birding-aus

Re: Effect of extreme heat on birds

To: "'Karen'" <>, "'Stephen Ambrose'" <>
Subject: Re: Effect of extreme heat on birds
From: "Greg Hunt" <>
Date: Tue, 3 Feb 2009 21:14:16 +1100
If they're mynahs, I can't get upset.

The problem with the heat wave, from an anthropomorphic and climate-change
viewpoint, is that it didn't go long enough. Humans don't do things until
they have to (think heart issues but no lifestyle changes until a cardiac
arrest) and there'll probably be more heatwaves as we continue with business
as usual. 

Back to Friday January 30 though. We reverted to default position when the
cool change arrived in downtown Melbourne around 4 pm. Isn't it passing odd
that this cool change took us from 45oC to a relatively pleasant 35oC? 

35oC? 35oC? Time was when a cool change was thunderous clouds and lightning,
a blustery sou'westerly with the tang of Werribee in the air and the
temperature plummeting enough to make us feel cold. We cannot do business as
usual.

I'm sorry for the other avian species that shared the heat with mynahs
though.

Cheers

Greg Hunt (not MP)

-----Original Message-----
From: 
 On Behalf Of Karen
Sent: Tuesday, 3 February 2009 6:45 PM
To: Stephen Ambrose
Cc: 
Subject: Re: Effect of extreme heat on birds

I've had quite a few dead baby Mynahs around my property in South 
Warrandyte, Victoria.  Also a dead ringtail out in the paddocks presumably 
from the heat.   I managed to set up an extra bird bath near our boundary 
which has a good tree-line .  It became quite busy, with one afternoon even 
having 7 Choughs asleep around the rim of it.  It was set up by a leaking 
tap that I was trying to get fixed.  I think between the small puddle from 
the tap, which was just as busy, plus the birdbath it kept many birds 
watered during the few 41 to 45 degree days we had.   They were almost 
queuing up for it!

My small dam has completely dried up for the first time in the 4 years I've 
been here so the local kangaroos are making use of all my horses' water 
troughs.

Karen.


>
> Just to  stir up conversation on this a bit, does anyone have any stories
> from the recent heat wave in Southern Australia (SA and VIC?)
> Over the few weeks,  a eucalypt tree in my back yard has been  flowering
> and attracting 50+ Rainbow Lorikeets each evening.  Last thursday, when
> temperatures reached over 40 degrees for 3 days straight, the tree was
> empty.
> The last few nights, the birds have been back but not in the same numbers.
> I'm not sure if any deaths have occurred that led to the decrease in
> numbers, or if the tree's nectar source is naturally 'drying' up.
> Peter
>
>
> Not exactly a bird anecdote, and I'm not sure how true the story is, but 
> at
> least one Koala seems to have had the right idea.
>
>
http://news.ninemsn.com.au/nayional/737051/summer-heatwave-damages-produce-f
> armers
>
> Stephen Ambrose
> Ryde, NSW
>
> 

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