As July evenings come, Purple Martins gather from around Austin to this large roost site on the west side of Highland Mall.
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We don't know if these were raised in Austin or farther North.
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They will spend most of July here, but sometime in August, they will all head to South America for the winter.
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As dusk thickens, so do the Martins.
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At first they circle around...
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but eventually, they descend and start landing on the treetops of just a few select Live Oaks.
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The noise is quite astounding.
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Some roost on the iron structure, but most will leave to spend the night in the trees.
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It's tough to photograph them in the trees, but you can get some idea of how dense they are.
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They all clamor for the top spots (leaving the lower branches completely empty).
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Map of the Highland Mall Roost, showing both roost areas.
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