News of a new virus in China at the start of the year seemed relatively trivial at first; we'd been here before with SARS and Birdflu, amongst others. This time it was the real deal though. In mid-March the country went into enforced lockdown. Working form home became the immediate norm and leaving the house was only allowed for exercise and essential items like food. Needless to say the effect was immediate and birding went out the window as, like everyone else, I scrambled to figure out the new normal and keep the business going.
Thank heavens for the patch. the proximity of my Winnington home to Marbury was, almost literally, lifesaving. Given that I have also been living under the black cloud of divorce, coping with Covid was a challenge. Nature, at least, carried on regardless and once again became my therapy.
Local patch birding was, of course, the primary focus, although I did manage a pre-lockdown trip to Burton Mere Wetlands.
Checking for the Peregrines of Winnington Works became a regular feature over the winter, from both a work and personal perspective. The male was often present but no evidence of breeding following the commencement of demolition last winter.
Back on the patch, the Siberian Stonechat lingered throughout March, remaining steadfastly in the northwest corner of Ashton's. Spring begun to arrive and the weather turned very warm for the season, with the inevitable arrival of the first Chiffchaffs and Sand Martins. There has been a mercurial rise in the number of Cetti's Warblers over the last few years; its just 5 years since our first ever record but this spring there are perhaps 19 territories. Amazing colonisation.
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