Sea bird behavior and what it tells us

[Monty]

These two were not saying much this morning.....

[finchaser]

Here's the troll question of the week, either dark or finchaser can answer or anyone else who thinks he knows. I was out scouting the surf last week and looking for some new places to fish. I came across these birds sitting on the water. It was pretty warm that day the land must of been 60 degrees the water was about 39 (used a baby thermometer). Can anyone tell me why those birds were sitting on the cold water instead of the warm sand? Herring or shad under them? Maybe sandeels? This was by an inlet btw. thanks

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Birds sit on the water the last place they either see bait or feed on it waiting for it to surface again

[DarkSkies]

^ You people don't know what a bird expert the OGB is.....he has an extensive collection of bird pics......
And can spot tuna chicks at sea miles before anyone else can.....

[baitstealer]

Birds sit on the water the last place they either see bait or feed on it waiting for it to surface again

Thank you for that. Can anyone answer what it means when they are not sitting on the water but grouped up tight on one beach area. Does that mean bait is in the area as well? thanks!

[finchaser]

1)no means there is no bait to eat they face into the wind to get the scent of something to eat .
2)sounds like sea gulls, nor do they follow fish schools as they will eat almost anything including garbage
3)sea birds very seldom sit on land and follow bait and fish schools

[storminsteve]

Thanks for that finchaser. I have gone back and referred to this thread every winter. You guys have a lot of great threads here. Ever thought of a "best of" section? Thanks for all the tips and hints.

[seamonkey]

^^^ X2, some great info on these posts. Thanks guys.

[surfrob]

^^^^ X3, late to the game, but great thread!

[porgy75]

Does anyone know why the cormorants and the other birds leave in the winter and only the black ducks are around? Does it have something to do with migration or is it that all the food leaves and most of the birds with it? Have always been curious about this, thanks.

[finchaser]

food leaves and water temps are too cold

[surfrob]

food leaves and water temps are too cold

this could be one of many excuses for south jersey.

note that down here, I've seen every kind of bird performance imaginable to humankind, with no predators on the bait!

remember being out in a boat with ganets all around and .... NADA. boom boom boom, if you've ever drifted among diving ganets
with the engine off, it's an awesome sound.

no bass.

I've had the terns chasing and working over... nothing.

gulls? I ignore those garbage pickers 99% of the time.

Bunker? do you guys actually still see bunker? Whew, it's been years since I've seen castable bunker schools down here. The myth exists that they swim by 3.00001 miles off shore with coasties patrolling the zone to keep wayward recs from targeting them.

Herring in the inlets? Sure they do come, but we need more than 10 bass to follow them in so that there's a chance that we get more than an .01% catch rate during prime seasons.

Ah well, great thread, great pics, good info, nice internet bickering, and very enjoyable read!

Tight lines, all!

[seamonkey]

this could be one of many excuses for south jersey.

note that down here, I've seen every kind of bird performance imaginable to humankind, with no predators on the bait!

Ditto! Some times it seems if you are not at the rips at cape may you won't catch the cows. There are lots of birds here throughtout the year. Maybe because it's the last spot they can stop at before crossing the bay. I do notice a decrease in all the flocks in the winter so it could also be lack of food like finchaser said.

[lostatsea]

finchaser posted a pic of in inlet during the storm and there seemed to be lots of birds flying around. Thought it would be better to ask it here. Question, why during storms like that do you usually see birds near the fronts of inlets? thanks

[basshunter]

Some storms I think it is 90% garbage and 10% food. The birds see all that stuff floating and assume its a free meal. Psych! it's not. So they have to pick among the trash to get the crumbs of food. Same principle at walmart.

[bababooey]

Check this out hundreds of gannetts diving off the tip of the hook a few days ago.

[baitstealer]

Birds sit on the water the last place they either see bait or feed on it waiting for it to surface again

Thank you for this thread, very informative and I have learned a lot.

[baitstealer]

I was wondering if any of you guys has ever experienced this. I was fishing last nite after dark near a lighted area. Saw a LOT of birds flying back over the water like they were following bait. They were hovering and kept changing course. All in the same general area. I kept casting too them but they were too far out. Very frustrating. Do birds feed and follow bait at night?

[7deadlyplugs]

Maybe feeding on rain fish? Have seen that happen off a lighted pier at night, the light draws the bait in.

[captnemo]

Would be nice if people learned something about sea birds in the spring. In the past they used to signify predators under schools of bait. I can't tell you how many times I have seen something posted on the internet, where a tackle shop owner or someone else is raving about blitz conditions. 99% of the time that has been gannets diving on schools of herring or bunker in the ocean or bay. Many of the blitz videos posted were simply gannets taking advantage of a feeding opportunity. I guess it's hard to teach people the subtle differences.