[texbirds] Monitoring spring bird migration in the western Gulf of Mexico region using NEXRAD weather radar
- From: "John Arvin" <jarvin@xxxxxxxx>
- To: "New Texbirds" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "LABIRD-L" <LABIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 2 May 2013 12:58:24 -0500
The strong cold front passed the Austin area about first light and should
be on the coast by noon (later eastward). There is no rain behind the front
presently (maybe farther east), just rapidly dropping temperatures,
cloudiness, and very strong gusty N winds. At the peak of trans-Gulf
migration clearly it will impact incoming migrants significantly. Some of
the coastal stop-over spots are still hosting large numbers of birds from
last week's punishing front.
By noon no incoming trans-Gulf flights were visible on NEXRAD, not
surprising because the strong headwinds should delay arrival of today's
flight (assuming there was one) by hours. It is MISERABLE outside. The
smart money may be to hit the coastal stop-over sites tomorrow when the
winds have abated somewhat.
By the way, tomorrow will be the last day this season that I try to use
NEXRAD to explain what is going on in the western Gulf region this spring.
I will be in the Amazonian basin near the Ecuador/Peru border for the rest
of May. I may even see a few of the migrants I missed this spring -
Sulphur-bellied Flycatcher, Yellow-green Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Blackpoll
Warbler, Eastern Wood-Pewee, Alder Flycatcher, Yellow and Black-billed
Cuckoos, Veery, and even, with remarkable luck, Connecticut Warbler, either
winter in or migrate through the region. Not to mention the early "fall"
Austral migrants from southern South America. Then there's the 500 or so
species of resident species. It will help to heal the wounds of missing the
remarkable migration this spring on the western Gulf coast.
John C. Arvin
Research Associate
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
103 West Hwy 332
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
jarvin@xxxxxxxx
www.gcbo.org
Austin, Texas
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