Expert: Roger Lederer - 3/11/2011

Question
Back in 1992 I wrote a poem about birds and storms.  I'd watched some kind of special on TV about how when birds caught in storms glided instead of flapped that they could be pushed above the storm. I can't remember where I saw the program and couldn't find it again.  I belong to a writers group who are interested to know since I shared the poem with them.   I had not long before been through major trials like death of a baby and diagnosis of Lupus.  I'd like to know if you have heard of the special or if you know about birds caught in storms.  The poem is below.

TEMPEST TO JOY

         LITTLE BIRD STREAKING ACROSS CLEAR BLUE SKY,
         FLAPPING WINGS, RISING HIGH,
         MOVING SWIFT  NO CLOUDS OR WIND
         TO SLOW HIS PACE.  THERE SEEMS NO END
         TO HIS FREE FLIGHT FUN, UNTIL HE SUDDENLY COMES IN
         THE PATH OF A GREAT GALE  RUMBLING CLOUDS,    ROARING WIND.
  
"TURN AROUND, LITTLE BIRD," I CRY. "FLEE FROM THE STORM.
          YOUR WINGS ARE SWIFT, AND WEREN'T YOU BORN
          TO NEST AND PERCH IN A QUIET TREE,
          AND WHEN YOU MUST FLY TO FLY FREE?
          THIS SEETHING STORM WILL TEAR YOU DOWN.
          FLY! FLY SWIFT AWAY.  TURN AROUND!"

          BUT NO!  HE CALMLY SPREADS HIS WINGS A LITTLE MORE,
          HEADS INTO THE STORM, DOESN'T FLAP BUT GLIDES AND    SOARS,
          UP, UP, UP, GUSTS LIFT HIM TO GREATER HEIGHTS
          AS HE SUBMITS INSTEAD OF FIGHTS.
          AND FINALLY HE'S BEEN LIFTED SO HIGH
          THAT HE'S ABOVE THE TEMPEST, RELEASED TO FLY
          IN FREE FLIGHT JOY.

          WHEN SUDDENLY INTO LIFE'S PATH COME GALES OF    DISTRESS OR             GRIEF
          AND I CRY "FATHER, LET ME FLY; LET ME BE RELEASED
          FROM THIS HURTFUL AWFUL BLAST AND GET FAR AWAY",
          I CAN ALMOST FEEL HIS LOVING TOUCH AND HEAR HIM    SAY:

"MY CHILD, REMEMBER THE LITTLE BIRD.
          SUBMIT TO THE STORM AND TO MY WORD.
          AS YOU DO WITH FAITH, YOU'LL FINALLY BE
          LIFTED TO JOY AND SPIRITUAL LIBERTY."         

Gayla Cloud                                  1/17/92

Answer
No, I didn't see that TV special. I do know something about birds in storms. You didn't ask a specific question, so I'll just offer a few facts. Birds tend to avoid storms, staying in front of or behind a low pressure center. It's hard for them to fly in low pressure and when the winds pick up, it's even more difficult. But they do sometimes get caught in storms. They don't just glide and get lifted above the storm. If they were to get lifted, this would mean they are in the center of a storm and they would get lifted many thousands of feet high at a rapid rate. Most airplanes would have a difficult time. They might be able to make it in a very weak storm, but not the typical one and certainly not one with a great gale and rumbling clouds and roaring winds.
In winds, birds might glide a bit but they still have to flap their wings to stay balanced, especially small birds.
I don't know what the TV special was, but I all too often see wildlife depictions on TV that are very exaggerated or just plain wrong.