next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
--14dae9cdc68be5784204c80382ff Content-Type: text/plain; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi all, If you admire Whimbrels as I do, check out Centre for Conservation Biology's Whimbrel Tracking project: http://ccb-wm.org/programs/migration/Whimbrel/whimbrel.htm. This project sheds light on the miraculous journeys Whimbrels undertake to reach their wintering grounds - sometimes through huge storms - and the threats they face from shorebird hunts on some Caribbean islands. Jim Wolford passed on a message he received recently from Fletcher Smith, a research biologist with Centre for Conservation Biology, who gave a fascinating update on one of their tagged Whimbrels, "Pingo." Pingo flew across Canada to northeastern NS on its migration south (see Pingo's flight path: http://wildlifetracking.org/index.shtml?tag_id=3D103520&anime=3D1). I thought I'd share an excerpt from Fletcher Smith's message: "One of the whimbrels (=93Pingo=94) that we satellite tagged this summer (i= n collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service) in the Mackenzie River Delta is currently migrating from Nova Scotia to points south and has just entered Tropical Depression 9. This bird began migration on 18 August and has flown 2200 miles so far before hitting this storm, with at least another 1000 miles to go to make landfall. Pingo is entering the northeast quadrant of the storm, which seems to be how whimbrels tackle these events, and we expect this bird (based on previous whimbrel routes) to fly towards the center of the storm and then use the southwest quadrant (and the tailwinds that quadrant produces) as a boost towards landfall. Last fall =93Hope=94 the whimbrel took 27 hours an= d averaged 9mph flying through a similar sized storm, and then flew an average of 92mph for 1.5 hours out the back end towards land! We can only hope that the bird does not land in Guadeloupe, Martinique, French Guiana, or any other countries with a shorebird hunt. We also know that many thousands of shorebirds will be forced to land in such places due to the timing and size of this storm. I used to get nervous about the birds entering the storms and wondered if they could make it through, now I=92ve come to realize it=92s not the storms it=92s where you land." We can all get involved by sharing Whimbrel observations from excursions along shores and coastal barrens this summer and fall through naturens and/or eBird.ca. Happy shorebirding! Sue Abbott Bird Studies Canada-NS --14dae9cdc68be5784204c80382ff Content-Type: text/html; charset=windows-1252 Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable Hi all,<br><br>If you admire Whimbrels as I do, check out Centre for Conser= vation Biology's Whimbrel Tracking project: <a href=3D"http://ccb-wm.or= g/programs/migration/Whimbrel/whimbrel.htm" target=3D"_blank">http://ccb-wm= .org/programs/migration/Whimbrel/whimbrel.htm</a>.=A0 This project sheds li= ght on the miraculous journeys Whimbrels undertake to reach their wintering= grounds - sometimes through huge storms - and the threats they face from s= horebird hunts on some Caribbean islands.<br> <br>Jim Wolford passed on a message he received recently from Fletcher Smit= h, a research biologist with Centre for Conservation Biology, who gave a fa= scinating update on one of their tagged Whimbrels, "Pingo."=A0 Pi= ngo flew across Canada to northeastern NS on its migration south (see Pingo= 's flight path: <a href=3D"http://wildlifetracking.org/index.shtml?tag_= id=3D103520&anime=3D1" target=3D"_blank">http://wildlifetracking.org/in= dex.shtml?tag_id=3D103520&anime=3D1</a>).=A0 <br> <br>I thought I'd share an excerpt from Fletcher Smith's message:<b= r><br>"One of the whimbrels (=93Pingo=94) that we satellite tagged thi= s summer (in collaboration with the Canadian Wildlife Service) in the Macke= nzie River Delta is currently migrating from Nova Scotia to points south an= d has just entered Tropical Depression 9.=A0 This bird began migration on 1= 8 August and has flown 2200 miles so far before hitting this storm, with at= least another 1000 miles to go to make landfall.<br> =A0<br>Pingo is entering the northeast quadrant of the storm, which seems t= o be how whimbrels tackle these events, and we expect this bird (based on p= revious whimbrel routes) to fly towards the center of the storm and then us= e the southwest quadrant (and the tailwinds that quadrant produces) as a bo= ost towards landfall.=A0 Last fall =93Hope=94 the whimbrel took 27 hours an= d averaged 9mph flying through a similar sized storm, and then flew an aver= age of 92mph for 1.5 hours out the back end towards land!=A0<br> =A0<br>We can only hope that the bird does not land in Guadeloupe, Martiniq= ue, French Guiana, or any other countries with a shorebird hunt.=A0 We also= know that many thousands of shorebirds will be forced to land in such plac= es due to the timing and size of this storm.=A0 I used to get nervous about= the birds entering the storms and wondered if they could make it through, = now I=92ve come to realize it=92s not the storms it=92s where you land.&quo= t;<br> <br>We can all get involved by sharing Whimbrel observations from excursion= s along shores and coastal barrens this summer and fall through naturens an= d/or eBird.ca.=A0 <br><br>Happy shorebirding!<br><br>Sue Abbott<br>Bird Stu= dies Canada-NS<br> <br> --14dae9cdc68be5784204c80382ff--
next message in archive
next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects