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Further a-field (and some radar birding)



Hi Folks,

I?m sitting here (9:30pm on the 26th) watching a pretty amazing occurrence of reverse migration on the CUROL radar site:

http://virtual.clemson.edu/groups/birdrad/RADAR.HTM

From the MS/TX border all the way to western-most of FL, the ?targets?
(birds and probably some bats and insects too) are flowing north with the winds, away from the coast. Last night I watched a huge southbound push along the western border of the storm (MS, TX IL etc.) and saw that we had nearly no migration in the southeast (as shown by the radar images of south FL archived at badbirdz.com). With the consistent winds from the south we may get some of that northerly flow and perhaps a stray or two from the storm (as indicated by the following):

Ornithologists playing hooky from the North American Ornithologists Union convention in New Orleans, reports that the Mississippi River near New Orleans today produced excellent views of eight tern species blown inland by ISIDORE, including Sandwich, Royal, Caspian, plus 140 Sooty Terns (54 in one group, calling noisily), 6 Bridled Terns (all ad.), a Black Tern, and an Arctic Tern, thought to be rare in the Gulf waters. Also a group of 20 Cave Swallows passed overhead. Also entrained were 200+ Magnificent Frigatebirds, in addition to over 75 noted over Lake Ponchartrain yesterday evening. We should be alert for terns and frigatebirds (and perhaps the swallows) in the next 48 hours in far western Virginia, but we'll be lucky to see any of these birds in our area; Brian reports that many of the birds seen were already re-orienting back toward the Gulf of Mexico.

Perhaps we?ll get the Western Flycatcher found in AL on the 25th(or somthing of that ilk).

GABO?s been quiet so I figured I?d post these drool-worthy items.

Cheers
Paul Champlin
New Ellentong, SC




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