Fort Collins Audubon Society

"Where the Weather Takes Us"

presented by

Bryan Guarente, Meteorologist/Instructional Designer,
The COMET Program–Boulder

Thursday, May 14th, 2020
Announcements 7 p.m.; Program at 7:20 p.m.

***This will be an online meeting using Zoom***

Enter the following link on your web browser at or before 7 p.m. and follow the instructions to join the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/207880802 Also see the President’s Corner article on the home page for more information.

Bryan Guarente

Each spring and fall a cascade of hormones triggered by changing day length lures migrant birds like a Siren’s song toward the poles or equator. This period, called Zugunruhe (migratory restlessness), is the basis of bird migrations. Is it a misfortune that this migratory drive coincides with some of the most violent weather systems, or is it perhaps instead a gift when seen through the eyes of an efficiency-seeking, meteorologist-bird? In fact, the frenzied flow of high and low-pressure weather systems, typical of spring and fall and found in the mid-latitudes (30° to 60°) gives rise to the winds that fuel migration. Understanding weather and how big-picture weather systems affect bird movements can be useful tools for birders seeking rarities, fall-outs and other exciting migratory phenomena.

Bryan started birding at the age of 7 in Pennsylvania with his dad before rabidly listing at the University of Northern Colorado (B.S. in Meteorology) when Lower Latham Reservoir and Crow Valley Campground were easy pickings. Weather and bird migration came together while listening to night flights at the University of Illinois while getting his Masters degree in Atmospheric Science. He now makes online learning for a broad spectrum of individuals covering topics in the Earth Sciences at The COMET Program (Cooperative Program for Meteorologist Education and Training) in Boulder.