https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2024/02/24/puffins-spotted-in-florida-why-are-the-birds-so-far-south/72701197007/
It's incredibly rare to see a puffin in Florida, maybe one over the course of years or even decades, but there have been four spotted in the span of two weeks as well as other northern seabirds such as razorbills and dovekies this month.
That's really weird. Puffins are supposed to be in my neck of the woods, or the eastern maritime provinces of Canada.
I wonder if this is somehow related to something else I've been hearing about: increasing signs that the AMOC (Atlantic something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream) is weakening and possibly heading toward collapse.
Wait... what?
Okay. I know about a "something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream" over southern (?) California. A big ole natural disaster river in the sky I thought I heard.
So the puffin anomaly. And they don't live well in Florida I saw in the link. Seen pictures of the bird. Cute. But never thought about where they live. And all the other bird anomalies. Huh.
And the Atlantic is having "increasing signs that the AMOC (Atlantic something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream) is weakening and possibly heading toward collapse"?
Collapse? And is it something in the sky that carries a temperature component? Or is it a bird flight thingy? Both? And what could its collapse mean to/for those birds?
Sure, it's just data right now but it is an interesting set of data in this thread's perspective of what's the deal with the birds?
👵
Quote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on February 25, 2024, 02:41:44 AMWait... what?
Okay. I know about a "something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream" over southern (?) California. A big ole natural disaster river in the sky I thought I heard.
So the puffin anomaly. And they don't live well in Florida I saw in the link. Seen pictures of the bird. Cute. But never thought about where they live. And all the other bird anomalies. Huh.
And the Atlantic is having "increasing signs that the AMOC (Atlantic something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream) is weakening and possibly heading toward collapse"?
Collapse? And is it something in the sky that carries a temperature component? Or is it a bird flight thingy? Both? And what could its collapse mean to/for those birds?
Sure, it's just data right now but it is an interesting set of data in this thread's perspective of what's the deal with the birds?
👵
Oceanic current, not atmospheric.
What is the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC)? (https://oceanservice.noaa.gov/facts/amoc.html)
Reconstruction of Major North Atlantic Circulation System Shows Weakening (https://www.fisheries.noaa.gov/feature-story/reconstruction-major-north-atlantic-circulation-system-shows-weakening)
QuoteRising levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere have affected one of the global ocean's major circulation systems, slowing the redistribution of heat in the North Atlantic Ocean. The resulting changes have been felt along the Northeast U.S. Shelf and in the Gulf of Maine, which has warmed 99 percent faster than the global ocean over the past ten years, impacting distributions of fish and other species and their prey.
(https://www.icegif.com/wp-content/uploads/facepalm-icegif-5.gif)
Ouch. I mean Jet Stream (which is strongly imprinted as one of my weather markers)
The Gulf Stream like the jet stream are generated by natural forces of gravity, rotation of the earth, etc. etc. etc.
These natural phenomenon do vary, wax and wane.
These same natural phenomenon that affect these macro systems impact wildlife. It is not unusual for living creatures to turn up in other environments.
Puffins IMO magnificent birds. If you are fortunate enough to see one...enjoy it.
Alt theory: the earth's magnetic field is moving very fast, and many 'experts' are predicting a polar reversal.
Birds use the earth's magnetic field to navigate.
Atlantic Puffin range
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Fratercula_arctica_distribution_map.svg/1024px-Fratercula_arctica_distribution_map.svg.png)
Quote from: MacWa77ace on February 25, 2024, 09:56:14 AMAtlantic Puffin range
(https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/09/Fratercula_arctica_distribution_map.svg/1024px-Fratercula_arctica_distribution_map.svg.png)
I have seen them in the Western Mediterranean and the North Atlantic.
Quote from: Ever (Zombiepreparation) on February 25, 2024, 02:41:44 AMWait... what?
Okay. I know about a "something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream" over southern (?) California. A big ole natural disaster river in the sky I thought I heard.
So the puffin anomaly. And they don't live well in Florida I saw in the link. Seen pictures of the bird. Cute. But never thought about where they live. And all the other bird anomalies. Huh.
And the Atlantic is having "increasing signs that the AMOC (Atlantic something-something Ocean Current - basically the Gulf Stream) is weakening and possibly heading toward collapse"?
Collapse? And is it something in the sky that carries a temperature component? Or is it a bird flight thingy? Both? And what could its collapse mean to/for those birds?
Sure, it's just data right now but it is an interesting set of data in this thread's perspective of what's the deal with the birds?
