After work I rode my bike for about 8 miles to our favorite eatery through 109 degree afternoon temperatures. The biking can take your mind off the heat whereby standing at the bus stop is like crawling into an oven and shutting the door. While I waited at an outside table for Mrs S the hot breeze actually had a cooling effect as it blew, hair dryer like, against my clammy shirt. Hopefully this humidity will transform itself into more monsoon rains soon. These extreme temperatures are taking a toll on out desert plants even with just one day of missed watering.
On the drive down the neighborhood road a neighbor waved me over and told me a Great Blue Heron was seen with a fishing lure and line around its bill wound so tight the bill could only partially open. The rehabilitation center came to rescue him but even with a long net they were unsuccessful. We hope they are able to catch him before he/she gets too malnourished for recovery. Great Blue Herons are very accurate with their long pointed bills when cornered and go for the eyes, so rescuers have to be careful. In fact, sometimes these birds stand over ground squirrel burrows, spearing their next meal as they exit the hole. This is not typical behavior you would expect from a water bird.
I took Kino out on our nightly walk on the soft grassy area by the pond. It was too late for Purple Martins, and I still haven't seen which tree or trees they use to roost. The bats were more plentiful tonight, and were joined by a Lesser Nighthawk and a calling Northern Rough-winged Swallow. I was surprised that the swallow was out hunting insects so late, but have noticed others just before dusk recently. I wonder if the large numbers of Purple Martins ruling the airways are keeping them away until later in the evening. I do notice Killdeer seem to disappear when the martins are plentiful, and have seen them chased.
Early last evening I did see about 65 Purple Martins while out with Kino. A pair put on a show while over our heads, clutching each other as they tumbled in a downward spiral toward the ground. After about a twenty foot drop they recovered. I wonder if this is some sort of food passing technique or just playing around. I have seen others perform this acrobatic display whenever we're out but this seemed to be a show played out for our benefit so close to the ground.
I took some beetle pictures tonight but will upload later to this post. Feel free to identify if you know what species they are.
Although you may not appreciate our extreme summer temperatures, thank you for appreciating our neighborhood wildlife neighbors, who find some way to survive here without any AC!
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