When to Highland mall tonight, the purple martin started arriving at 8:20 and was coming in from the north. At first there were about 400 to 500 birds, more coming in. They are just circling now. Don't know what trees yet. It is now 9 and there are 4000 to 5000 birds in the trees and still more flying in the air. They are roosting are the north side of the mall this year. They are roosting in the 8 trees along they north entrance road to the mall. off Highland Blvd onto Jonathan, the four trees on either side. there are more than there was last year. Completely in the trees by 9pm.
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Gary Taylor
Highland Mall Roost, Austin, Texas
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lockharttaylor
- Posts: 195
- Joined: Sun Jul 03, 2005 1:33 pm
- Location: texas/lockhart
8 pairs 2005, 33 pairs 2006, 55 pairs 2007, 65 pairs 227 fledged 2008, 68 pairs 244 fledged 2009, 63 pairs 291 fledged 2010 make 296 2011 73 pairs 2013 59 Pairs 190 Fledged,2014 62 Pairs 2 babies 230 Fledged 2015? 72 pairs 4 babies 273 fledged 2018
This is just amazing to me! I live in KS, and I don't know of any big roosts within driving distance of my town. If I knew of a gathering even half or a quarter of the size as what you show in your pictures, I'd definitely get in my car and go--high gas prices and all! I get excited when I see and hear 12 martins around my site. I can't imagine what it must be like to see hundreds and thousands gathered together. Thanks so much for sharing these pictures.
Candace
Thanks for the information about the times and place location at the mall.
I live in south Austin so I am going. And thanks for the pictures too. The sky is full with them!!!
I bet some of those belong to you!!! 
There are some people from New Braunsfels who have posted earlier about this roosting site and wanted to know the times they come and where so that they could drive up and see them too.
I hope they read your post.
I live in south Austin so I am going. And thanks for the pictures too. The sky is full with them!!!
I bet some of those belong to you!!! There are some people from New Braunsfels who have posted earlier about this roosting site and wanted to know the times they come and where so that they could drive up and see them too.
I hope they read your post.
cchild03.........the martins gather here by the 1000's, prob more like 10k in wichita, ks. usually down by st. francis hospital. i haven't heard about whether or not this has started to occur yet this year, but will try to keep you posted if you are interested! how far are you from wichita? rick