👵
https://www.livescience.com/planet-earth/climate-change/gulf-stream-current-could-collapse-in-2025-plunging-earth-into-climate-chaos-we-were-actually-bewildered
It actually has two states, the one we're used to and a weaker state. It may be reverting to its weaker state, but some models are predicting that its failure is imminent sometime between next year and 2095. Either way, it will have impacts and confused waterfowl is likely evidence of that.
I know this is a serious issue and all, but I have a mental image of a confused Puffin bird looking at a GPS device and going "Wait a minute. This isn't where I usually go. Something's not right here."
Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on February 25, 2024, 02:16:33 PMI know this is a serious issue and all, but I have a mental image of a confused Puffin bird looking at a GPS device and going "Wait a minute. This isn't where I usually go. Something's not right here."
Funny mental image but I think of bugs bunny pondering a paper map and his directional confusion regarding taking a left at Albuquerque.
Quote from: Raptor on February 25, 2024, 04:11:53 PMQuote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on February 25, 2024, 02:16:33 PMI know this is a serious issue and all, but I have a mental image of a confused Puffin bird looking at a GPS device and going "Wait a minute. This isn't where I usually go. Something's not right here."
Funny mental image but I think of bugs bunny pondering a paper map and his directional confusion regarding taking a left at Albuquerque.
I had that same one as well.
Quote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on February 25, 2024, 04:53:47 PMQuote from: Raptor on February 25, 2024, 04:11:53 PMQuote from: 12_Gauge_Chimp on February 25, 2024, 02:16:33 PMI know this is a serious issue and all, but I have a mental image of a confused Puffin bird looking at a GPS device and going "Wait a minute. This isn't where I usually go. Something's not right here."
Funny mental image but I think of bugs bunny pondering a paper map and his directional confusion regarding taking a left at Albuquerque.
I had that same one as well.
Both of you beat me to it.
(https://chuckjones.com/wp-content/uploads/82061-1.jpg)
Another article has been released about the AMOC potentially failing. It delves pretty deeply into the research that leads to concerns. It's behind a paywall, but there is an archived iteration readable in full without subscription.
If you have a WIRED subscription: https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/
If you don't have a WIRED subscription: http://web.archive.org/web/20240727175328/https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/
I normally try to avoid sharing paid articles, but this is the kind of information I believe everyone should have access to because it potentially impacts literally everyone.
WIRED is also offering a podcast episode on the matter (which I believe is free): https://www.wired.com/story/gadget-lab-podcast-652/
Quote from: Anianna on July 27, 2024, 02:38:00 PMAnother article has been released about the AMOC potentially failing. It delves pretty deeply into the research that leads to concerns. It's behind a paywall, but there is an archived iteration readable in full without subscription.
If you have a WIRED subscription: https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/
If you don't have a WIRED subscription: http://web.archive.org/web/20240727175328/https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/
I normally try to avoid sharing paid articles, but this is the kind of information I believe everyone should have access to because it potentially impacts literally everyone.
WIRED is also offering a podcast episode on the matter (which I believe is free): https://www.wired.com/story/gadget-lab-podcast-652/
The AMOC is far from being the sole factor that could lead to seabirds' confusion. The planet has been bombarded in recent years by several powerful magnetic storms, the North magnetic pole has been wandering at a rate and in a direction never seen before, and there are strong indicators that we're in the early stages of a pole reversal. All of which can play havoc on avian navigation.
Quote from: NT2C on July 27, 2024, 02:51:12 PMQuote from: Anianna on July 27, 2024, 02:38:00 PMAnother article has been released about the AMOC potentially failing. It delves pretty deeply into the research that leads to concerns. It's behind a paywall, but there is an archived iteration readable in full without subscription.
If you have a WIRED subscription: https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/
If you don't have a WIRED subscription: http://web.archive.org/web/20240727175328/https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/ (http://web.archive.org/web/20240727175328/https://www.wired.com/story/amoc-collapse-atlantic-ocean/)
I normally try to avoid sharing paid articles, but this is the kind of information I believe everyone should have access to because it potentially impacts literally everyone.
WIRED is also offering a podcast episode on the matter (which I believe is free): https://www.wired.com/story/gadget-lab-podcast-652/
The AMOC is far from being the sole factor that could lead to seabirds' confusion. The planet has been bombarded in recent years by several powerful magnetic storms, the North magnetic pole has been wandering at a rate and in a direction never seen before, and there are strong indicators that we're in the early stages of a pole reversal. All of which can play havoc on avian navigation.
Didn't mean to imply it was. I considered starting a new thread, but we had already discussed this topic here in some detail, so I was just adding to the tangent this already took.