Rainbirds

Heard my first rainbird of the season tonight around 8 PM, does this mean the rain will come early this year?

No, it don't mean squat. This happens every year. Rains will come the second week of June. Conagua is saying that the rains will be late. I can't iamagine how they would know. They haven't been right yet. We've been here 5 years and the rains have come the 2nd week in June every year. Oh, there may be a little bit sooner, but the real rainy season begins when the rains move in from the east.

Rainbirds are members of the Cicada family, their sounds are triggered by warmer weather, starting around 80 - 82F, nothing to do with rain.

Ray and David are right, but they sure take the fun out of the legend or myth that rains begin 40 days after the first rainbird sings. grin. Zoey

Zoey wrote:Ray and David are right, but they sure take the fun out of the legend or myth that rains begin 40 days after the first rainbird sings. grin. Zoey

True, I like the mystique as well!

I thought it was 6 weeks. That would have the rains coming early. Conagua says the rainy season will be late this year. We'll have to wait and see who's right. My money is on the 2nd week of June.

David wrote:I thought it was 6 weeks. That would have the rains coming early. Conagua says the rainy season will be late this year. We'll have to wait and see who's right. My money is on the 2nd week of June.

I'm with you. Five years here, too. Always second week in June, although we get some teasers beforehand. Zoey

"Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-ttttt-chhhhhhht-eeeeeeeeekkkk-th-th" a direct quote from a Rainbird, no translation provided.

When I first heard them I thought someone was running some sort of 2-stroke weed trimmer........

Bob

Elaine St. John wrote:"Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-ttttt-chhhhhhht-eeeeeeeeekkkk-th-th" a direct quote from a Rainbird, no translation provided.

No problem Elaine, I just ran it through Googletranslate and it says, "Gonna rain June 14 at 6:42 p.m.", so that's my bet. Any takers?

Nope, that's too late. June 9 is my guess.

CanuckBob wrote:When I first heard them I thought someone was running some sort of 2-stroke weed trimmer........

Bob

Too funny. When I first heard them, I could not get to sleep. Had no idea what they were and thought it was erratic electrical issues at a neighbors. Now, I welcome them and sleep like a baby. Zoey

Elaine St. John wrote:"Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-ttttt-chhhhhhht-eeeeeeeeekkkk-th-th" a direct quote from a Rainbird, no translation provided.

Would you mind giving me a call and doing that over the phone? I think it loses something in writing. grin. Zoey

oncesubtle wrote:

Elaine St. John wrote:"Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-ttttt-chhhhhhht-eeeeeeeeekkkk-th-th" a direct quote from a Rainbird, no translation provided.

No problem Elaine, I just ran it through Googletranslate and it says, "Gonna rain June 14 at 6:42 p.m.", so that's my bet. Any takers?

That was funny. You have really come out of your shell quite nicely. Zoey

Zoey wrote:

oncesubtle wrote:

Elaine St. John wrote:"Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-ttttt-chhhhhhht-eeeeeeeeekkkk-th-th" a direct quote from a Rainbird, no translation provided.

No problem Elaine, I just ran it through Googletranslate and it says, "Gonna rain June 14 at 6:42 p.m.", so that's my bet. Any takers?

That was funny. You have really come out of your shell quite nicely. Zoey

Thank you Zoie, I think. Now I gotta hide the shell before Candace finds it and paints it 17 different colors or makes a shirt for it. BTW, wasn't joking about the rain date bet, I got 50 pesos sayz I'm right. Anyone want to get a pool going? Step right up.

And speaking of rainbirds, it seems like every year they sound the same, a monotone high frequency pitched buzz. However this year we have one living very close that has an undulating and high pitched hum. It sounds just like a flying saucer from an old B grade movie. It's really odd and I think we might get square rain drops this year but I ain't going to bet on that one. If anyone would like to hear it come on over, just bring some tequila. :cyclops:

They are singing fast and furious out here in West Ajijic tonight. Many at once.

CanuckBob wrote:They are singing fast and furious out here in West Ajijic tonight. Many at once.

Bob, I did hear a couple of short bursts a couple nights ago, but not tonight. Maybe I was too involved in the chase scene in the movie.

Does anyone have an image of a "rainbird"?

They are called Cicadas and look something like this:

Ugly mother. I've seen bigger ones on the sides of my palm tree trunks.

The cicadas need the heat to get in the mood for sex and they also need the rain to soften the ground and bury the next generation, hence the timing. They do not come out every year , they can stay buried for several year before resurfacing.

brigitte wrote:The cicadas need the heat to get in the mood for sex and they also need the rain to soften the ground and bury the next generation, hence the timing. They do not come out every year , they can stay buried for several year before resurfacing.

I have heard them for the past 11 years that I've lived here. Some years they are louder than others.

Hundred of thousands are burried or maybe more , there is always a percentage of them coming out so you hear them every year but cicadas are known to stay many year under ground. Just because you hear the ones that are out that year does not mean the others are not buried. I got that information years ago from a University professor who knows just a little bit more than we do about these bugs.

oncesubtle wrote:

Zoey wrote:

oncesubtle wrote:

Elaine St. John wrote:"Y-e-e-e-e-e-e-ttttt-chhhhhhht-eeeeeeeeekkkk-th-th" a direct quote from a Rainbird, no translation provided.

No problem Elaine, I just ran it through Googletranslate and it says, "Gonna rain June 14 at 6:42 p.m.", so that's my bet. Any takers?

That was funny. You have really come out of your shell quite nicely. Zoey

Thank you Zoie, I think. Now I gotta hide the shell before Candace finds it and paints it 17 different colors or makes a shirt for it. BTW, wasn't joking about the rain date bet, I got 50 pesos sayz I'm right. Anyone want to get a pool going? Step right up.

And speaking of rainbirds, it seems like every year they sound the same, a monotone high frequency pitched buzz. However this year we have one living very close that has an undulating and high pitched hum. It sounds just like a flying saucer from an old B grade movie. It's really odd and I think we might get square rain drops this year but I ain't going to bet on that one. If anyone would like to hear it come on over, just bring some tequila. :cyclops:

I'm in! 50 pesos on June 11th.

The original estimated start dates for the rain were made make in 2010. If I am reading Lake Chapala Weather Net correctly, the first serious rain of about .5" occurred on June 12th in 2010.