Weather and Migration Study

Today's superb fall on the island was, as always, a consequence of the weather which plays such an important factor for bird migration observed at Hilbre.  The weather chart below shows the weather map for 0.00hrs on Wednesday 2nd May 2012.  A high pressure over the North Atlantic and a low pressure to the south west of the UK producing south easterlies up the country and high pressures centred over Southern Europe encouraging south easterly airflow and migration northwards up the UK.

The weak occluded front travelling north to south down the UK (running across from Northern Island to the Wash) no doubt encouraged many migrants to be grounded and this can be seen in the weather maps below (left 1200noon on 2nd May and right 0000hrs on 3rd May 2012) showing the movement of the decaying occluded front and how it breaks up over Hilbre during 2nd May 2012 before moving south during the afternoon leaving behind sun soaked birders and numerous grounded migrants.

Weather maps courtesy of http://www.metoffice.gov.uk/

As always we continue to study the weather - which is always easier with hindsight!