Unintentional consequences of this - I haven't been back to that spot since I saw the wigeon, but some friends who chased it say that there were so many birders there social distancing is now impossible. I'm not sure how I feel about this.
How has COVID-19 affected you personally?
- Thread starter DelacoursLangur
- Start date
Same kind of thing happened here in California to where the state actually has closed all the state parks til further notice. All our national parks are closed too.
Despite the fact that Australia has both A) incredibly low population density, and B) relatively few active cases, most states have effectively implemented a travel ban with unnecessary travel incurring a hefty fine.
Easter and the April school holidays are both typically very heavy holiday periods - but the government has made it very clear that travel for holidays is definitely "non-essential" and people will be fined if caught doing so.
So travelling anywhere beyond your local area to do some birding in Australia right now is likely to get you into trouble.
We should be able to get away with going for a walk from our house and taking some binoculars (we did that on the weekend with the kids), but you wouldn't want to be "loitering" anywhere - especially if others are gathered.
Reading the information on the NSW National Parks website, it's a little grey as to whether you would get away with birding. The national parks near me in Sydney have closed most picnic grounds and other facilities including beaches and popular lookouts. They make it clear that the national parks are open for the purposes of people exercising - but not for other purposes (eg no picnics). I'm not sure how they would consider birding - would probably depend on circumstances and who was policing it.
Easter and the April school holidays are both typically very heavy holiday periods - but the government has made it very clear that travel for holidays is definitely "non-essential" and people will be fined if caught doing so.
So travelling anywhere beyond your local area to do some birding in Australia right now is likely to get you into trouble.
We should be able to get away with going for a walk from our house and taking some binoculars (we did that on the weekend with the kids), but you wouldn't want to be "loitering" anywhere - especially if others are gathered.
Reading the information on the NSW National Parks website, it's a little grey as to whether you would get away with birding. The national parks near me in Sydney have closed most picnic grounds and other facilities including beaches and popular lookouts. They make it clear that the national parks are open for the purposes of people exercising - but not for other purposes (eg no picnics). I'm not sure how they would consider birding - would probably depend on circumstances and who was policing it.
I'm not worried about the stores being too busy, the worst of the panic shopping seems to have passed. But I am going early. The purpose of the trip is to get the staples that are in shorter supply, stuff we wouldn't be able to get from the curbside service. (bread, eggs, potatoes, pasta, rubbing alcohol, that sort of stuff) Keeping the list limited so I don't have to spend much time in the store. Run in, run out! We're doing a curbside delivery for everything else, closest date we could get is a week from now.
Neva
Well-Known Member
I have very similar situation, however in my facility there aren't any confirmed cases yet (unconfirmed more than 10). I work with +600 people on one, night shift. My work introduce new rules due to COVID-19, however I'm on one break with ~100 other humans in one hall and from March to end of April around 700-1000 new workers has started/will start... Recruitment is working perfectly. I could understand it on the one hand, and I cannot on the other. I want to save money but I don't know if it's worth of it. I don't want to threaten other people and myself.
I'm frustrated and all my anxiety (with phobias, obsessive-compulsive disorder...) and depression have come out recently.
I don't know what to think and what to do exactly.
I read here that some people here are struggling also. So I send you all lots of power and strenght to get through this!
On the other side I enjoy working on my photographs and projects at home. I'm glad e.g. that I could work on my photographic exhibition on wild cats at least.
After having felt better for a while over the last week or so I think I have been struggling more again unfortunately. I think I'm still managing but I don't feel very well. I haven't been sleeping well, I have started to feel the anxiety, hopelessness, pessimism and depression of the early quarantine days raising their ugly head again, and I've been somewhat irritable lately. I sense that I am currently low on energy and I feel that I haven't been getting much done and haven't particularly productive over the last week, even though my spreadsheet and some of my posts on this forum would maybe suggest otherwise. Lastly I am quite exhausted with all the horrible Covid-19 related news, to the point of wanting only to read or see a very small amount.
