Warmer temperatures, and the high point of a 40-year cycle of hurricane
activity, have resulted in a string of storms across the tropical
Atlantic that looks like birders lining up for a squint through a scope
at something special.
        Hurricane Gustav mercifully wrought less destruction than was feared,
and is now sputtering out along the Mississippi valley. You can check
out the Arkansas Birding List on-line to read about frigatebirds, sooty
terns, cave swallows, etc. now being reported there. Perhaps Missouri is
due for some visitors from the south next.
        Here in Ohio, we are lucky enough that hurricanes usually mean only
some inconvenient weather. For birders, they bring the promise of
rarities. With the exception of an odd spring record from 1880, all our
frigatebird records come from hurricane season, as does our only sooty
tern. Both these species are especially prone to displacement by
hurricanes. Frigatebirds have weak feet, and are seldom seen on the
ground when healthy; sooty terns, as far as is known, may spend years as
immature birds without intentionally touching down; adults resort to the
earth only when nesting. Other highly aerial species, such as other tern
species, swallows, storm-petrels, shearwaters, etc., may show up under
such conditions.
        Ohioans pretty much missed the bounty of pelagic species found in
neighboring states and provinces, some of them only a few miles away, in
1996 when the remnants of Hurricane Fran passed through. We were readier
for Hurricane Dennis in 2005, when Don Morse watched for, and eventually
found, a sooty tern at East Fork Lake. Most of the odd pelagic species
on the Ohio list were found between July and November.
        I doubt our three wood storks came to Ohio courtesy of hurricane winds.
Wood storks are great soarers, but like most birds their reaction to
vicious winds is to hunker down, rather than ride them, as pelagic birds
do. Most likely their appearance was part of the post-breeding- season
wandering southern waders often undertake. This stormy season could
bring some very interesting birds to Ohio. The secret of increasing the
odds of finding them is easy enough: familiarize yourself with the
likelier storm-driven species, and be alert for them, then if a
hurricane, probably reduced to a depression, passes through, go out in
the rain to a good-sized body of water, especially one with a sand or
mud shoreline, and look for them. And send a check to disaster relief.

Bill Whan
Columbus





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