Today is the first day of the CBC season, but most of the real
action starts this weekend.

The good news: no ice or snow, and PROBABLY no gale force winds.

The rest of the story: it will probably be rainy...

LONG TERM...WET WEATHER PERSISTS THROUGH THE EXTENDED PERIOD. AN
UPPER LEVEL TROUGH LEVELS A RIDGE IN PLACE OVER THE ROCKIES THU
AFTERNOON. THIS SYSTEM IS FOLLOWED BY A SECOND FRONT CONTINUING THE
WET TREND. BY SAT AFTERNOON...MODELS DISAGREE ON WHETHER THERE WILL
BE A RIDGE BUILDING BEHIND THE ASSOCIATED COLD FRONT OR IF ANOTHER
SYSTEM FALLS FROM THE NORTH TO IMPACT THE PAC NW. ECMWF SHOWS A
BRIEF BREAK POSSIBLE BY FRI NIGHT AS THIS RIDGE AMPLIFIES. GFS
CONTINUES WITH WET CONDITIONS IN THE FORECAST. EITHER WAY...MORE
SLOW MOVING SYSTEMS ARE EXPECTED. HOWEVER...THEY MAY STALL AS THEY
TRY TO CROSS THE CASCADES...WINDY CONDITIONS AND HEAVY RAIN FALL ARE
POSSIBLE DURING THIS TIME. EXPECT SNOW LEVELS TO RISE TO NEAR 8000
FT THROUGH THE WEEKEND AND FALLING SLOWLY THROUGH THE BEGINNING OF
NEXT WEEK.

Personally, I prefer doing counts under overcast skies and "normal"
winter temperatures. Too much sun means backlit birds in 50% of the
directions one looks. And more often than not, sun means cold with
east winds. The birds stay hidden.

The rain (without too much wind)creates habitats in pastures and fields,
concentrates passerines in shrubby places and just seems to produce more
interesting stuff.

We can't all guarantee sunny and 70F the way those folks who run the
Coquille count can, so I hope you all have picked at least one count
for this weekend... rain or shine.

--
Mike Patterson
Astoria, OR
Mistaken Identities
http://www.surfbirds.com/blog/northcoastdiaries/12932/