Houston Roost

[warmatys]

Does anybody have any information as to the Houston Roosts, particularly the one that had been in Stafford off 59 and Airport? Have they started? Where are they located? Thanks!

[Don Troha]

Not much going on at Stafford so far. There were a few roosting in the trees by Rack Room last weekend. http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30503546

The big one is next to Willowbrook Mall. Hwy 249 at N Gessner, at Fitness Unlimited.
http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30489733

There were two smaller roosts at Katy & SE Houston late June but I don't know if they are still there.
Katy - Mason Rd & Provinicial Blvd. http://ebird.org/ebird/view/checklist/S30484589 (Edit 7/14/16 - no longer active)
SE Houston - GulfPointe area. Last year it was located at Sabo Rd & BW8. No ground confirmation this year.

Please post a report if you visit any of these sites. Thanks... dt

[Mark Peters]

I live south of Hobby and normally we would get a bunch of martins prior to their departure south, but so far this year all of our birds have left and we are not experiencing the normal morning and evening gathering.

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I checked the radar this morning, and there is NOT a roost visible on the SW part of town. I did see a large roost on the N side (probably Willowbrook Maul), and there is a huge roost on the W side of Beaumont. I did not see any other roosts, and Ft Bend county does not have a visible roost.

[Don Troha]

Visited the Stafford site again tonight & I'd say there were fewer Martins than a week ago. Definitely not enough to show up on weather radar. The few that were there all scattered when a hawk attacked them, and there was the usual feral cat trolling around under the trees.

So it seems Willowbrook is where the action is for Houston area roost watchers this summer.

[Patrick W. Dusek]

Thanks Emil and Don.

[Don Troha]

Some of the Stafford Martins may have moved to Brazos Bend. There's a possible roost ring there in a remote area on the east side of the park by the river. I don't think that area is accessible by motor vehicle.

[Matt F.]

Great intel Don.
Are there any amassing at the Stafford location? (enough to grab lawn chairs and view? )

[Don Troha]

Matt, they are not gathering at Stafford this year.
The big roost is at Willowbrook. Short video 7/23/16: https://youtu.be/9S3QSh4CwjM
There's a small unconfirmed roost on doppler radar at Brazos Bend.
The Gulf Pointe roost is quite small and the Martins are greatly outnumbered by Starlings and Grackles. Not a recommended watch outing.
(Edited and updated 7/31/16)

[Patrick W. Dusek]

Any new info on any roost in the area Don? Patrick

[Don Troha]

Patrick, I drove by the Fountains this evening and there were no Martins in sight. Nothing is showing up in the Stafford Sugar Land area on morning radar & I have not heard of any reports of other possible roosting sites nearby. Also I'm not getting the late afternoon flyovers of Martins headed to the roost which were common the past few years when the Stafford roost was active. Not looking good...

[Don Troha]

warmatys, if you're still following this topic there's now a small gathering of Martins at the Fountains shopping center in Stafford. In front of the Sports Authority building.