COLLEGE STATION, Texas (KBTX) - What seems like thousands of migrating purple martins have taken over College Station’s Northgate district, creating a nightly spectacle that has captivated bird enthusiasts and frustrated some nearby business owners.

The seasonal gathering, known as a “staging roost,” happens when purple martins flock together before migrating to South America. Mark McDermott with the Rio Brazos Audubon Society said this year’s roost is one of the largest he has seen locally.

“I mean, this is absolutely phenomenal,” he said. “We have had estimates as high as 100,000 birds.”

Purple martins draw crowds and complaints in College Station’s Northgate district (KBTX)

McDermott said similar roosts have formed in College Station before, including near a CVS and Walmart, but t

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