"Nexrad Bird Migration (pic)

[jonny_redhorse]

Just some interesting info!...Kinda intersting to see the annual spring migratory bird migrations on your TV each day.....I always wondered why there appeared to be circular "spots" across the central US through the years and only found out this info about a year or so ago....those "spots" are nocturnal flocks(thousands and thousands) of birds flying north each spring and starts about 2 hours each evening(as darkness approaches) one can see it nightly on the "weather channel"...If you put the site on "animation" you can see the spots actually moving in a northerly direction slowly ... birds of different species are so "thick" they appear on the nexrad radars....simply amazing!....here's an older image(2005 I think) of what the migrations look like and what to look for....big ole "spots"! ....I saw these spots yesterday on a weather nexrad image and sure as heck the bird northerly migration is in full swing!...always starts a couple hours before dark and the birds usually fly till about 2:00 AM experts say they take advantage of the calmer winds....migrations seems to be centered in the midwestern states....I noticed today that the spots are south of the storm were having...those birds aren't stupid!..

[Tippman]

I think the spots in this case are from the cities. Notice how each is over major cities. They're also all too circular.

[DTro]

yeah, I watch the radar a lot during the summer and after dark you will always see "clutter" as a circular pattern around major cites. Not sure what it is, but it seems like that is the case in this particular image.

[jonny_redhorse]

hey guys!...."this" pic "is" from a nex-rad birding site...lol!...it's from meteorologists/birders discribing what to look for and yes ,over major cities... this isn't a pic I came up with ...it's an example pic from a weather site....same thing I figured to only over major cities thing......that's where the major weather sites(radars) are located....duluth is one....fargo...minneapolis....etc etc......it's real guys!....they are birds!...I've done alot of searching on the internet....check it out if you guys have the time...."nex-rad bird migration "....

[Bryce]

Thought this urban legend had been dispelled. Time to put a call into MythBusters.

[jonny_redhorse]

Here's another example from a couple days ago ....Guess you certainly don't have to believe it...lol!

Thursday, April 03, 2008

Early Bird for the Early Birder!

NexRad frame from 04/03/2008

I can't recall ever having anything other than a Yellow-rumped Warbler as my first warbler of spring migration, but today proved the exception. I checked a few weather maps before going to bed last night. I noticed that wind changed to a southerly direction, and NexRad indicated detectable levels of bird migration coming out of Illinois. When I woke up this morning, I rushed to the computer and animated several hours of NexRad, indicating steady migration throughout the night. From this data, I predicted there would be many new arrivals at Pheasant Branch Conservancy.

[Dbl]

 Originally Posted By: dtro

yeah, I watch the radar a lot during the summer and after dark you will always see "clutter" as a circular pattern around major cites. Not sure what it is, but it seems like that is the case in this particular image.

dtro that is know as "anomalous propagation". Caused by refraction of the heat islands around large cities.

[LaXCarp]

I've spoken to channel 8's in La Crosse Dan Breeden, as well as the NWS's Todd Shea and both have them have cited instances and where their radar has picked up migrating birds. They also say they pick up hatching insects. It normally occurs early in the mornings when they take flight/emerge for the day. Nationals geographic contacted the NWS in la crosse about it and did a little write up in their magazine about it.

A more key feature than the proximity to large cities, is the proximity to water. Notice the obvious pattern along the Mississippi (one of the largest flyways in the world) as well as other bodies of water.

[jonny_redhorse]

Thanks for the info....Lax!...glad there's others that have noticed the migration also and not just me!