move to a very high level in the sky and begin flying in patterns before making their 40 miles per hour dive to the Bradford Pear Trees. Some of these patterns will include the vortex or twister, the mixing bowl, the spinning ball, and even the merry-go-around formation.

Adolph White….Richmond, VA whitea60@verizon.net

Comment on The Count is Over 10,000! by Janice Frye

Janice Frye — Fri, 29 Jul 2011 08:36:17 +0000

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.

Comment on The Count is Over 10,000! by Janice Frye

Janice Frye — Wed, 27 Jul 2011 17:43:59 +0000

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.

Comment on Purple Martins in the Washington Post by frenky

frenky — Sat, 07 May 2011 23:54:35 +0000

B7Ie5u http://gdjI3b7VaWpU1m0dGpvjRrcu9Fk.com

Comment on Report from August 22, 2010 by freddy

freddy — Sun, 29 Aug 2010 02:00:27 +0000

where do they migrate to after summer in richmond
thanks, f

Comment on Birds and Onlookers Still Coming! by J R Thomas

J R Thomas — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 15:37:36 +0000

I know that you are aware of the Purple Martin roost near 17th street Marketplace…I wondered if you were aware of the roost in the industrial chimney of the Garbers Door bldg @ 2201 E Franklin St?…we are currently living in a building across the street, and the phenomenon at dusk is a magical spectacle!…hundreds, if not thousands of the birds (I assume they are the same species, I cant tell in the fading light) circle the chimney, creating a large, ballet-like, chirping vortex, that after a few minutes begins to disappear into the chimney top…the entire process takes approximately 10 minutes to complete, and is mesmerizing…I would recommend it to anyone in the area…

..have a great day!..

: )Randy Thomas

Comment on Purple Martins Arriving in Shockoe Bottom by Rudolph Hickman

Rudolph Hickman — Tue, 17 Aug 2010 07:47:09 +0000

This has been an exciting week for me. For six nights, I have come to the intersection of 17th and Franklin Sts. and witnessed one of the most amazing displays nature is capable of producing. Each night I have seen something different from swarm patterns to the appearance of a hawk intent on having a purple martin for dinner. While the capture and eating of the martin was at times difficult to watch, it was also exciting. I have posted a few of the photos on my website: http://www.rudolphhickmanphotography.smugmug.com
and invite you to take a look at the spectacle of nature being played out before our very eyes. Take care and please join us down at the Farmers Market. You will be glad you came.

Comment on Purple Martins Arriving in Shockoe Bottom by Janice Frye-Johnson

Janice Frye-Johnson — Wed, 11 Aug 2010 18:57:24 +0000

The last birds are typically seen 9/1 or 9/2 at the latest. The roost should peak in size mid-August and begin to shrink after that. There is also traffic back and forth to the roost in the Pamunkey River, so the numbers can vary dramatically. People are there every night. Though I have a number of recent counts that have been summarized by other posters when I couldn’t do it, I and others try to get a good estimate every night. Here is an example of the roosts near the Gulf where they stage before crossing: http://www.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.kxan.com%2Fdpp%2Fnews%2Flocal%2Fpurple-martins-blacken-sky&h=3275d

Comment on Birds and Onlookers Still Coming! by Sue Ridd

Sue Ridd — Thu, 05 Aug 2010 21:31:50 +0000

On Wednesday, August 4, 2010, Jan Frye and I counted separately at the 17th Street Farmers’ Market. The birds did not come to the pear trees until 8:10 pm, which is late, but the number of birds now surpasses 13,600. This is more than the total of birds last year and hopefully will peak between now and August 15th.

Comment on Weekend Count Update Exceeds 7,000!! by Adolph White

Adolph White — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 16:15:08 +0000

On Monday night (Aug. 2), there were approximately 250 to 350 onlookers in and around the parking lot on 17th Street near Farmers Market to observe thousands and thousands purple martins creating such designs as the vortex , the wave, and the ball –in the skies before dotting to the Bradford pear trees at speeds of 62 miles per hour or greater to evade the peregrine falcon waiting on the Monroe building.

Come to Richmond , VA to see this scenery of granduer between 7:45 p.m. and 8:45 p.m. To see this is to add another dimension to your life! What a breathing taking experience……free of charge!
Adolph White, Richmond, VA