I have still done quite a few things that I enjoy and I continue to enjoy them, like reading and animal research. I have enjoyed the nice weather these last few days, but that has also been a bit of a mixed bag as it also made me think of things I would normally do under such weather conditions and cannot do right now, like visiting zoos or natural areas. The thought of having to miss those things and not knowing if, when and under what conditions that will be possible again is unpleasant. And as I have talked about in one of the other Covid-19 topics, the effects of this crisis on zoos and conservation are something that weighs on my mind. My country is almost certainly going to be on lock-down until May 3rd, but how things will progress after that is still very uncertain. And whether there is at this point any real perspective for fun activities during the summer also remains highly unclear.
I have thought about some recreational cycling around where I live, but I have noticed that quite a few people are doing that already and I am too anxious about accidental contacts resulting in me contracting Covid-19 or getting into trouble for breaking the quarantine rules, even if perhaps only accidentally. I also worry about my parents possibly bringing the virus home - my father is going to work again and my mother does sometimes go out for shopping or recreation. And my parents are still ordering stuff only and having it delivered, something I decided for the time being I won't do.
Another thing that has been worrying me is that governments are thinking of using tracker apps as part of their strategy to roll back the lock-downs. I have not so far wanted to get a smartphone for various reasons, but if they encourage or even make it mandatory for citizens to have these apps, I worry what that could mean for me. Will I be forced to buy a smartphone that I really do not want nor really need to be able to go outside again or to be able to visit the places I love again? I would do it if I really have to, but it would be very reluctantly.
I have still done quite a few things that I enjoy and I continue to enjoy them, like reading and animal research. I have enjoyed the nice weather these last few days, but that has also been a bit of a mixed bag as it also made me think of things I would normally do under such weather conditions and cannot do right now, like visiting zoos or natural areas. The thought of having to miss those things and not knowing if, when and under what conditions that will be possible again is unpleasant. And as I have talked about in one of the other Covid-19 topics, the effects of this crisis on zoos and conservation are something that weighs on my mind. My country is almost certainly going to be on lock-down until May 3rd, but how things will progress after that is still very uncertain. And whether there is at this point any real perspective for fun activities during the summer also remains highly unclear.
I have thought about some recreational cycling around where I live, but I have noticed that quite a few people are doing that already and I am too anxious about accidental contacts resulting in me contracting Covid-19 or getting into trouble for breaking the quarantine rules, even if perhaps only accidentally. I also worry about my parents possibly bringing the virus home - my father is going to work again and my mother does sometimes go out for shopping or recreation. And my parents are still ordering stuff only and having it delivered, something I decided for the time being I won't do.
Another thing that has been worrying me is that governments are thinking of using tracker apps as part of their strategy to roll back the lock-downs. I have not so far wanted to get a smartphone for various reasons, but if they encourage or even make it mandatory for citizens to have these apps, I worry what that could mean for me. Will I be forced to buy a smartphone that I really do not want nor really need to be able to go outside again or to be able to visit the places I love again? I would do it if I really have to, but it would be very reluctantly.
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Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Mainly vicious spikes in anxiety , some pretty relentless and jarring waves of depression , frequent feelings of sadness, nostalgia, bitterness, anger, misanthropy, existential angst and in some moments a strangely cathartic sense of nihilism or indifference.
My involvement with in-situ conservation projects and personal long term studies that I had been planning for over six months have been put on hold and as I can't seem to get this out of my thoughts this is a source of daily irritation but this too shall pass.
My involvement with in-situ conservation projects and personal long term studies that I had been planning for over six months have been put on hold and as I can't seem to get this out of my thoughts this is a source of daily irritation but this too shall pass.
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I wish I wasn't too afraid to go to the beach. It's probably low risk (I hear the National Seashore doesn't have many visitors right now) but I still don't want to take that chance... I'm trying to do some workouts in home because I'm getting in poorer shape. (not that I was in good shape to begin with) Tomorrow I'll try to get up early and get photos of birds around the neighborhood. Mostly house sparrows, starlings, and grackles, but sometimes other interesting species appear.
That's a lot of what I've been doing, migration is underway so things have been interesting! Had a few more unusual species lately.
I do miss going to my other usual spots though.
