Nature Profile
by Bob Thomas

Louisiana is blessed to be the virtual focal point of the Mississippi Flyway, one of the most important bird migration pathways in the world. April is the prime month in the spring when thousands upon thousands of birds will travel overhead on their way to breeding grounds to the north. Many stop due to pure exhaustion while others move on by to more inland haunts.

But for the avid local birder, a pattern exists that allows predictable success. The event to watch for is the late arriving cold front from mid-March through April. While sun-lovers are cursing the final cold snaps, especially during the stormy prelude to the cool, bright "blue-bird mornings", birders are driving to the coast for an annual thrill.

As the cool, dry air of the cold front moves south, its denser air wedges under the moist, warmer air along its leading edge. As the moist air is forced higher, it cools, thus condensing its humidity until precipitation occurs in the form of fog, drizzles, torrential downpours, hale or all of the above.

Imagine being a tiny painted bunting. You are flying north in a warm low pressure area with a tail-wind. Suddenly, you are confronted with turbulent weather. You are knocked about in strong, erratic winds and pelted with rain. The wind has shifted and now you are dealing with a head wind from the north that repels you. Your long flight has drained your energy and now the weather conditions have depleted you. Normally you would fly inland before alighting, but the appearance of coastal Louisiana on the horizon is too tempting, so you land. Thousands of your fellow travelers join you. During the unsettled weather, you nervously flit about, trying to maintain your balance and maybe getting a bite to eat. The next morning is bright and sunny and you hop about filling your stomach. You are so intent on feeding that you don't even notice the strange two legged animals with bent necks that constantly hold their hands near their large, shiny eyes and excitedly call your name! Now, rested and reenergized, you fly into the clear sky to your final destination.

During these periods, it is not uncommon to see many species in the same bush and to be able to approach within a few feet without scaring them away. For the person with more than a passing interest in birds, coastal Louisiana during a cold snap in April is nothing short of paradise!