Birders everywhere know about the spring spectacle of hundreds of thousands of Sandhill Cranes on Nebraska’s Platte River, but do you know about the Cornhusker State’s other spectacle of migratory birds? Tens of thousands of Purple Martins gather every evening from late June through early October as they begin their fall migration toward Brazil. Unlike the cranes, however, you won’t find the martins in farm fields in the sparsely populated middle of the state. They roost in a handful of ash trees next to the University of Nebraska Medical Center. It’s an incredible sight. In the last hour or so of daylight, huge flocks of martins begin to show up, seemingly out of nowhere. They circle over the Med Center, fly up into the sky, and dive toward the trees. A spiraling vortex of the dark songbirds form. Huge flocks will shoot out of one tree and into another or will take to the sky once again. Here and there, starlings and grackles join in the mix, but mostly, it’s martins raining down all around ( up to 60,000 ) The scene is chaotic and thrilling. Some have wondered how the birds avoid crashing into each other. Justin Rink, one of the birders who discovered the roost in 2007 and continues to observe it regularly, Says no one knows how the birds manage to avoid mid-air collisions. “We have lanes for cars and still have crashes, but the birds have no lanes and do just fine.” In the last several minutes of daylight, most of the birds begin to settle into the trees, then hundreds more show up, making their way toward the roost. Are they latecomers? Are they simply taking one last lap up from the trees and around the neighborhood before settling in for the night? With all the commotion, it’s impossible to say. ( Credit for the above write up goes to Ed Mattis 2013 )
1.) Event Will Take Place Tuesday August 23,2016. ( 7:30 to 8;30 )PM
2.) Bring lawn chair or blanket if you wish
3.) Definitely bring your kids .
4.) Door Prize - It's a secret!
5.) Restrooms one block west of parking
6.) We will be going to Don & Millies afterwords. (shakes) buy your own Treat
If it rains we will try for the following evening same time