I hope I am not opening a whole can of "whatever" here, but I have notice a couple of patterns in the weather and wondered if anyone had noticed a pattern in migratory bird behavior. I know that weather is only one factor affecting movement, but it does seem to trigger migration.

In North Texas we seem to get cold fronts from two directions. Some cold fronts move in from the north and some from the west. I can't see a discernable pattern as to rain, but I have always hypothesised that wet cold fronts move birds. Given a wet or dry front, which type/direction of front moves the most migratory birds? Also which species are affect by these changes? I have a wealth of data to support this matters in New Mexcio, but I have yet to see a pattern here in North Texas.

this shouold be interesting........

It matters not what happens in Texas. To move birds, there must be severe weather up north. Some are coming no matter what. The main migration will not go anywhere without severe weather. So if north Texas gets a front from the west, nothing great will happen. Get a good blast from in the upper states, ripping down through Texas then we have movement.

Could not agree more - whence the question. I am wondering which upper states - Colorado and Wyoming or Nebraska and Kansas.

Let me illustrate with an example from Southern New Mexico. If we shot copper breasted Morning Doves, they would generally be from the Northeast. A cold front stalled in Kansas or Oklahoma, moving birds in from the east. If we shot only whiter front birds, they would be local birds or from Colorado and Utah. Forage from the different areas effected the color of the breasts. In New Mexico, the only times I shot Pintails was when a front blew from the Northeast. The birds must have come from the Great Plains states. Other fronts moved Teals and Mallards.

Birds move at night when its very windy so less effort for them plus full moon helps. Also, they move out when food source are depleated due to snow accumulation or ice. I know of lots of outfitters that are breaking the ice in order to keep them up there. They use chainsaws and such. Now, 1 foot of snow in combination of 5 inches of ice from the dakotas till northern oklahoma is what u really wanne see

whatever

@ beaversnipe -

So if I am understanding you, then a duck hunter in North Texas might want to watch the weather in Rapid City, Omaha, Wichita and OKC rather than Denver, Amarillo or Salt Lake City?

Breaking up ice with a chainsaw is hard for me to imagine. Kind of like hunting in snowshoes. I know guys do it, but I can't get my head around that much snow. Even when I see it.

Yes, north dakota and wichita kansas is all im watching

Plus this guy big time...

http://hint.fm/wind/

Thank you. I have been looking in the wrong direction for my weather information. I have been watching the weather in Denver and Billings.

ducks can fly further than many people think in one night.

beaver that's the coolest map I've seen in a while. Thanks for sharing.

love that map beaver