Martin roost at the OKC Memorial

[Louise Chambers]

No, it wasn't me. Hope we get some air time for the martins.

[Louise Chambers]

Ron, are you able to go to the roost tonight? If you or anyone else goes, please take a video of what's going on with martins, especially.

[Sam Harris]

I think I'm going to drive down there tonight and see it for my self. I started this post and I hope with all this help our birds will still make their migration and come back to us next spring. This was a great year for me with 5 pair and 25 fledged.

[Louise Chambers]

Please do, Sam - that would be helpful. Take video or photos, please.

The irony of this is that there was a wonderful, week-long workshop for teachers in June, held at the University of Oklahoma's Biological Station on Lake Texoma. The Purple Martin Conservation Association took part. Teams of teachers came from numerous OK schools for education workshops and hands-on research experiences to take back to their math & science classrooms. Every school involved received a Purple Martin house to put up at their school next year, since the workshop was focused on Purple Martins.

[scottfreidhof]

It is discouraging to see a martin roost disturbed like this. I was impressed with the concern expressed in the KFOR news coverage for the birds' safety during this process. Hopefully the water hoses are not injuring birds. I agree with the OKC Memorial folks that the integrity of the site needs to be maintained for people first. Martins are adaptable animals as we all know. They can and will move to another roost site.

I suspect this same situation will occur in Kentucky at some point. When the time comes, I would like to be able to suggest humane harassment techniques to the people making the decisions. Let's make sure that this type of information is shared among this forum for the future, because this seems to happen every year, somewhere.

[Ron Prichard]

Sorry, I have been watching our 3 major tv stations, especially KFOR (channel 4) to see if they mentioned the Memorial site and what was happening to our birds. Channel 4 noted that "bird lovers" were up in arms and a report on this would be made tonight at 10 p.m.

Louise, I am unable to go down tonight. Sam, please do so and record if at all possible. I appreciate you alerting us what was going on. I was so
depressed last year after losing so many birds to the drought and heat that I missed going to the roost. I went down in 2010 - that was before they moved to the OKC Memorial. Some are blaming construction near or around the areana caused the PM's to move a few blocks.

[Louise Chambers]

Looking at aerial photos of the Memorial, I can't help thinking that if they were designing something to attract a martin roost, the site would be ideal. Safety from predators due to city, lights, people. Heat sink - gives off heat all night because streets and buildings absorb sun all day, so martins roosting there conserve energy and can build up fat for migration more readily. Trees, lots of trees grouped together so 1000s of birds can sleep there.

Some things that will need to be looked into, perhaps, would include sealing the bronze on the chairs and metal on any parts of the Memorial that could be damaged by bird droppings. To discourage the roost, if they cannot turn it into a wildlife viewing event, trees will need to be removed and/or heavily pruned prior to next season. Turning off the lights at night would help. and discourage the martins from the night that the first ones arrive, rather than wait til the roost has peaked.

[Sam Harris]

It is 845 pm. I'm at the memorial now. There are firetrucks and people with wood blocks to make noise. I talked to a cop and he said they will do this as long as it takes. It is on federal property.

[Sam Harris]

Some good news. The roost has moved a block south and are in the trees on the north side of the AT&T building on 4th and Robinson. I didn't see any at the memorial. I just hope the AT &T people don't mind the birds.

[Ron Prichard]

Sam, thanks for going down to the memorial. I hope that the PM's will return to the AT&T site for the remainder of the Roost. Like you, sure hope the AT&T folks will allow them to stay.

[TX Rehabber]

I was contacted by the USDA person in charge today and had a very lengthy conversation with him regarding the spraying at the Memorial. He informed me that “legal” permission was granted by USFW in Albuquerque for “non-lethal “means of dispersing the Martins. I explained from a Rehabilitators point of view that the spraying of the Martins above the tree canopy was harming them. As we agreed to disagree, he invited me to contact the head of permits in Albuquerque for confirmation.

You bet I did.

In my discussion, I repeated what I had discussed with the USDA agent and again approached this from a Rehabber perspective. The water spray was going 20 to 30 feet above the canopy reaching the birds as they flew. He assured me that that had not been the agreement for permission. I further explained that 1000’s of these birds are just fledged babies from 4 to 6 wks old. These birds are only 50 grams or 2 oz. They are not completely waterproof and have not perfected their flying ability. It takes some times months for fledglings to become waterproof even having access to daily bathing in our flight cages. If they were to get wet and waterlogged, they may be able to fly some distance before becoming exhausted and then go down. They would then be subjected to hawks, owls, feral cats, fire ants and traffic and the possibility of hyperthermia.

I explained that I understood their position and OKC’s position to relocate the birds but spraying them was not acceptable and was doing harm to the birds.

He tried to reassure me that permission was not given to spray the birds.

I then asked him to view the video provided by Channel 4 in Oklahoma City showing the water spray hitting the Martins. He agreed to view the video and get in touch with the agent from USDA and make it clear that the water was not to go above the tree canopy and birds flying in the air above the canopy were NOT to be sprayed.

Let’s hope with the “eyes” out there tonight can report that this was followed.

[AvianStewardess]

Well, I can't be in there in person to volunteer, so let's see how if money helps. I just made a donation to the memorial; I put as the honoree Purple Martins Roosting Site. There may be many landlords who can volunteer in time because of their location, but those of us who can't, can help with the mighty penny. They say they don't have the funds/resources to do this right; let's take that excuse away from them!

They have a donation page on their website:
https://oklahomacitynationalmemorial.or ... t_checkout

[Louise Chambers]

That's a good idea, Michelle - I'll make a donation, too, listing the purple martins at the roost.

[Louise Chambers]

Better news today! Here is a report from Juliette H., who has been very helpful in monitoring the roost and talking with some of the parties involved.

I have good news! Tonight, I returned to the Memorial to watch the Martins roost and see the human response. This time I saw and heard a few starlings and chimney swifts with the multitude of Purple Martins. Many of the birds circled and landed in the nearby trees at the “auto-bank” SE of the Memorial without even visiting the Memorial site. Many others circled high above the Memorial but were discouraged by individuals clapping wood squares. The firefighters were back with 3 hoses, but they used them rarely. If 1-2 birds landed in a tree they sprayed the tree. Never did they spray directly at low flying birds or at several birds in the trees. The hoses were being put up by 9:15 – nearly an hour earlier than the night before. It seemed that the birds have gotten the message to move on. I will keep visiting in case this evening was a fluke.

I spoke with one of the Memorial maintenance fellows who has been dealing with the situation for 14 nights. He said that for the first 11 nights he and a few others were out banging wood clappers but it was not making the birds leave. He said that upon the recommendation of the USDA they then called out the firefighters. The KFOR video is of that first night when, perhaps, they were a bit too zealous. He said that in those 3 nights less and less birds have been returning and he was amazed that there were so few trying to roost tonight. The young guy had a great attitude about it considering that he has spent HALF of his married evenings with roosting birds instead of with his new bride. He was married just a month ago! It was something to see him and another Memorial employee actually appreciating the spiraling motion of the birds as they settled in across the street.

The auto-bank seems to be an ideal location for roosting – there are trees and a plaza-like setting (which Dick Sherry tells me is their preference) and virtually no humans walk in the area during the day – they just drive through, windows rolled up and AC blasting. I think it would be wise to talk to the bank manager about what is happening there and how important it is, to ensure they do not cut down their few trees or take other action against the temporary birds. I will look into doing that.

[Ron Prichard]

Thank you, Louise. Your post makes me fill somewhat better. Thanks to all of you who are helping and praying too.

[Dave Duit]

I can't thank you all enough for all the hard work in trying to resolve the issue. Even though the martins have moved a bit from this roost I believe that next year the same issue will arise. I feel that educating the people of OKC about the martins and putting pressure on OKC memorial to adhere to the law and safety of the martin will be the number 1 weapon in winning this battle.

[Louise Chambers]

You are right, Dave - discussions have taken place about that, too. For tonight, we still don't know if they are going to try to spray the martins again or not. The word has gone out but we don't know who got their messages and who did not.

[Sam Harris]

I don't think they will need too. The martins have moved south east of the memorial on the corner of 4th and Robinson. They are roosting in some trees in front of the AT&T building plaza. I was there last night. Those people at the memorial were calling them tree swallows. I have never seen a tree swallow in central Oklahoma. They probably will still be out there with the water and wood blocks, but I don't think they will need to use them.

[Dave Duit]

Street Address
Oklahoma City National Memorial & Museum
620 North Harvey Avenue
Oklahoma City, OK 73102

Mailing Address
P.O. Box 323
Oklahoma City, OK 73101

405.235.3313 phone
405.235.3315 fax
888.542.HOPE (4673) toll-free



Call these numbers and express your concern. But, keep it courteous and professional. These number of calls will show them the interest in the birds. Contact as many people as possible through email and phone so they may also express their concerns for the welfare of martins and other birds at the OKC memorial.

Executive Director
Media & Public Relations
Kari Watkins ext. 226

Group Sales Julie Likes ext. 224

Director of Education & Research Lynne Roller ext. 227

Collections Manager Helen Stiefmiller ext. 304

Development Director Stacey Weddington ext. 232

Memorial Store Joyce Andrews ext. 241

[ron20m]

I was there tonight and no spraying because the PMs moved to the new location. It is very disturbing that the people doing the spraying don't know what the heck they are spraying. Louise Chambers is AWESOME!