Natural Signs of Danger

[eDJ_]

If we keep our eyes & ears attune to our environment we can detect a lot of things that would be harmful to us.

I welcome your observations and contributions to this thread.

What brought me to post this topic is I'm presently seeing a sign that I've seen before and I want to toss out a Heads Up to those in northern and central Ohio.  I live in the extreme south of Ohio. 

Each spring the Buzzards begin to show up here enroute to Hinckley, Ohio from their winter home in southern Florida.   Hinckley is known for the Buzzards.

This year it's a little different.  There is a larger than normal population of them that aren't continuing their migration north.  By this time of year you may only see one occasionally,  but this year there are loads of them and the nesting smaller birds are flying around those of them that they see trying to run them out of their area.   This is sort of a red flag for me. 

The last time a number of years ago now they were flying all over this area in the dead of winter with 5 to 10 inches of snow on the ground....but they wouldn't leave.   I figured something was up,  and it was.  That was the year Catrina hit New Orleans. 

It's interesting how observing God's creatures can tell us things.   I don't know what is the matter right now,
but in the early a huge Tornado hit Xenia, Ohio. (north of Cincinnati) 

Historic Plaque at Xenia describing the event

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/e5/39/93/e5399377f13fe449b938038ac6369f60.jpg


I hope something like this doesn't happen here in Ohio again.  It's the last thing the State would need in these economic times of cut backs.   But for those who are nomads and travel full time,  it may be wise to take stock of the natural signs around you.  Red skies in the morning...take warning,  and other such things.

What can you add ?

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I know if you're at sea level and you see the animals retreating to the high grounds you best follow suit!

If you're hiking through the woods and the birds stop chirping abruptly, there is something very close in the immediate area......they chirp to warn and become silent when the threat continues to advance and closes in.

I was having this discussion with my friend the other day. Wondering how much natural instinct we've lost over time and even just how much knowledge of the natural world that existed and was shared between generations that became obsolete with technology and has become lost forever. It's sad, I think as a race we've advanced too far forward or at the very least we've forgotten too much of our past.

We're all living in an artificial world. Life is really only about food, shelter, water, and I suppose reproduction. We've filled in all the gaps with all sorts of trivial things.

 

[Weight]

I live in South Jersey. The large Turkey Buzzard, Vultures, have been here in large roosts, mating and raising young. See them all winter but many more in the summer. They were rare in this area about 30 years ago, and then just started to gather. I enjoy watching them fly and land in the taller trees. The last few years have brought the Black Vulture. They are smaller, more aggressive, form larger flocks when feeding, and seem to displace the larger Buzzard. The Black Vulture has a reputation of taking live prey, but I have not witnessed this. They are a southern bird and are taking advantage of the warming climate.

 

[Spaceman Spiff]

. . . Wondering how much natural instinct we've lost over time . . .

Another good reason to travel with a dog.

 -- Spiff

 

[speedhighway46]

I've noticed that sometimes I can smell rain about to start.

Double checking the movement of large trees, and the knowledge of the early stages of cloud formations which can develop into dangerous storms can also prewarn you of degrading conditions.

Don't Camp down river from a dam; don't camp in a floodplain.

Lastly, don't talk yourself into ignoring whatever cautions cause you to take notice. Hunker down and be safe.

Just my opinion . . .

 

[AmieW]

In 2004, I had a flock of wild parrots take up in my back yard oak trees. I had cockatiels at the time, and they talked back and forth. I'd never seen them before. They usually hung out along the shore side of U.S. 41 in a town about 10 miles away. When they flew away, they flew East, which was also strange, because they hardly ever go over a mile or so inland, and my house was 20 miles inland. Hurricane Charley was just a baby storm then, and was supposed to head to St. Pete as a Cat. 1 or 2. For some reason, I kept thinking about those birds being so far inland, and I watched Charley's path very carefully. When it started moving closer to the coast, I told my fiance to load the truck and the car, because when it hit the warm water of the harbor near our house, it was going to turn. He laughed. I was right. It hit the warm water and quickly strengthened to a Cat. 4 (they later said it was a Cat. 5) and the eyewall passed just 7 miles from my house. The destruction to the area was unbelievable. We had several major storms that year, some which passed pretty close by us. Ivan followed me up to SC and then back again. The parrots came back through in January. I don't know where they went, because no place in FL was safe that year. I think they probably went up to GA or even SC to wait things out.

