birding in high winds?

I am thinking of going out today but the wind is steady 12-15 mph and gusts to 25mph AND it is dead into my face where I have to set up.

regardless of the wind direction, I seem to have noticed less birds flying in high wind, is that really the case or am I imagining it?

I feel like going out as the temp is all the way up to 50 degrees F and we won't get that many warm sunny days but the wind is very high and dead into my face

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19319370
I am thinking of going out today but the wind is steady 12-15 mph and gusts to 25mph AND it is dead into my face where I have to set up.

regardless of the wind direction, I seem to have noticed less birds flying in high wind, is that really the case or am I imagining it?

I feel like going out as the temp is all the way up to 50 degrees F and we won't get that many warm sunny days but the wind is very high and dead into my face

I'm not sure on birds overall but high winds do not affect seagulls at all. In fact, if the wind is blowing against the shore they hover over the area diving over and over picking off baitfish pushed against the shore from the waves.

Birds disappear here. But I'm used to smaller ones.
But then the larger magpies don't seem to favour it either

Jeff USN Photog 72-76 wrote in post #19319370
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I am thinking of going out today but the wind is steady 12-15 mph and gusts to 25mph AND it is dead into my face where I have to set up.
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What matters most is the relationship between the direction that the wind is coming from and the direction that the sunlight is coming from.

Birds need to take off and land into the wind, so if the wind and the light are coming from the same direction, you get nicely lit birds coming right at you if you can set up for it.

On clear days, many experienced waterfowl photographers that I know go out when the wind and the sun are more or less aligned, and don't bother going out when the light and the wind are not aligned properly ..... because who wants to shoot the ass ends of the birds when they are coming and going?


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When photographing puffins, our guide claimed that high winds were ideal for photographing puffins because heading upwind slowed the tricky little buzzards down!

But as Tom mentioned, the wind has to be in the right direction for it to work well.