Gone to the Birds 2011

Thursday, August 04, 2011: It was a clear cool night with a slight breeze. Tonight, Jan Frye and Nick Flanders counted 26,300 Purple Martins flying into the Pear trees on 17th Street in Shockoe Bottom. For the record, Jan Frye was the counter of Sunday night’s number (27, 500 birds).

Victoria Cooper, who has been measuring the sound of the Purple Martins since last year, measured an 80 (A and C) at 8:41 pm tonight. Last year’s high was 65 (A and C). The numbers rise exponentially (for those of us who are not mathematicians or electrical engineers). We are attempting to count birds by using sound.

One gentleman got a photograph of the Peregrine Falcon capturing a Purple Martin in mid-air!

Thanks go to the Steering Committee for picking the correct date! Adele Maclean, Lou Verner, Wyn Price, Jan Frye, Adolph White, and Karin Cundiff picked Aug. 6th in late January of this year.

Thanks go to the City of Richmond, Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association, Purple Martin Conservation Association, National Audubon Society, Virginia Society of Ornithology, and DeLuca Gelato for sponsoring this event. (Note if you want a small cup of free gelato, get a blue ticket in the Farmers’ Market! After 1000 cups, a nominal price will be charged.)

Come early and eat supper in Shockoe Bottom. Check out the restaurants using Google.

-Sue Ridd
Volunteer Coordinator
Gone to the Birds 2011 Festival

“Come get a raffle ticket for a free Purple Martin birdhouse! Jimmy Fitzgerald has assembled information about raising Purple Martins and has some wonderful prizes that he will raffle off!!

Many other conservation organizations will be present to answer your questions from the Dept. of Game and Inland Fisheries, VSO, Audubon, Sierra Club, MAPS, and Coastal Virginia Bird Observatory to the Master Naturalists, Yardbirds and Carl Zeiss Optics!

Purple Pals will have something for every child to do while DeLuca Gelato will have purple gelato for your favorite spouse! This family event is sponsored by the City of Richmond, and the Shockoe Bottom Neighborhood Association.

Bring your lawn chair and watch as thousands of Purple Martins descend into the 20 Pear Trees on 17th Street. We expect over 10,000 birds on August 6th so don’t be late! Come see us, buy a raffle ticket or a T-shirt and see one of the coolest sights you’ll ever see!”

Here is some video of about 10,000 Purple Martins landing in the Pear Trees in  Shockoe Bottom.