Good birding tomorrow?
WIND SPEED
At 1100pm, this Jacksonville radar is an example of what the Melbourne radar also is showing--the yellows and orange/reddish are birds in the air. The wind speed is 5mph in Jax from the WNW so the colors are showing objects moving with a southerly component at 15-30 mph. That ain't dust and smoke, folks (that moves at the same speed as the wind)--that means powered flight.
OBJECTS IN AIR
This is a reflectivity image showing birds in the air--the light, medium and dark blue. The green is moisture and the browns are likely smog and dust.
NATIONAL REFLECTIVITY at 1100pm 23 Oct 2013
Taken together, and the fact there are cold fronts moving through north of us, means we could have some good birding Thursday and Friday, and there is a chance of some western vagrants arriving.
Mariel and Angel Abreu and their Badbirdz Reloaded website (link below) are much more experienced reading the radar, as are some of the listserv birders, but by the looks of things, we could have some interesting birding in the next few days.
Badbirdz Reloaded
UPDATE ... On Thursday, October 24, 2013 1:21 PM, Bob Richter wrote:
(excerpt) "Over the past hour approximately 10,000 Turkey Vultures have passed over my location several miles southwest of downtown Jacksonville." This was posted on the Florida-L listserv.
I responded to this post:
"At 300pm on Lust Road near LANSRA, I saw a kettle of 140 Turkey Vultures with a few Anhingas mixed in.
As soon as the birds at the top of the kettle started peeling off for the next thermal, I glanced back and there was an equally large kettle to the north. I then started scanning the skies and saw at least two other kettles further north, each spaced about 1/4 mile apart.
I had to leave but wish I could have stayed to see how extensive these kettles stretched out. It wasn't anywhere near the number Bob saw but still impressive. Based on Bob's number, I'll be looking tomorrow in hopes of seeing this huge movement."
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