22 replies to this topic

[Totah Sam]

I went to my spot near the Mulberry tree yesterday around 6 am with binoculars, camera, tripod, ice, ice water, and a wet washrag. I took some really nice photos and I wasn't keeping track of the time. It was 12 noon before I knew it and the temperature was 101. I used the ice and wet washrag to keep my body temperature down and I sat deep within the shade of an elm tree.

I still got a sunburn and a touch of heat stress. Keep track of the time and pay attention to your body. Mine was saying, "get in the house!!!" and I ignored it. Now I'm dealing with the consequences, dizzy, headache, feverish and sunburned. I've lived in New Mexico all my life. I know better.

So, be careful everyone. Things can sneak up on you when you're not paying attention.

[triciav83]

Sounds like San Antonio! I was out yesterday on a "cool day" and had sweat dripping off me at 10 am...can't wait for some relief from this heat. I think the grackles that frequent my backyard would like a break too

[dklucius]

here its hot and dry and when the wind blows its smells like the forest fires. you can almost feel your skin drying up and you can dehydrate in no time. with the high elevation and no humidity you can burn so easily and just sucks all the energy out of you.
Hardly any birds out during the day at all. don't know where they are holing up but do see more early mornings.

[Pat B.]

Good advice! I overdid it in the sun yesterday while setting up a birdbath/fountain/pond to keep my little yardbird friends cool. It ruined the rest of the day. I, too, know better.

[horseface]

No way am I birding anytime around mid day right now in MD. Not worth dying for. Unless it's something rare of course

[Aveschapines]

Come on down here, you suffering northerners! It hasn't broken 70° in days, and we have plenty of birdies!

[Carolina]

You are a braver soul than me...the Amazon hot that we had this weekend definitely put a damper on my birding.

[Totah Sam]

here its hot and dry and when the wind blows its smells like the forest fires. you can almost feel your skin drying up and you can dehydrate in no time. with the high elevation and no humidity you can burn so easily and just sucks all the energy out of you.
Hardly any birds out during the day at all. don't know where they are holing up but do see more early mornings.

It's almost over dklucius. The monsoons are coming. We had a lot of heat lightning last night. I hope it didn't start any fires.

[Liam]

Guys, really. Don't talk to me about the heat wave. I've had too much of it this week.

[Aveschapines]

Come on down, Liam! Seriously, we all complain about the horrible heat if it hits 80°F, but that hasn't happend in weeks. And I'll be the one under all the blankets tonight!!!

We have had three earthquakes in the last week, however...

[meghann]

I live near Liam, and yeah, we've been just miserable. At least we haven't lost power like those folks further up the eastern seaboard, though.

Helen, I would love to come down, but my passport is expired. I should probably fix that.

[JimBob]

Two days ago in MO it was supposed to feel like 127. . . really happy I wasn't there for it!

[Aveschapines]

Helen, I would love to come down, but my passport is expired. I should probably fix that.

That's very easy to fix! I just got a new one myself :-)

[creeker]

This thread reminds me of a time a couple of years ago when I was hunting quail in the desert. It was just about 100F out, but hey, it was my day off, and I was determined to get in some exercise and outdoor activity. I had a big cooler in my Blazer, loaded with water and Gatorade. I was also wearing a Camelback with two liters of water in it. My plan was to chase the quail in a wide four mile circle, ending up at my car. Then I would refill the Camelback and down a 32 ounce bottle of Gatorade before heading out again. My plan included me completing three laps of this. I made the first lap just fine, but on the second one, about three miles into it, the quail kept flushing uphill, with me literally running after them at times. I tend to get tunnel vision at times like this (typical guy) and really focus on the task at hand. Next thing I know I'm feeling really bad, dizzy, disoriented, clammy skin, the works. The only thing I could do was find a small bush to lay under. Even my hamstrings and biceps were cramping. Luckily, about this time, my wife calls me on my cell phone. She could tell I wasn't making sense. She asked how far was I from the car. I told her I thought maybe a mile or so. She kept me on the phone until I got back to the car. Had me start the engine, turn on the air, and lay down in the back with the hatch up, elevate my feet, and drink more of the Gatorade. Took me a couple hours to recover enough to make the drive home. So yeah, need to be careful. I'm not as bulletproof as I thought I once was.
On the bright side, while I was sprawled out under that bush, I'm pretty sure I saw an Ivory-billed Woodpecker fly by, being chased by two Passenger Pigeons and a Carolina Parakeet!

[SPiercePhotography]

SO true! I went out to try and shoot a bit this morning, it was 80 degrees- but even just being in the sun for about 2 minutes really nailed me. I think i was pretty much melting! I had to stop and sit on the way to my car in the shade, just to recover and make sure i didn't fall over on my way back. I was out for about 30 minutes, and didn't get one damn useful shot! Even drinking a ton won't always help, so in the heat of the summer i've learned to pick my battles/choose very carefully which days I go out, and which i hide inside the house.

Also< i get up at 6am- go out and shoot- and get back to the house by 9am when it starts heating up too.

[ceylon]

I've got a friend who gets up at 4am and works until 11am and then snoozes or ambles around after this. Over 35 degrees Centigrade. Uck.

[ceylon]

Are you guys getting the Siberian forest fires smoke? It's hit southwest BC.

[Bird Brain]

It hit 105 in Sacramento today. I stayed inside with the air conditioner going strong.......................

[Pat B.]

The # of birds using my birdbath/fountain is definitely way, way up in this heat. It's getting crowded in there!

[JimBob]

I was very surprised when I returned to Missouri from California. . . it wasn't as hot as I expected. 96 with humidity. (Okay that looks a lot worse then it was)