Hi Birders,
Please don't be put off summer birding out here in the Red Centre by worries
about a lack of birds. Us desert locals get some of our best birding when
no-one else is here: summer is the growing season for our plants and peak
season for our reptiles and invertebrates (ie bird food!), so the birds really
are at their best at this time of year. Yes its hot during the day but you just
have to do what the birds do and adapt your patterns to suit- temperate climate
style 'office hours' birding is not an option! For best results plan to bird in
two sessions between pre-dawn and 11am then 4 till nightfall. This leaves
plenty of time in the day for the long drives sometimes needed to cover ground,
or even for non-birding activities! Heat is easy to deal with in a normal dry
year when its not humid: just plan to be out of the sun during the warmest
parts of the day (ie.11am-4pm), wear loose, natural-fibre long sleeved shirts
(you could do worse than a good ol
King-G) and plan to drink lots of water (I aim for a litre an hour when the
temps go over 28 degrees). The shorter sessions do mean that you have to be
pretty sharp about your site selection- thats where local knowledge comes in
handy...
Mark Carter- Birding Guide and Wildlife Surveyor
0447358045
www.desertlife.com.au
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