[texbirds] Monitoring spring bird migration using NEXRAD weather radar
- From: "John Arvin" <jarvin@xxxxxxxx>
- To: "New Texbirds" <texbirds@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "TX-Ornithology" <TX-ORNITHOLOGY@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>, "LABIRD-L" <LABIRD-L@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Thu, 4 Apr 2013 13:59:16 -0500
The reports from the middle and upper Texas coasts were very enthusiastic
about the numbers and variety of migrants downed in coastal woodlots and
similar places. Four male Cerulean Warblers in a small coastal preserve on
Galveston Island was pretty impressive. Brush Freeman, long time observer
said that it was like the "old time" fallouts. I have not received any
ground truthing from Louisiana but I suspect things were similar.
Conditions since the passage of the cold front with its aftermath of
overrunning overcast and light rain have been perfect for producing an epic
fallout. Too bad it wasn't about two weeks farther into the migration
window. It is beginning to clear here in Austin so I expect a good NEXRAD
view of a lift-off this evening (although the N wind is still dominant so
this may prevent a massive departure of grounded migrants. If not tonight
then tomorrow night (or both).
What is going on today is most heavy flights of diurnal migrants at
Brownsville and moderate flights at Houston (Corpus down for a couple of
weeks). The west-to-east clearing trend hasn't really affected Lake Charles
and New Orleans yet so these stations are not showing much action.
Brownsville especially shows a heavy flight hugging the coast due N.
Raptors usually don't migrate that close to the coast so these may well be
mostly Franklin's Gulls.
John C. Arvin
Research Associate
Gulf Coast Bird Observatory
103 West Hwy 332
Lake Jackson, TX 77566
jarvin@xxxxxxxx
www.gcbo.org
Austin, Texas
Edit your Freelists account settings for TEXBIRDS at
//www.freelists.org/list/texbirds
Reposting of traffic from TEXBIRDS is prohibited without seeking permission
from the List Owner
Other related posts:
