Alabama Ornithological Society

Founded in 1952 to foster a greater knowledge of birds and to promote conservation of all natural resources

Weather Websites

 Bob and Lucy Duncan, long-time AOS leaders from Gulf Breeze, Florida, presented a workshop on Weather and Bird Migration at the 2017 Fall AOS meeting on Dauphin Island. The presentation showed how to use weather patterns to predict the appearance of birds along the northern Gulf Coast in Spring and Fall. Here is a brief summary of Bob’s advice on  weather and its effects on coastal birding:
GOOD BIRDING TOMORROW? Or, how will the weather affect birding at your favorite coastal spot in a nutshell—greatly oversimplified !
SPRING

  1. Clear skies and S or SE winds? Stay home.
  2. Rain near the coast or offshore in the morning. Get out there!
  3. SW or W winds along the coast and offshore. Good chance for a good day.
  4. Rain and SW to NW winds in the morning along the coast and offshore. Only a fool would stay home!

FALL

  1. Rain to the north of the coast. Stay home.
  2. Southerly winds well into the interior. Sleep in.
  3. Rain just offshore. Grab the binos and get out there.
  4. A cold front and cool, dry air overnight (late Sept, early Oct). Birding ecstasy!

The following is a list of weather websites that Bob uses to determine if birds will be aloft, and also whether or not conditions might bring them down to migrant traps on the coast and other sites.

To see the list of websites, click here: