Date: 10/21/25 9:54 am From: Galveston Ornithological Society <galornsoc...> Subject: RE: [NFLbirds] Hopes dashed!
Deep in the jungles of Madagascar in the middle of a six-weeks trip, I heard the frustration of my friend Bob that I have been sharing for decades.
I’ll have to vote for the “many fewer birds” choice, as when we almost always see less than we “thought” (would have seen thirty years ago), it leaves few explanations.
My late Aprils are still pretty good on Galveston, as are late Octobers (note our difference), but if you want warblers, Magee Marsh in mid May (Ohio) is still a whopping good show.
I feel for all us old-timers, but then, as least we *saw* them.
Jim
From: 'Lucy and Bob Duncan' via NFLbirds <nflbirds...>
Sent: Monday, October 20, 2025 7:55 PM
To: Nflbirds <nflbirds...>; Albirds <albirds...>
Subject: [NFLbirds] Hopes dashed!
Hi all,
Last night BirdCast was lit up with a heavy movement of migrants headed due S from the interior of the continent to the n. Gulf Coast. A check later in the night showed a good movement over us. My hopes soared. Wind was from the N to NE. All the ingredients for a lot of birds were there for a good day, even though clear skies and favorable winds indicated the vast majority would not stop along the coast. But based on years of experience, a tiny percentage of migrants passing over would stop along the coast and it would be good birding, even though it was getting late in the season,
Alas, when I woke up and looked out at Pensacola Bay I was very disappointed to see the wind had shifted to ENE to E and strong. This would vector birds moving more to the west of us. A check of migrant traps on eBird from Ft. Walton Bch to Dauphin Is and what was in our yard indicated a meager presence of migrants today. (This is comparing my experience of similar weather and results back in the 70s and 80s, the heyday of birding). The reports of migrants on eBird did not match the intensity of the front or what was pictured on BirdCast.
So, was it a strong easterly influence that resulted in few migrants? Or was BirdCast wrong? Or is it that bird populations are diminishing each year resulting in fewer migrants putting down each year under similar weather conditions?
