Article source for : Hurricane Remnants Birding
Toledo Naturalists posting:
Posted: Sun, Sep 14, 2008
The current weather forecast is a pretty interesting one. The remnants of Hurricane Ike are likely to come through NW Ohio later today and tonight. The next couple of days could be good to get out and look for a storm-driven waif. Think about weird terns (Sooty, especially), frigates, shearwaters. Good places to visit would include MBSP (don't forget to check the inland lakes), Metzger, East Harbor, Marblehead. Inland reservoirs would also offer possibilities.
On the back side of this storm looks like a pretty cool air mass with NW winds. Looking at my calendar tells me that this may be very good for a Broad-winged Hawk flight. Lake Erie Metropark in Michigan is the best place to watch this spectacle, but some spots locally can be good too - Oak Openings Metropark, over Wildwood Metropark, and along the river in Perrysburg are all good possibilities.
Greg L.
hr.
Ohio listserv postings :
Subject: remains of Ike accelerating
From: Kenn K
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 12:26:47 -0400
The last mention of Hurricane Ike that I saw on this listserve reflected the earlier prediction that the remains of Ike would pass over n.w. Ohio around 2 a.m. on Monday. Since that time, the forward motion of the storm has picked up considerably. The center of the storm is over southern Illinois right now (about noon on Sunday) and is predicted to pass over n.w. Ohio late this afternoon, with strong wind advisories in effect from 2 pm to 10 pm.
One of the weather models that I saw had the highest winds in the Toledo area around 5 pm. We're likely to see heavy rain, thunderstorms, winds of more than 30 mph with gusts possibly well over 40 mph. So far, looking at listserves from farther south, I haven't seen mention of anything more exotic than Sooty Tern and Mag Frigatebird, and I don't know if there's any chance that storm-related birds might reach Ohio. But the weather is likely to be bad for a while this afternoon, and that's a reason to either go out looking (at your own risk) or hunker down indoors, depending on how crazy you are.
Ike caused a huge amount of damage in Texas, and in talking about possible storm-related bird occurrences, I don't mean in any way to be making light of the destruction and suffering caused by the storm.
hr.
Subject: Re: remains of Ike accelerating
From: Donald M
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:00:29 -0400
In reference to Ike remains...
The lights are dimming here in Southern Clermont co. as I write this and there are many power outages. There are numerous trees down, a utility pole snapped, roads blocked, etc. around the county with some structural damage as well per my scanner. Winds are gusting locally to 55mph with 36mph sustained winds. There is a lot of stuff flying through the air here currently. The center is now in Indiana (2pm) and the eye remnant has collapsed. It is partly sunny where I am at. It still has a lot of energy with it, so it might be worth keeping an eye out in the w/nw part of the state. From research, Ohio is on the "good" side of the storm for birds.
hr.
Subject: Re: remnants of Ike
From: David H
Date: Sun, 14 Sep 2008 14:06:24 -0400
This will be old hat to experiences birders but if you're a relative newcomer, I want to underscore John P, Bill W and Kenn K's advice: if you do go out birding in the next few days, look at any body of water larger than a few acres, look up frequently, and check every bird. Storm petrels are deceptively similar to purple martins, tropicbirds look like pigeons, and on first glance I've mistaken frigatebirds for turkey vultures. If you're out, beware of falling branches, take a camera along, and good luck.
hr.
Subject: Stark Co. Frigatebird
From: Gabe H
Date: Tue, 16 Sep 2008 07:27:20 -0700
A little after 9:00 this morning I had a brief but unmistakable view of a
juvenile frigatebird as it flew east alongside Route 30 south of Massillon near
the Richville exit. All white head, long forked tail, long, angular pointed
wings. I quickly pulled off the road, hoping to snap off a picture, but it
turned north, and continued in that direction until I lost sight of it. I did
not pursue it. Sippo Lake, Lake Cable, Nimisila Reservoir would be bodies of
water that would�roughly lay in its path if it continued on its northward
track.
--Gabe H
Wooster
tag=environment
tag=birds
tag=weather
frontpage=no
