----- Original Message -----
From: Smith, Fletcher M
Sent: Tuesday, August 21, 2012 4:40 PM
Subject: Whimbrel migration update
Hi all,
One of the whimbrels ("Pingo") that we satellite tagged this summer (in
collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service) in the Mackenzie River Delta
is currently migrating from Nova Scotia to points south and has just entered
Tropical Depression 9 (see attached map). This bird began migration on 18
August and has flown 2200 miles so far before hitting this storm, with at least
another 1000 miles to go to make landfall.
Pingo is entering the northeast quadrant of the storm, which seems to be how
whimbrels tackle these events, and we expect this bird (based on previous
whimbrel routes) to fly towards the center of the storm and then use the
southwest quadrant (and the tailwinds that quadrant produces) as a boost
towards landfall. Last fall "Hope" the whimbrel took 27 hours and averaged
9mph flying through a similar sized storm, and then flew an average of 92mph
for 1.5 hours out the back end towards land!
We can only hope that the bird does not land in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French
Guiana, or any other countries with a shorebird hunt. We also know that many
thousands of shorebirds will be forced to land in such places due to the timing
and size of this storm. I used to get nervous about the birds entering the
storms and wondered if they could make it through, now I've come to realize
it's not the storms it's where you land.
Fletcher
Fletcher Smith
Research Biologist
The Center for Conservation Biology
The College of William and Mary/Virginia Commonwealth University
Williamsburg, VA
757-221-1617 (Office)
Attachment:
Pingo into storm 9.jpg
Description: JPEG image
