Date: 7/10/25 5:48 pm From: Peter H Yaukey via groups.io <pyaukey...> Subject: Re: [labird] Purple Martin roosts on the causeway
Jane-
I haven't been out, but have been monitoring it by radar (at rap.ucar.edu- not as nice an image as Zach Fradella's, which I imagine is using Fox's own radar). Yesterday morning's departure is pasted below.
The echo is in the same position as previous years, offshore the north end, where it is normally beyond sight from land. So I think at Sunset Pt you will only see birds milling before they go out- perhaps lots, but nowhere near the total numbers that roost. Did Zach say anything implying that the three arrows indicated visible movement streams going to the roost? Roost entry in the evening has never been visible on the NOAA radar, only morning departures. This has the potential to be an exciting new information source.
My interested was picqued a few weeks ago when the echo started out being on the southern half of the bridge, perhaps even at the old roost site a the south end- but it shifted back north to its current location before anyone could visit to check.
The long echo strung out along the bridge is consistent with one birder's report 1-2 weeks ago that they saw martins along the full length of the bridge when they started crossing N to S about 20 min before sunset. So that was presumably before they form the large swirling cloud to enter the roost.
I have never figured out the optimal time to depart the north shore to see the evening entry cloud fully formed. If you figure it out, please post! When the southern roost was active and visible at leisure from shore, the cloud would always be in failing twilight, well after sunset.
Ten years ago (or so), I kayaked out at night (pretty dumb- boats zipping by me in the dark- do not try this at home!) and estimated 250,000 martins, the roost starting about 2-3 miles from the north shore.
Peter Yaukey
[cid:a3f4d46f-3a68-49af-a178-15703fc12174]
________________________________
From: <labird...> <labird...> on behalf of Jane Patterson via groups.io <seejanebird...>
Sent: Thursday, July 10, 2025 1:47 PM
To: LABIRD list <labird...>
Subject: [labird] Purple Martin roosts on the causeway
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Hello LaBirders!
Has anyone ventured out to see what the purple Martin roosts look like on
the Causeway this year, either north shore or south shore?
I know they’ve been several miles from shore the last few years and
wondered if that still holding true.
This image was shared by Zack Fradella, meteorologist with Fox 8 in NO last
week.
I plan to go to sunset park in Mandeville tonight to see what can see.
—Jane Patterson
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