Most of us remember the heatwave of August 2003, when the UK temperature record was smashed as the mercury rose above the 100F mark for the first time since weather records began.
Older readers may, like me, also recall the long, hot summer of 1976, when it hardly rained across most of England and Wales for three months, from Whitsun all the way through to the August bank holiday. It was said that it only rained because the government had finally appointed a minister for drought.
But how did those baking summers affect Britain’s birds? In general, birds benefit from fine, settled weather, especially during the breeding season. Prolonged wet and windy weather makes finding food harder, while tiny chicks can easily chill in the nest.
But, as always, nature abhors extremes. Heatwaves cause problems too: by drying up puddles and ponds, and reducing the water levels in larger lakes and reservoirs. This can cause algal blooms, making it tricky for waterbirds such as ducks, geese and swans to find food. Many birds – both large and small – feed their young on insects; and prolonged drought can mean those insects themselves are struggling to reproduce.
Even if they can find enough food, adult and baby birds can suffer from hot weather. Unlike mammals such as us, birds do not possess sweat glands, and thick plumage can lead to overheating. During those endless summer days, it was a common sight to see birds sheltering in little patches of shade, and panting to lose heat.
