Project MartinRoost

Reported By: Anonymous Reporter

Reported: June 2018

Species Composition: Brown-headed Cowbird Common Grackle Green Heron Great Blue Heron European Starling Barn Swallow

Description of Roost's Location: 12 acre island in middle of Lake Murray SC. Over a mile from shore in any direction.

Public Access to Roost?:

History of Roost: Site has been active since the late 80's according to locals. Martins disappeared in 2014 to return in 2015 season. Have returned each year since.

Description of Roost's Habitat: Birds are perching in various tree species present on island

Roost Begins Approximately: Late-January

Roost Ends Approximately: Late-January

Threats to/Problems with Roost: -Boater encroachment (too many boaters present around island & could scare birds) -Drone usage amongst flock

Opportunities at Roost: All of the above. I run an ecotourism business running tours to take people to view the roost.

Reported By: Anonymous Reporter

Reported: April 2016

Description of Roost's Location: Island in middle of Lake Murray.

Public Access to Roost?:

History of Roost: Bomb Island was designated as a Purple Martin Sanctuary in 1996. The roost moved approximately 18.5 miles north to Monticello Reservoir in 2014 for unknown reasons but returned to Bomb Island in 2015.

Description of Roost's Habitat: Martins roosting on shrubs and scattered pines.

Roost Begins Approximately: Early-January

Roost Ends Approximately: Early-January

Threats to/Problems with Roost: No know threats but the reason the roost was abandoned in 2014 is still not known.

Opportunities at Roost: A boat is required to visit the roost. Several to hundreds of local boaters visit the roost at sunset to watch the birds as they arrive. Conservation groups also schedule tours to view the roost.

Reported By: Julie Hovis

Reported: August 2014

Description of Roost's Location: No change.

Public Access to Roost?:

History of Roost: The Lake Murray roost has been active for at least 25 years. Several hundred purple martins were observed at the site in early July but disappeared shortly after the 4th of July. I visited the site on 27 July 2014 and observed 5 purple martins. The martins apparently deserted Lake Murray and moved north to Monticello Reservoir in Fairfield County. The distance between the Lake Murray and the Monticello Reservoir roost sites is approximately 18.5 miles.

Description of Roost's Habitat: Bomb Island is approximately 10.8 acres as measured with Google Earth Pro. Mixture of shrubs and scattered pines.

Threats to/Problems with Roost: The reasons the roost was abandoned remain unclear. There has been a lot of speculation but no definitive answer.

Reported By: Suzanne Rhodes

Reported: June 2009

Description of Roost's Location: no change

Public Access to Roost?:

History of Roost: no change

Description of Roost's Habitat: no change except probably more foliage

Roost Begins Approximately: Mid-June

Roost Ends Approximately: Mid-August

Reported By: Louise Meyers

Reported: May 2007

Estimate of Purple Martins Present: 1 million +

Description of Roost's Location: Bomb Island in the middle of Lake Murray

Public Access to Roost?:

History of Roost: The birds have been roosting on bomb island since the 1980's and the roost gets larger every year.

Description of Roost's Habitat: The island has small trees and shrubs for the birds to roost. The island is 12 acres

Roost Begins Approximately: Early-July

Roost Ends Approximately: Mid-September

Threats to/Problems with Roost: An island in the middle of Lake Murray. No threats at this time.200-300 boats around the island at sunset does not seem to bother them.

Opportunities at Roost: The first purple martin sanctuary in the United States.When birds are roosting in the summer months, no one is allowed on the island. What makes the Lake Murray roosting site so cool is that people can only watch the birds departure and return by boat. When the birds leave in the morning, it is like an explosion and the local weather radar has said the image is larger than Hurricane Hugo was in 1989.

Reported By: Jim Beatson

Reported: August 2005

Estimate of Purple Martins Present: 300,000-700,000

Description of Roost's Location: The roost is located on Lunch Island in the middle of Lake Murray (also known as Doolittle Island or Bombing Range Island) is North America's first officially designated Purple Martin sanctuary. It's only viewable by boat.

Public Access to Roost?:

History of Roost: According to several articles, the roost has been building since the early 1990's. In 1996 was designated a Purple Martin Sanctuary by "...DNR, the Columbia Audubon Society and SCE&G." And protected. On page 4 of "The Purple Martin Update," Vol.14(3) Summer of 2005, there is a photo of this roost credited to none other than PMCA's James R. Hill III.

Description of Roost's Habitat: Description of the island from SC Wildife Magazine, July Aug. 2000: "Approx. a 12 acre island." Hardwood, pines and undergrowth and the martins even roost in the grass.

Threats to/Problems with Roost: Apparently this roost is stable. It is protected by DNR. When I last saw the roost the last week of July 2002, the audubon guide estimated between 300,000 and 400,000 martins.