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With projected climate change, it is increasingly important to understand the current role of weather in everyday life and how it may change in the future. This paper evaluates two qualitative research approaches for their ability to generate insight into weather-related experiences and everyday practices. As these mundane day-to-day weather interactions often escape memory over time, the paper calls into question the ability of conventional methodological approaches that rely on recall to accurately excavate these events. The research examined serial one-on-one, semi-structured interviews with an adapted short-term focus, and daily diary-photographs. Each approach was applied to one of two Australian cities with sharply contrasting climates - Melbourne and Darwin. Both approaches were able to generate insight into weather-related experiences and practices. However, both presented problems. In interviews, these problems related to retrospective accounts beyond 'yesterday', where physical experience recollections became limited. For diary-photographs, inspiring participants to continually complete and submit contributions proved problematic. I argue that interviews are better for documenting routine practice and generalised experiences, while diary-photographs are better at showing fine-grained detail of physical experiences. Where both aspects are sought, as in this study, a combination is possible. However, using dual methods increases the risk of participant fatigue. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Birds are sensitive to climate variability and change. This pilot study explores variations in bird communities in India under contrasting phases of the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD). Statistical analyses were performed using monthly bird data for the years 1990–2015 in Goa and Tamil Nadu. Monthly precipitation, temperature, the Oceanic Niño Index and the Dipole Mode Index were used as explanatory variables for species richness and counts of three marker species (Brahminy Kite, Indian Pond Heron and Lesser Whistling Duck). Due to highly autocorrelated series, small sample sizes and many test permutations, there is greater likelihood of Type I errors when interpreting correlation results. However, pooling bird data by climate mode and state revealed that species richness was generally greater under El Niño or negative IOD (locally wet conditions) than under La Niña or positive IOD (locally dry conditions). In Goa, the Brahminy Kite, Indian Pond Heron and Lesser Whistling Duck had significantly higher counts during El Niño than La Niña events. In Tamil Nadu, there were significantly more Kites under negative than positive IOD phases. Regional variations in sensitivity may reflect species‐dependent factors such as food availability and security of nesting sites. Further research is needed to establish causal mechanisms between climate mode and species richness as well as into the combined effects of ENSO and IOD on bird communities across South Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]