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.
Pete
Birding is for everyone no matter how good or bad we are at it,enjoy it while you can
Best wishes
Hazel in Southwest France
I've said this before, and while I share the same thoughts and feelings, plus sympathies to those not able to visit loved ones, I fear this is with us for a good few more months, vaccine or no vaccine. I feel this year will continue with lockdowns and hopefully, next year will see a turn around.
I would love to be wrong, very wrong, and welcome folk to tell me I was wrong.
What doesn't help is the media hype over the vaccination program and mis-information. While the vaccine is a good start, it isn't the end in sight just yet, because Covid-19 is global, until the vast majority (not one or two, or a few) of countries have managed to control of Covid-19, then it will rumble on.
I would also add, that many vaccines have a limited window of effectiveness, and those who travel abroad and require injections before they travel will know what I mean, because you are quizzed about the dates of departure and return. Even the flu jab has a limited effective period, typically close to six months, but with decades of data, they are usually pretty sure what strains to use in the vaccine and therefore it is relatively under control.
Covid-19 is new, and not quite a years worth of data yet, but it is accruing. However, will still at the start of variants and that will take time to gather data and be able to work around. But that doesn't mean we shouldn't start somewhere, with the current vaccines in place, it is a good start.
My god-daughter lost her partner last April through cancer, and due to lockdown #1. To add salt to her wounds, the funeral had to take place on the day they were due to marry!
There will have been many more in similar or worse scenarios....
Mike
Flickr: Peak Rambler
Just read with great concern (on BBC website) that our nations hero Captain Sir Tom Moore has covid and in hospital, bless him; Hope the ones flouting restrictions take serious note of what this can do to one of our national treasures and the rest of the public at large. get well soon Sir Tom XX
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Regards, Hazel
Unknown said:Just read with great concern (on BBC website) that our nations hero Captain Sir Tom Moore has covid and in hospital, bless him; Hope the ones flouting restrictions take serious note of what this can do to one of our national treasures and the rest of the public at large. get well soon Sir Tom XX
I'd just seen that on the news as I read your posting!
Fingers crossed for a good recovery, he's more than earned it.
Regards,
Ian.
Kind regards, Ann
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Tony
My Flickr Photostream