For the most part, birding spots in my area have remained open. However, High Cliff State Park, one of the best wildlife viewing areas in the state (especially for spring migrants) was just closed. The reason given was that it was too crowded and it was impossible to maintain social distancing, but I had gone there nearly every day for the last couple of weeks and saw barley anyone else there.
All my spots are still open far as I know, but we're strongly discouraged against going out and and about so I haven't been going out. I have plenty of birds at home for now including hummingbirds, warblers, herons, and eagles so for the time being it's easier to just stay home.
Even though I only live two minutes walk from the river, I'm staying in this bank holiday weekend. I walk along and across the river to get to the supermarket, and on my trip there on Thursday afternoon it really did not feel social-distancing safe. Many people seem to be slipping, not keeping their distance, and ignoring the signs the council have put up at the pedestrian bridges saying to wait until they are empty to cross (they are not wide enough for 2m distance). In the supermarket too, they may have been limiting the number of people allowed inside, but it felt busy and nigh-on impossible to keep 2m away from people (especially when they lunge right next to you at a shelf), and really stressed me out. It's not the outside that's stressful, it's all the other people. So, despite the lovely weather, I'm staying in, with the windows open for fresh air, houseplants for greenery, and yoga for physical activity. I only have Juliette balcony, but it's worth it's weight in gold (or flour!) right now!
FunkyGibbon
Well-Known Member
Has no etiquette evolved where there is some way to call someone out on entering the 2m circle around you?
Not that I've heard of or noticed yet. The usual British response to these things - tutting, shaking your head, and muttering 'really!' - are not enough in this strange new world. One of my friends is seriously considering making loud noises like a siren, but like me, she's decided just staying inside is less stressful. I'm sure some resourceful soul will come up with something effective yet practical.
I did hear of someone in St Albans going for their exercise in a Zorb.
I did hear of someone in St Albans going for their exercise in a Zorb.
taun
Well-Known Member
Must admit I am the same, I went shopping in the week and it was horrible. People just browsing around too, make a list people so you can be in and out as quick as possible instead of fingering everything on the selves.
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Lets hope it is all worth it...!
Can any of our Swedish contributors give us any insight about what is happening in their country? - are their zoos still open, like the rest of the country seems to be?
Sweden goes it alone: The EU’s coronavirus exception
Can any of our Swedish contributors give us any insight about what is happening in their country? - are their zoos still open, like the rest of the country seems to be?
Sweden goes it alone: The EU’s coronavirus exception
Onychorhynchus coronatus
Well-Known Member
Has anyone on the forum been through a period of sickness with the coronavirus ?
My significant other was on the frontline as she works in the public healthcare profession and about 3 weeks ago suddenly became sick with symptoms which we recognized as coronavirus. Self isolated for 14 days as per guidelines though she was almost fully recovered after a single week.
I also self isolated as there is absolutely no chance that I could not have caught it. I was very lucky as I developed incredibly mild symptoms that were barely noticeable as such which leads me to believe that I was asymptomatic. Things might well have gone far worse for us.
My significant other was on the frontline as she works in the public healthcare profession and about 3 weeks ago suddenly became sick with symptoms which we recognized as coronavirus. Self isolated for 14 days as per guidelines though she was almost fully recovered after a single week.
I also self isolated as there is absolutely no chance that I could not have caught it. I was very lucky as I developed incredibly mild symptoms that were barely noticeable as such which leads me to believe that I was asymptomatic. Things might well have gone far worse for us.
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
Do you mean the virus or the symptoms? A couple of our staff had the exact symptoms back in the winter, weeks before it was even announced in Italy - both after long-haul air flights. Does this count?
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My grandmother passed away during the week. The cause was an (untreated and missed) infected gall bladder, and a long standing case of pneumonia. A friends father died after being hit by a car and getting complications following the surgery. Both showed no signs of COVID-19 infection, (my nan contracted pneumonia in Jan, long before the pandemic spread, so was sent home as it was more easy to control who she had contact with.), lo and behold both are now "officially" victims of the coronavirus, and both had no sign of the illness. I'm not one for conspiracy theories but I do wonder just how many "confirmed" cases are like the two that have affected me and mine recently...
Andrew Swales
Well-Known Member
I am so sorry to hear of your losses and send my sympathy - but that is disgraceful!