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July2022Weather diary page July 3, Kanagawa: Getting some respite from the heat, but not much. Highs today to be in the low 30's with somewhat overcast skies. Tropical storm Aere is moving up from the SW. It just passed over Okinawa and is supposed to take a NNE track. Aere, or what's left of it, should start affecting us in a day or two. Jul 4, NR: Read your Jun reports - the world seems perfectly balanced right now - extremes of rain & drought/heat on either side of the globe. Yet another East Coast Low formed a few days ago - the tail stretched up to north Qld but the pointy end rotating into land was 2000km south, just south of Sydney. Places got 600+ mm over 3-days - large areas flooded - again. They're saying it could be as bad as the 2021 floods, which is telling - it used to be 'as bad as the 1954 floods'. Only a little rain here but disturbing how quickly the ground bogs up. The fucking water-table - it's all right there. Managed to get down to tree paddock to mow - there was only a one-two day window. Rails have been around every day - they're solitary mostly - they must breed i guess - but they're not like the wild ducks that always appear as Mr & Mrs. The rails are secretive but have become accustomed to me - even if using power tools. The chook house has proven a big attraction - to other animals. Open up the gates during the day - so far wallabies, ducks, the rail, and today swamphens have been in for a full-inspection. With the wallaby, it first went into the chook-house - with a chook in there - who kept her cool but was alert - it looked around checked everything out - came outside - then went in to the chook yard enclosure which is L-shaped - calmly inspected the length of it, tried the grass, then hopped out. The swamphens are funny - have to check prev diary coz remember they showed up last year acting like they own the joint - it's the same this time. Only stayed a few days last year - we'll see how it goes this year. Hmm, a quick search says they're egg-stealers - so that's an end to their chook-house visits. Wondered why there weren't any eggs today. Lot of ibis also around looking for worms. Cold today, but very humid - that level where you can see it in the air. July 17, NR: Interesting week in wildlife. Saw a large dingo (native dog) checking out the chook-shed one morning around 9am, which is unwelcome. Normally they are active around dusk and dawn so 9am is quite late - though it was overcast/foggy. Also saw a pademelon (small, fat wallaby) one evening, just before dark - haven't seen one here before so that was pleasing. Have looked around with the torch since then but haven't seen it again. There's also a half-grown echidna hanging around the house, which is nice. There have been a lot of ibis around the house - as the water table is so high it forces the worms up - so good for the ibis. Noticed one glossy ibis (quite rare) amongst the straw-necked ibis (very common). Also the buff-banded rails' breeding season seems to have gone off the rails with an explosion in numbers - no doubt due to the big wet. I heard birdwatchers pay good money to see these rails. At first i might see one dart between weed thickets, but now they appear to have decided i'm not a threat so they will approach within a few metres - don't even seem to be bothered by me using power tools. I can see two young ones out the window as i write -one chasing the other off. Apart from breeding, obviously, they like to operate alon. A couple of days ago a grey goshawk landed in the big gum tree to the south - a beautiful bird, white & grey, but another threat to the chickens. Luckily the ravens, magpies, butcher-birds were all over it like a rash, which was enough to alert me and the chooks. We've had a week of good weather - ground has almost dried out, enough to tow trailer on access road to get a load of 'cracker-dust'(blue metal in sand-like form) for the paths (to reduce the bog-effect). Will cut the grass today, then another load of cracker-dust on Monday. Then unfortunately, the rain is coming back. Nothing huge, but judging from the last rain, it will be more than enough to bog the ground up again due to the height of the water-table. July 19, NR: Today was 60% chance of 1-3 mm - i thought we might be lucky and get the 40% chance of no rain for once - or only 1 mm - at least get a half-day's work in - but it was raining before i got out of bed. Looks like an all-day-drizzler (of at least 10mm) - with several more to come ... Sadly, the forecast has gotten worse, as it invariably does - a week of rain, including a 30mm day - which, on past experience, may blow-out even more. Anyway, got my prepping done, though wood supply (from fallen gum tree branches) is getting low. Getting 4-6 eggs a day from chooks - which is way more than i can eat, so giving the surplus away to neighbours. July 23, Kanagawa: July has been hot.The highs the last couple of weeks have been in low to mid 30's with very high humidity, often in the 90% range. It's been about 1-2 degrees above average every day. Cicadas in full swing. July 28, Kanagawa: July has continued to be a couple degrees above average with daily highs in the 32-33 range with high humidity. July 31, Kanagawa: July has been hot. Today the high is forecast to be 35. Same for tomorrow. July 31, NR: Rain has come and gone - another East Coast Low - the fourth of the year. Nothing huge here but around 50mm on peak day (July 21-22) (100+ around Murwillumbah) - more than enough to bog the ground up for a week. Has mostly dried out now after a week of sunny weather. Arthritis attack as the low first came onshore - must be connected to change in low/high pressure - first serious one for the season. Rain brought back the ibis flock - assume the rising water table brings worms to the surface - small pond formed to right of chook-shed where they all gathered. At one stage i looked out window and saw 8 varieties of birds gathered for the feast - ibis, rails, egrets, wood ducks, ravens, swamp hens, (forgot the other two). Also saw a barn owl a couple of nights ago for first time - harsh, horror-movie style calling - so shone the torch out then saw it fly by. |