Birding in Adverse Weather Conditions: Wind and Rain

Though I often extol the virtues and merits of winter in the Central Valley, especially when it comes to birding, the whole truth is that we experience "bad" weather also, just like anywhere else.  But even when the winter weather rolls in, the birds are still out there!  And sometimes, despite our best planning efforts, a birding day happens to coincide with crummy weather.  

In that case, what's a birder to do?  Usually, we go birding anyway!  

Birders far more intrepid than I regularly brave the ice and snow of northern winters to see their favorite birds, so perhaps you should look to them for real tips on winter birding!  For those of us in the valleys of California, the worst weather we see - wind and rain - is really comparatively mild. 

Birding on an extremely windy day!

I don't know of anyone who actually likes birding in the rain.  But I would argue that birding in the wind is just as aggravating as trying to bird in the rain!  

Wind can be utterly infuriating to bird in for a long list of reasons.  

1. The first is that birds are simply not as active during very windy weather, particularly small songbirds.  It requires extra energy to fly in the wind, so most smaller birds conserve energy by hunkering down in a sheltered spot.  Insects, which many small birds feed on, also don't fly much when it's windy.

2. When scanning the habitat for birds, a birder's brain is trained to pick up on movement.  But when wind is moving everything in the environment, from leaves and branches to dust and clouds, honing in on the movement of birds is really challenging.

3. Birders also find many birds by sound, but wind can be surprisingly loud, especially as its moving through trees.  The sound of wind obscures most of the bird sounds we might otherwise pick up on.

4. Wind makes it difficult to hold optics still.  From binoculars and spotting scopes to cameras, getting a clear, stable image when buffeted by the wind is a major challenge.

5. Birds look different in windy conditions.  Odd as this may sound, it's true.  The shape of birds, perched and in flight, can change drastically in the wind.  An otherwise sleek bird may looked round and fluffed when perched in a cold wind, and a crestless bird can look deceptively crested when its feathers are ruffled from behind by the wind.  Even more confusing are birds in flight.  Riding a strong tailwind on bent wings, a buteo or raven can flash by, giving a confusingly falcon-like impression.  And birds that typically don't kite or hover, like Bald Eagles, may face into a head wind and hang in the air over one spot for long periods of time.

6. A personal problem, perhaps, but my eyes don't like the wind; they tend to tear up, blurring my vision and making it difficult to see.

A pair of Common Ravens, gamboling on the wind.

Still, there are ways to make the most of birding in windy conditions:

• Find a sheltered spot.  Try staying on the leeward side of a hill, pile of boulders, stand of trees, building or even a car.  Anything that blocks a little wind helps.  Look for an area that is lower in elevation, even by a few feet; a small hollow or gully can offer protection from the wind, and the birds know this!  You might find some songbirds hunkered down in some such sheltered spot.
• Tailor the type of birding you choose to do.  Windy days can be great at certain sea watch and hawk watch spots.  I've been at Point Pinos when a crazy-strong northwestern wind blew some great seabirds, like jaegers and shearwaters, close to shore.  You'll have a better chance of seeing larger birds on windy days anyway, and watching large raptors ride on the wind and hang in the air can be particularly fun.
• Keep the wind at your back as much as possible! 

On the ground, Horned Larks are less affected by strong winds.  But this one is still enduring some slight feather-ruffling.

Of course, rain presents its own set of challenges to birding as well.

1. As in windy conditions, many birds seek shelter during periods of heavy rain and simply aren't as visible.  Small birds, like songbirds, are usually the least visible.

2. Anything more than the lightest rain reduces visibility considerably, making it difficult to see birds well from any great distance.  And the dark, cloudy conditions that come with rain make discerning the colors of birds' feathers difficult, if not impossible.

3. Rain is hard on optics.  Most good binoculars and spotting scopes are waterproof and can stand some rain, but continually wiping raindrops off the lenses is the real challenge!  And nobody wants to get their nice camera wet.

4. You get wet.  There's no way around it.  You can't hold an umbrella and bird very effectively at the same time.  I've tried.  

This backyard Mourning Dove didn't seem to mind getting wet, and even appeared to enjoy the rain!

If a little rain threatens your plans for a day of birding, once again, there are ways to make the most of it!

• Like on windy days, if you can tailor the type of birding you do to the weather, do so.  On rainy days, try watching waterfowl, shorebirds and wading birds from your car, a bird blind, or even a covered patio area.  These birds love water and typically stay in the open even during the rain.  Just make sure, if possible, to position your car so the rain won't come in through your open window!  (Yes, one window will need to be open for best visibility.)
• Wait for a break in the rain.  I've noticed that once the rain stops and the sun breaks through, the birds all come out en masse and the place absolutely bursts into life with birds singing and flitting all around!  So if you can, wait it out!
• Wear proper rain gear.  A good hooded raincoat, water repellent pants and waterproof boots, all specifically designed for outdoor wear, will do wonders for improving your experience birding in the rain!
• Watch bird feeders from indoors.  When a retreat indoors becomes necessary, don't despair: I've found that my bird feeding stations are the busiest during wet weather!  And pay special attention to hummingbird feeders: these little tropical gems love a nice shower!

When the weather is well and truly awful - high winds, heavy rains, misery all around - and we're forced to throw in the towel, there are plenty of indoor activities for the borderline obsessive birder as well.  

Consider these alternatives to actual birding:

• Read a book on birds or birding.  Recent favorites include David Sibley's What It's Like To Be A Bird, Kenn Kaufman's Kingbird Highway, and Noah Strycker's Birding Without Borders.
• Watch a documentary, show, or movie about birds.  There are too many bird documentaries out there to count; consider starting with anything by David Attenborough, or an episode of Nature.  We recently enjoyed the six-episode show Extraordinary Birder, and the movie The Big Year is a perennial favorite!
• Study a field guide.  Thumb through an old favorite, or knuckle down and get to grips with a troublesome group, like gulls or shorebirds.
• Brush up on bird songs.  The Merlin app and Xeno Canto are great free resources for listening to bird songs, and I have benefited greatly from using Larkwire.
• Edit your backlog of bird photos.  You know you have one.
• Play a bird game, like Wingspan, or Sibley's Birder Trivia!  Or, make use of your Christmas gifts: don your new bird socks, pour something hot into your new bird mug, and break open your seventh deck of bird playing cards!
• Plan your next birding trip.  Dream of lifers in warmer climes, my friend!
• Watch other people birding on YouTube!  Surprisingly fun.  Some of my favorite channels are:
• Baderland Birding (based in Wisconsin)
  
• The Birding Voyage (based in California) 
  
• Bob Duchesne (based in Maine)
  
• Sparky Stensaas (based in Minnesota)
  
• Bright-Eyed Birding (based in Utah)
  
• And, when all else fails, these days we can literally watch birds online, from the warmth and comfort of our own homes.  There are innumerable webcams out there around the world, trained on feeding stations, watering holes, nests and so much more!  A good place to start is Bird Watching HQ.  The possibilities are endless.  

This backyard Mourning Dove was apparently enjoying her shower immensely.  She sat like this, in the rain, for quite some time, quite literally drinking it in!

What are your best tips for enjoying birds during wet and windy winter weather?  I'd love to know!