Some thoughts on covid 19 restrictions

ASs some regulars may know I sometimes have a few health problems that at times restricts my access to the countryside so many of the restrictions that we have endured, and are still enduring, do not feel strange to Chris and myself. My immune system is pretty shot up at times so I'm quite good at avoiding numbers of people, I'm maybe not as anti social as it seems, and I've never been a lover of shopping unless its books. When we were recommended to shield in our own homes we actually realised we could walk the riverside fields with permission from the owners and had little chance of meeting anyone so we felt quite happy there. When restrictions eased we have four small nature reserves within a couple of miles of home with plenty of space to avoid close contact but still both watch birds and talk about birds with others doing the same, quite a little anti social bird club we are. There has been good birds aplenty and as winter has drawn closer the wintering Thrushes arrived we have been doing counts on them. One of our local reserves has got a wonderful Starling murmuration,60,000 birds at least, which we managed to social distance the grandsons to. We have found by visiting the busiest of the reserves late afternoon most birders have gone home and we enjoy the spectacle of birds going to roost. We do miss visiting our local moorland but they are outside the 3 mile radius we put on ourselves, they will still be there when all this is over and we settle down to our new normal. Because I am in that at risk category we seem to be swimming in hand sanitiser but Chris keeps an eye on what I get up to. I just hope other folk are coping as well as us and getting the support we have been getting, take care out there we will beat this lot somehow.

  • Mike we haver found that the reserves get a lot quieter from mid afternoon onwards. We call this our Golden Hour as the birds seem to be feeding up for the night and heading off to communal roosts. We are lucky that it is only a few minutes drive home afterwards.
  • Just had this pop in my box..
    T'was a week before Christmas,
    And all through the town,
    People wore masks,
    That covered their frown.
    The frown had begun
    Way back in the Spring,
    When a global pandemic
    Changed everything.
    They called it corona,
    But unlike the beer,
    It didn’t bring good times,
    It didn’t bring cheer.
    Airplanes were grounded,
    Travel was banned.
    Borders were closed
    Across air, sea and land.
    As the world entered lockdown
    To flatten the curve,
    The economy halted,
    And folks lost their nerve.
    From March to July
    We rode the first wave,
    People stayed home,
    They tried to behave.
    When summer emerged
    The lockdown was lifted.
    But away from caution,
    Many folks drifted.
    Now it’s December
    And cases are spiking,
    Wave two has arrived,
    Much to our disliking.
    It’s true that this year
    Has had sadness a plenty,
    We’ll never forget
    The year 2020.
    And just ‘round the corner -
    The holiday season,
    But why be merry?
    Is there even one reason?
    To decorate the house
    And put up the tree,
    Who will see it,
    No one but me.
    But outside my window
    The rain gently falls,
    And I think to myself,
    Let’s deck the halls!
    So, I gather the ribbon,
    The garland and bows,
    As I play those old carols,
    My happiness grows.
    Christmas is not cancelled
    And neither is hope.
    If we lean on each other,
    I know we can cope HeartGreen heart
    Christmas treeSanta tone2Christmas treeSanta tone2Christmas treeSanta tone2Christmas treeSanta tone2Christmas tree
    Keep it going!
    (Copy&Paste)
  • Wendy S said:
    Mike we haver found that the reserves get a lot quieter from mid afternoon onwards. We call this our Golden Hour as the birds seem to be feeding up for the night and heading off to communal roosts. We are lucky that it is only a few minutes drive home afterwards.

    If only that were the case here. The two closest reserves are very popular at the best of times, and they regularly report car parks full within an hour of opening them!

    To add to that, the footpaths are narrow making social distancing impossible, which is a great shame, because they are good reserves, and full of life wherever you look, at any time of year.

  • Very apt Kate, read this to the sight & sound of hundreds of HGV's trundling past just above my head to park up in old Manston Airport site whilst waiting for Eurotunnel & Dover port to be opened! Started at around 3 o'clock this morning!!
  • It's the perfect storm. A mutant ninja version of the virus - ports blocked - a probable no deal Brexit. We are the pariah of Europe. Can it possibly get worse?
  • Unknown said:
    Can it possibly get worse?

    Food shortages? ... just looking on the bright side!

    Maybe raid some of the lorries parked across the road! Lol

  • I hope the vaccine isn't held up. I'm due for my second jab on 5th Jan
  • Likely fly it over by special licence!
  • Over 3000 lorries now parked up over the road from mine, often hooting to indicate displeasure, helicoptors constantly flying over, maybe newshounds? Army moved in to carry out mass testing as drivers can only cross channel if tested negative ... positive testers must be put up in special hotels to isolate ... only a small village here with locals upset at the increased risk of virus being spread & food supplies being pillaged!
    Certainly is a different Xmas!!

    Feel desperately sorry for all the guys plunged into this situation whilst only doing their jobs!

  • Hi Wendy, I saw all the lorries & thought of you, it's certainly very difficult for everyone. Maybe a fore-taste of what is to come from the 1 jan.