 

[sushidog]

I too can smell when it's going to rain. I can also smell the salt in the air when I near the ocean. I smelled it by the Great Salt Lake in Utah, no where near the ocean, but where there's plenty of salt. I don't think "smell" is the right word, but I can perceive both these sensations in my sinuses.

On January 17th, 1994 I was living in Studio City California, not far from Northridge, CA where my mother-in-law was living. Just before 4:30 I had the strangest feeling that I had overslept so I jumped up out of bed and ran around to my DW's side of the bed as she had the alarm clock on her side. As I was standing there looking at the alarm clock which read about an hour before I had to get up, my wife woke up. Seeing me standing over her she asked what the problem was and if I had to go to the bathroom. I said, "I don't know, but something is wrong." Less than a minute later the Northridge earthquake hit. As soon as the apartment complex started shaking the uneasiness left and a feeling of peace came over me. Fortunately everyone in my family was OK, though it was the worst earthquake I've ever been through and there was lots of damage and destruction everywhere. I just wish I had more than a minute's warning.

Chip

 

[Putts]

I've noticed that sometimes I can smell rain about to start.

There's a word for that:

Petrichor (/ˈpɛtrᵻkɔər/) is the earthy scent produced when rain falls on dry soil. The word is constructed from Greek πέτρα petra, meaning "stone", and ἰχώρ īchōr, the fluid that flows in the veins of the gods in Greek mythology.

If you're at the beach and the water starts to recede rather quickly it's a sign of a tsunami approaching and you should get to high ground rapidly.

 

[slynne]

I can tell when a storm is coming, even when the weather is sunshine and blue skies, by looking at the trees. There is something about a front moving in that causes even slight breezes to flip the leaves up so you can see their backsides. Birds get chirpier too.

I also know that around here at least, if the sky turns green, take cover. It means tornadoes.

If the fall bird migration is early, it means WINTER IS COMING. I like it better when the migration is later.

I live in probably the part of the country least prone to natural disasters so I am surprised that I noticed those things.

 

[Queen]

^^^^ Living in tornado country most of my adult life, I can tell tornado weather in a heartbeat. That greenish or yellow cast to the sky is a dead giveaway.

 

[Every Road Leads Home]

I've noticed that sometimes I can smell rain about to start.

I cut my thumb on a table saw in my early 20's and for years afterwards it would tingle shortly before it was going to rain with 100% accuracy.  I was bummed when it finally went away.  Now I just have a thumb that's a half inch shorter instead of a cool thumb that could tell the weather.

 

[srockwell]

I find this thread so fascinating and really appreciate everyone's sharing. I am a sensitive person who desires to be in deeper communion with nature. I just came back East after a five month foray into the nomadic life. It was so amazing and challenging and I did indeed experience nature as I haven't in a long time. As I was reading this thread I thought it might make for a nice conversation at the RTR or other gathering. I hope to see you out there next Winter. and in the meantime I will head out to greet nature here.

 

[waldenbound]

If your walking in the woods and here a loud "crack", be aware! A large limb getting ready to fall is appropriately called a widow maker.

 

[Putts]

And along those lines: Don't walk through the redwoods when it's really windy out.

 

[TrainChaser]

Stay out of ALL woods when it's really windy out.

If you're camping in the desert, and the ground is all rocky, never be tempted to drive or camp down in the dry riverbed (tent or not). If it rains upcountry, the dry river beds will become wet raging riverbeds, and depending upon the slope, they can hit very fast.

Never try to cross moving water.

If there is a cloudy overcast that looks/feels/smells like rain, and then suddenly the wind starts to blow, rain usually isn't far behind. Get the dry laundry in.

After an earthquake, don't be too quick to hit the road -- the land will continue to move for some time. The land under the pavement can shift, and create a nasty drop-off. If you have to drive, go slowly, so you can stop quickly if you need to. Avoid cracks in the road or the ground -- they may get larger. Get away from buildings and trees that may fall. Never drive at night.