Which bird thermals the best?

On Nov 15, 7:29*pm, sisu1a wrote:
One obvious master of the master class has not yet been
mentioned: *the Frigate Bird.
They not only out-soar all other forms of soaring birds, but steal
their food from them as well! (hence the name, also called Man o'
War birds).

Well, another obvious bird not mentioned is the Albatross, which has
the highest aspect of all birds (higher aspect then Frigatebirds,
which hold the title for the lowest span loading, no doubt
contributing to their ninja-like agility...). Sorry Frigates, but the
Alby is the true unequivocal champion of *soaring, although in spirit
of the OP's question, the Frigatebird may out perform it in a
thermal ... Albatross circumnavigate the globe though, no doubt
expertly working thermals the rare occasions they're available, but
mostly use orthographic and different of modes of dynamic soaring (as
do Frigatebirds) for their constant open water X/C trips, living life
'on the wing' stopping only to raise chicks from time to time.

Frigatebirds are indeed amazing, and are definitely beautiful birds to
share the air with as well as to watch from the ground. So far I have
only soared with Frigatebirds, (Hawaii), but very much look forward to
the day I share the air with an Alby... (not the bronze statue,
although that'd be swell too

They're both Peligoonformes though

-Paul

I've not seen too many frigate birds or albatrosses in Arizona. Maybe
they are ill equipped to survive on a diet of lizards and pack rats!

Mike

sisu1a wrote:
Well, another obvious bird not mentioned is the Albatross, which has

The original question was about birds to be useful markers for soaring.
I'm not sure I would want to try and follow an albatross and cross the
oceans with dynamic soaring a few feet above the water...

On 15 Lis, 12:59, Scott Alexander
wrote:

I thought it would be interesting to ask you good people if anyone has
any knowledge on these issues. *Does anyone know which broad winged
birds have better or worse centering techniques that you can use to
your advantage?


In Poland Hawks are very good thermal indicators and they're quite
common.
Most of the time I find better lift when I move closer to them.

From what I've heard Eagles are even better but they're very rare here
and
I haven't had a pleasure of meeting one.

I would avoid White Storks, especially on weak days - they're great
soarers
but they're low wing loading let's them use thermals that would just
reduce
glider's descent rate a bit.

--
Wiktor

A few years ago I was sharing a thermal with three storks at 1800 m
and it seemed that one of them was very young and had not mastered its
thermaling technique quite yet. It would make sudden corrections and
flap a few times while the other two calmly circled and waited for it
to catch up. When they got together they took off in tight formation.
I was headed in about the same direction so I was able to watch them
for several miles and I was amazed by their glide speed which appeared
to be close to 80 km/h. Truly incredible birds.. I don´t know if they
soar for fun but it looked like they were having a great time.

Regards,

Juan Carlos

On Tue, 16 Nov 2010 03:26:01 -0800, Wiktor Moskwa wrote:


I would avoid White Storks, especially on weak days - they're great
soarers but they're low wing loading let's them use thermals
that would just reduce glider's descent rate a bit.

According to Henk Tennekes ("The simple science of flight") a bird can't
make a living unless its min.sink speed is 1 m/s or less. I'd think that
land birds are unlikely to be much better than that sinply because the
amount of wing they'd need would make life awkward in trees, etc.

Our gliders can certainly outperform some soaring birds. Some years ago
on an almost flat calm evening I was sitting in a very weak thermal,
flying an SZD 51-1 Junior slowly in fairly wide circles and climbing at
half a knot or less, but hey, it was a nice evening and the drift wasn't
taking me anywhere, so I was just enjoying my last flight of the day.
After a while I was joined by a pair of black-backed gulls. They flew
several turns without gaining on me and then left, coming back 5 minutes
later and somewhat lower. This time they flew one turn and exited, not to
be seen again. I could almost hear one of them saying as they flew off
"See, I told you that thermal was too weak last time".


--
martin@ | Martin Gregorie
gregorie. | Essex, UK
org |

On Nov 16, 4:03*am, JC wrote:
A few years ago I was sharing a thermal with three storks at 1800 m
and it seemed that one of them was very young and had not mastered its
thermaling technique quite yet. It would make sudden corrections and
flap a few times while the other two calmly circled and waited for it
to catch up. When they got together they took off in tight formation.
I was headed in about the same direction so I was able to watch them
for several miles and I was amazed by their glide speed which appeared
to be close to 80 km/h. Truly incredible birds.. I don´t know if they
soar for fun but it looked like they were having a great time.

