Where are the migrants

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Late May is a classic time for rare landbird migrants in the UK and the east coast is a very good place to find them. I was looking at the weather forecast for this weekend and I thought that the omens looked good. High pressure had been over Northern Europe generating southeast winds for a few days, pushing the birds our way and encouraging them to move. And today a slow moving front was due to arrive on the east coast to bring them down. So I set off for Fife Ness early this morning and, although I was disappointed the rain hadn't arrived by dawn, I was still optimistic. In fact the rain arrived at about 9.30 and was pretty heavy for a couple of hours with poor visibility. Presumably any birds moving across the North Sea (encouraged by the clear weather to the south east) would hit the rain, become disorientated and then grounded at first landfall. That was the theory.

Were there any migrants? 'Rien' as the French say.

I spoke later to Fife Ness 'migration guru' Jim Cobb who had come down after the rain had stopped to put up his nets. He was hoping for a bit of a fall of migrants but quickly realised nothing was happening. He reckons Fife Ness just isn't any good in spring these days, although the same weather pattern would still be productive in autumn. He's probably right, but it seems there have been virtually no good migrants along the east coast today and there's not even much in the Northern Isles. This is despite apparently favourable weather conditions at a very good time of year. So where are they all and why weren't they at Fife Ness today?

[Adey Baker]

Wouldn't north-east winds be better in spring and south-east better in autumn to halt the progress of birds and thus make them look for the nearest land?

[Andrew Whitehouse]

I think north east can certainly be good, although that wouldn't be where the birds are coming from in spring. If it's north east where the birds are starting from, then they'd probably stay put rather than migrate. I think hitting bad weather in the form of rain (especially if it's unexpected) is generally what will bring them down.

[jpoyner]

Looking at the charts I don't think recent weather has been that good for bringing much our way from the east. The High over the continent positioned to help birds move north perhaps but not really extending out over to the UK far enough. I think in general air reaching Scotland certainly over the past week has been drifting down from North East Scandinavia rather than from deep over the continental land mass and is now coming in from far out in the Atlantic.
The High over Europe looks good for taking birds straight up through Norway and Sweden but not pushing them out in to the North Sea.
I think they've all passed us by this year.......might get something interesting in the west early next week though as the remnants of the Caribbean storms hit us but for the east coast of Scotland things still look bleak!!

JP

[jpoyner]

Wouldn't north-east winds be better in spring and south-east better in autumn to halt the progress of birds and thus make them look for the nearest land?

As the birds are heading north already, south easterlies in spring coming off Europe are far more likely to cause birds to drift too far west. North easterlies maybe helping in autumn as birds stream back south along the Norwegian coast perhaps.

JP

[Adey Baker]

I'm thinking that any 'south' element in the wind would still be a tail wind to them so S.E. might blow them slightly west of their intentions but would not make flying forward too difficult.

The best spring day that I had at Spurn, Yorks., was a late May day with ENE winds whereas in the autumn the opposite ESE to SE has produced memorable days - not that I'm a regular there, perhaps locals can confirm whether these are the ideal conditions or not.

[Michael Frankis]

I agree with Adey - all the best spring falls I've known have been on northeasters. And the best autumn falls on southeasters or straight east.

Michael

[jpoyner]

I guess that it stands to reason that any easterly element could bring birds onshore, though the local wind can be misleading as only a few miles out to sea it could in fact be quite different depending on the size and position of the overall weather system. An excellent example is if you look at todays chart.....although winds on the north east coast will be coming onshore they are merely swinging round the eastern flank of an approaching low, so actually originate from the west and there is no flow at all right across the north sea....my best clues are to look for good strong easterly flowing isobars flowing right out across the north sea from well into the continent...this pattern always seems to be the one which brings the most birds.

JP

[Birdspotter]

I agree with Adey - all the best spring falls I've known have been on northeasters. And the best autumn falls on southeasters or straight east.

Michael
Without doubt the best fall conditions for us in Lothian is north east,poor visibility and rain.
These were the conditions three weeks ago when we had 4 Red backed shrikes,Wryneck,Reed and Icterine warblers in a weekend.
However I have seen falls in a south east to easterly though rain and lots of it helps,but give me a good North easter anyday.
Like Fifebirder I was out on my side of the Forth today looking for migrants to no avail at Barns ness,Torness,Skateraw and Thorntonloch with only a Whitethroat and Willow warbler to show for it.
Ah well theres always tommorrow.

[Andrew Whitehouse]

Thanks for the info guys. Not ideal conditions, but I'm still very surprised there wasn't more. I think it tends to be 'fall or nothing' at Fife Ness in spring.

[Michael Frankis]

Hi Andrew,

My new guess - too clear to ground birds at the coast, the weather is good enough for them to head a little inland and find better habitat

Its true . . . .

I know, coz' I just found a Golden Oriole this morning 2½ miles north of home at a private reserve o:) :D o:)

Michael