FreeLists / birdky / [birdky] Tropical Storms and Inland Pelagic Records

[David Roemer <dlroemer@xxxxxxxxx>]

For those who are interested in ornithological records
relating to tropical storms, the link below will
provide some information.  

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/index.html

This site maps the paths of Atlantic tropical storms
from 1851-2004.  

In reviewing Kentucky records for pelagic species
which are typically recorded inland only in
association with tropical storms, and of which prior
to Hurricane Lili in 2002 there were only two being
Black-capped Petrel and Band-rumped Storm-Petrel, both
appear to be directly related to tropical storms.  

Three Black-capped Petrels were recorded at different
locations along the Ohio River near and east of
Cincinnati 4-5 October 1898.  The link below shows the
path of a category 4 hurricane which occurred 25
September-6 October 1898.  The change in color from
yellow to green indicates where the storm reduced in
intensity from a tropical storm to a tropical
depression, the latter having sustained winds of less
than 39mph.

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1898/7/track.gif

Kentucky's previous record for Band-rumped
Storm-Petrel was for late July 1994, a bird found dead
in a yard in Anderson County.  The link below shows
the path taken by Tropical Storm Alberto 30 June-7
July 1994.

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1994/ALBERTO/track.gif

This storm weakened before reaching Tennessee or
Kentucky, but notice that it took a jog to the west
for a few hundred miles before being downgraded from a
tropical depression.  Since birds seem to be dispersed
primarily from the right-rear quadrant based on
direction of these storms due to the counter-clockwise
rotation around the low, birds would have been spun
off to the north of a storm travelling in a westerly
direction.  I believe Band-rumped Storm-Petrels
recorded in Kansas in July of this year were likely
the result of westbound Hurricane Emily which struck
the east coast of Mexico rather than the result of
Hurricane Dennis.  Perhaps those interested could
research records for pelagic species in other states
to find a correlation between their records and
tropical storms. 

The best bet for finding hurricane birds seems to be
searching significant bodies of water along and east
of the path of the low pressure system the day it
arrives or for a few days afterward.  The weather
conditions on the days immediately following a storm
probably have much to do with how long these birds
linger.  A good example is the Sooty Terns at Kentucky
Lake being present only during the afternoon of the
arrival of Hurricane Lili in 2002, with clearing skies
occurring that day after the storm passed.  By
contrast, the low associated with Dennis this July
parked over northwestern Kentucky for several days
until it was absorbed, with the associated rainy
weather likely at least somewhat responsible for Sooty
Terns staying in the area for nearly a week.  Below is
a link to the path of Hurricane Lili which arrived in
western Kentucky on 4 October 2002.

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/2002/LILI/track.gif

The significance of birding near or to the east of
path of the low was well illustrated this week with
Katrina.  Although the center of the storm passed
within approximately 40 miles to the east of Barkley
and Kentucky Dams, no pelagics were observed on these
lakes during the day of its passage.  

Much is to be learned regarding the dispersal of birds
from these storms, and records of pelagic species will
increase dramatically with gained information from
future storms and increased birding coverage.

Below is a link to the path taken by Hurricane Erin in
1995.  Although only a category 1 hurricane, birding
along the Ohio River then could have made for a few
intersting days!

http://weather.unisys.com/hurricane/atlantic/1995/ERIN/track.gif

David L. Roemer
Bowling Green, Ky.








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