A good morning for birding

You find most birds by sound. If the wind is up, you will not hear them. Here is how to choose the morning and the place.

Start with the wind

You usually hear a bird before you see it. Wind below about 12 mph is a good morning. Songs carry, and birds move in the open.

Above about 20 mph, birds stay hidden. Soft calls disappear. A spotting scope on an open dike shakes too much to use. A blue sky does not fix a windy morning.

Light rain can still be a good morning if the air is calm. Birds often feed lower, and you are not fighting the wind. Wind and rain together are a reason to stay home, or to walk a sheltered woods trail instead of an open marsh.

Go at dawn. That is when the birds sing. The wind often picks up later in the morning.

Then pick the place

A calm forecast means the drive is worth it. Recent sightings tell you which refuge has been busy.

An open pond that was good yesterday is a poor first stop if the wind will hit it at sunrise. Start at a sheltered spot that has had recent birds. Save the open water for later, and only if the wind is supposed to stay light.

You will be standing still, so dress warmer than you would for a hike. A cold, calm dawn is a great morning if you brought a layer for waiting. Binoculars that fog up, a dry place to sit, and gloves you can pull off quickly matter more than how far you walk.

Keep the morning simple

Two or three stops is enough. Make the first one the place that needs calm air and recent birds. Make the second one a backup with trees, in case the wind arrives early.

Tell the people you are meeting where to go before you leave. Then nobody is standing in the wrong parking lot at sunrise.

Outside Plan puts the forecast next to nearby birding spots and recent sightings. The morning score looks at wind, rain, and how long you will be standing there.

More guides

Create a free account to see this forecast on a real place and a real date.