Surviving the Scorching Heat: Tales from the Bird Spa.

On By Sean D. LaytonIn birds, Houseguest, Humor

While heatwaves have large parts of the U.S. feeling like they’re in a blast furnace (Thanks a lot, climate change), here in the Sonoran Desert, the sizzle is as unrelenting as normal. Valley cities laying down concrete and asphalt like they’re going out of style have intensified the scorching climate by a whopping 10 to 15 degrees F over the past century. This year, we’d grown complacent, enjoying an unusual stretch of balmy weather. But all good things must come to an end—and when summer finally showed up, it did so with a vengeance. For the past few weeks, we’ve been living on Satan’s Front Porch and experiencing oppressive triple-digit temps. (For my Celsius-using readers, triple-digit in Fahrenheit translates to “Why the f*** do I live here?!?!”).

Now, I can handle the heat because I’m adaptive—meaning, a) I don’t go outside unless forced to (i.e. the house is on fire), and b) I have a top-notch air conditioning unit.

Sadly, the flora and fauna in my yard do not have those options. I actually feel bad about my front yard plants. As an indifferent gardener, I admit I am not the best caretaker for my front yard bushes, being an inconsistent waterer. My automatic irrigation system is dormant, needing $2000 to be replaced. For the past couple of years, I’ve been watering by hand. Some mornings, groggy, I have to remind myself that the oleanders are depending on me. Unfortunately for the oleanders, we do not have a strong bond.

As for the critters, at the Houseguest’s suggestion, I’ve turned my backyard into a veritable spa for them—especially the lovebirds. I’ve let my yard go natural (i.e. stopped my feeble attempts to manicure it). I purposely killed off the hated Bermuda grass in the center oval (though it stubbornly hangs on, having escaped the confines of the oval’s curbing) and planted a desert willow and desert museum paloverde. And I’ve let native bushes spring up. I’ve got a couple of quail families that visit with their chicks. And there’s the rabbit who has taken up residence and chills out by the bird baths. And of course, there are the lovebirds.

On his tippy toes (the Houseguest has since had me put out something he could climb on)

You may recall an earlier post about the inexpensive mister I bought to stop heatstroke among my avian visitors. In more moderate weather, there are typically 8 to 16 peach-faced lovebirds hanging around my Chinese elm, with up to half of them gathering to sit around one of the bird baths in the late afternoon (the Houseguest calls it ‘happy hour’). Well, let’s say this year, the word’s gotten around. As the temps soared, I began turning the mister on earlier and earlier. The first week, I had the usual 8 to 16 lovebirds. Then one day, I looked out, and there were 25 lovebirds. Then 30, then 40, and now I’m sometimes hitting 50+ peach faces. Most of them just sit there on the ground in front of the mister like they’re waiting for a band to play, while some sit on the bird baths or on (or in) the Houseguest’s flower pots, on plants, or sometimes right on the mister. It’s quite remarkable.

I’m either running a bird sanctuary or a day spa.

I might need to start buying extra bags of seed.

So, how are things going in your neck of the woods this summer? If the weather is hot, how are you handling it?

As always, thanks for reading. If you enjoyed the post, give it a Like and leave a comment! See you next time (hopefully sooner than later).

12 thoughts on “Surviving the Scorching Heat: Tales from the Bird Spa.”

  1. I notice the pigeons in the movie did not get a mention in the post. All birds matter? Just kidding. No one likes pigeons. We can celebrate when the hawks get one. And my money is that your bird sanctuary will soon turn into the hawk and owl’s killing field.

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    1. I had two giant hawks land in my yard outside my window a couple years ago. But yeah, the pigeons are a pain in the ass. Constantly shitting in the birdbaths. And they sit on the edge of my roof and chimney waiting for me to come out. I don’t throw food down for them, but the small birds inside the domed feeder hanging from the tree knock out the shitty seeds they don’t want, and the pigeons aren’t picky. I’m thinking of going exclusively with sunflower seeds because the lovebirds won’t chuck those out. But then the quail will be out of luck.

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  2. I’ve heard so many horror stories about the heat in Arizona. Stay safe! It’s not too bad here. Usually, we get lots of smoke from wildfires, and there have been a few wildfires, but nothing too bad, yet.

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  3. Hi, Sean! What lovely company you keep in your garden!

    The heat was unbearable here too. I wasn’t in Athens when the big heatwave came, but the provinces weren’t any better. I was at my parent’s house, which has no airconditioning. It means, I had to stay in with the shutters closed from 11 in the morning till about 8 in the afternoon. I was taking many showers, doing some intermittent napping, having ice-cream and much, much water, waiting for the sun to start going down so life outside could start again. Luckily my parents’ place is on a hill, which means that in the evening you can open all windows and have cool air rushing about the house, finally.

    As for my mother’s flowers in the balcony, I watered them first thing in the early morning, and gave them another cup of water at night.

    I had no idea automatic irrigation would be so expensive!

    And how are you?

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    1. Hi, Basilike! Good to hear from you. Sorry for the slow response. I’m in England right now and have been a bit preoccupied.

      Yeah, having no AC during a heatwave can be unbearable, especially in a city. At least in the countryside or smaller towns, you don’t have massive amounts of concrete and asphalt holding in the heat.

      I’m doing okay. Nothing too exciting other than visiting relatives right now. I really need to do some writing, but that’s kind of fallen by the wayside other than the occasional burst of activity. How are things going for you?

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      1. Things are going well, with some work and quite a lot free time. I’ve written some pieces, but mostly in Greek. I am not big on writing these days either…

        Are you still in Britain? I hope you are enjoying yourself!

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