Regards,

Juan Carlos

a few years ago I shared a thermal with a whole flock of Geese. They
were in a typical V formation then they hit the thermal, turned into
the wind and just hung there, they did break formation a little. I
circled around them as we all climbed together. It appeared they just
sort of took a rest break in the air, hovering in one spot. After a
while they turned back North and re-formed the V formation but seveal
hundred feet higher. It was really cool to watch.

Dan
WO

I hear Gill Spreakley is pretty good!

on my last flight in the Cherokee there were a bunch of seagulls
flying around. they thermal but they suck at it. the were never in
the core and are a pain to gaggle with as they are just a huge blob of
birds. I was at some times surrounded above and below and on all
sides by hundreds of birds. one thing they are good at is getting out
of the way

On Nov 17, 6:39*pm, Tony wrote:
on my last flight in the Cherokee there were a bunch of seagulls
flying around. *they thermal but they suck at it. *the were never in
the core and are a pain to gaggle with as they are just a huge blob of
birds. *I was at some times surrounded above and below and on all
sides by hundreds of birds. *one thing they are good at is getting out
of the way

When you see thermaling pelican, you can start very slow preparation
for take-off
Valid at Australia http://picasaweb.google.com/diana2.s...07300185961682

Greetings, Hana

Birds I have thermalled with -

Cape Griffon (White Backed Vultures) thermal very well, but you have to
be careful there is a "vulture restaurant" near the Drakensberg Club
outside Underberg. (Natal Province - South Africa) So sometimes you join
them in a thermal, only to discover they have sought out the descending
air so they can get on the ground for grub. They are gregarious and join
the gliders quite happily. Occasionally you get one clown who thermals
the wrong way and causes chaos.

Bearded vulture - this is a huge bird, which I have only had the
priviledge of flying with once as they don't like gliders and get
aggressive - Based on a sample of one Two up in a K13, and trying to
stay up in the only thermal in the sky trickling off a stony conical
hill. Desperately clinging to about .5kt we got thrashed in the Grob 103
Twin Astir - The Cape Griffon with us were also left in his dust. One
assumes that the massive wings help. I was interested to see the camber
on the wings changing as the bird optimised the smallest variations in
lift. They eat the marrow in bones, so meal times consist of descend to
a carcass, lift off with a heavy ungainly load and climb high - then
drop the bone onto rocks to break it - descend to eat - fly back to
carcase. Repeat. Clearly those that can thermal well get to eat best.

Tawny Eagle on the Platberg ridge also out climbed me - this time in a
K13 - maybe it is the way I fly. We met doing the 180 turn at the end of
one beat. The Eagle turned well inside us and was clearly able to stay
in a very tight , very strong core of lift rising up from a gulley.

Gymnogene - flew a couple of turns with me in a Bergfalke II-55. It was
late afternoon, and I think the motivation was curiosity on the way to
it's roost for the night. I got carefully inspected and then left - at
about the same height. Sample of one does not say much, but despite the
wing aspect ration he was not climbing well. Also - This is the only
solo bird I have had join me in a thermal and turn opposite.

Yellow Billed thermal very well. They have often helped me over the
Vredefort dome - generally marking good lift.Problem is they are so
agile they can use lift which even the Cirrus can't turn in...

European swifts are often to be seen right in the core of strong
thermals at high altitude. The seem to be able to combine hawking
insects and thermalling with relatively little flapping in between the
aerial gymnastics. They really get into the core of the thermal.

Never flown with them but the Bateleur Eagles seem to thermal very well
too.



On 2010/11/15 1:59 PM, Scott Alexander wrote:
So in a recent conversation with a greatly experienced soaring pilot,
I was told that Buzzard's have terrible thermaling skills. I tend to
agree with this as it sure seems Buzzards don't get into the core and
stay there. The lesson learned was don't let Turkey Buzzard show you
where the core is, just let them lead you to the thermal.

I thought it would be interesting to ask you good people if anyone has
any knowledge on these issues. Does anyone know which broad winged
birds have better or worse centering techniques that you can use to
your advantage?

SA

--
Bruce Greeff
T59D #1771 & Std Cirrus #57