Southerly winds and warm weather continues

Winsor Dam, Quabbin Park, MA, Oct 16, 2014

The weather around here continues to be unseasonable warm with lows the last few nights only dipping down to the high 60’s and high temperatures getting into the 70’s the last three days, even with the heavy rain of today.  The forecast calls for a couple more additional days in the low 70’s with winds out of the south and west before a cold front moves through late Saturday and brings in some northerly winds and cool temps (high temps in the low 50’s) on Sunday.  The several days of southerly winds will keep additional migrants from coming down from the north but could send some migrants our way from the south and west.  The change in winds on Sunday could bring in good numbers of late season migrants, especially waterfowl.  As always the forecast is subject to change but it could well be worth the effort to get out the next few days to see what birds are around.  Although I didn’t expect to find much on the waters of the Quabbin I still made a stop by there before dawn and again late in the day.  Nothing of note found but thought it was worth a quick check nonetheless.

Meanwhile in the tropics Hurricane Gonzalo has strengthened into a category 4 storm and is forecast to score a nearly direct hit on Bermuda tomorrow as a category 3 storm.  Certainly a dangerous storm that will likely cause some major damage to Bermuda and could have an impact on the endangered Bermuda Petrel which should just now be returning to the island to breed.  After striking Bermuda the storm will continue northeast and could brush by Newfoundland before heading out to sea.