Corona virus threat to birding (1 Viewer)

Deb Burhinus · Mar 24, 2020

MalR said:
But surely the car journey itself isn't the issue. The nearest place I can walk to from my home is a country park which is a magnet for walkers, dog walkers, mountain bikers etc. I will come into contact with far more people there than if I drove somewhere ten or fifteen minutes away. ...

The point of all this is to minimise contact between people. If driving somewhere allows me to do that, surely that is a good thing, as I'm less likely to contract the virus and bring it home to my family?

To me, this would only make sense if going outside was prohibited completely apart from essential trips to the supermarket etc.

Malcolm

Sorry Malcolm, while I see your frustration about these restrictions they really have to apply to everyone equally or it will simply be unsustainable. It’s hard enough for us to live under ‘lockdown’, ‘social distancing’ and ‘self-isolating’ without seeing one’s neighbours get into their nice Subara for a family jolly in the forest or driving off to do a day’s birdwatching ‘somewhere out of town’.

Some people, including BFers we’ve heard from, don’t even have an option of getting out of the Town/City (or even their front door!) (nor I might add, the option of stacking their car boot full of groceries while others can only carry a small shopping bag because they walked to their local shop!)

Given that many people gave up/made a decision not to have a car so the next generation of children might have a better chance at a healthy future, it’s a little like rubbing their noses in it now if every off-work person/families got their car out and took to the road - causing increased pollution and increased incidents of RTAs due to the excess of traffic - all because of people using their cars to ‘self-isolate’ so they can circumvent restrictions.

Bear a thought too, that extra traffic congestion means delays for our essential keyworkers getting to work, delays for army and emergency vehicles getting around and even more delays on top of the delays caused by the rapid increase of online deliveries (and could potentially even lead to a run on petrol.) (Just take a look at Snowdon last weekend when everyone had the same idea)

Why should you have more freedoms and suffer less than anyone else just because you have a car and want to go out and have fun?

Non-essential journeys is exactly that - please keep the roads clear for those that need them!

coaltit · Mar 24, 2020

Steve Babbs said:
Should I have the virus, the risk of me passing it on to anyone by driving to the countryside - and I would deliberately chose an area where there is very few people - is very close to zero. I still have 680 miles of fuel left in my tank so I wouldn't even have to go to a fuel station for a long time and when I did I deliberately chose pay at the pump and wore gloves which I then disposed of. But I am entitled to run around my fairly large town. Now having read the risks of that it's pretty minimal too but I'd come much closer to others. I also ensure I do not touch any surfaces with my hands when out.

However, I am frankly terrified about the thought of going to the supermarket. I have managed to get some essential supplies - wine - ordered online.

I do the bulk of my grocery shopping on line and top up elsewhere when I have to.

coaltit · Mar 24, 2020

andyadcock said:
I'd advise wearing gloves if you pay for goods by putting in a pin code at the checkout.

yes I,m after a box of surgical gloves but It will mean haveing to mix a bit in our local b&m store If they have not sold out already I think the contactless Is a great alternative to cash unless fresh notes out the wall bank but that ends up changeing It with older currency eventually so the contactless is the safest way for the unseeable future.

Steve Babbs · Mar 24, 2020

coaltit said:
I do the bulk of my grocery shopping on line and top up elsewhere when I have to.

Unfortunately I'm not sure there is the capacity for everyone to do that for food. Quite rightly they are giving priority to the people who most need it. I may qualify as I'm asthmatic but there's people who are a lot more in the need than me.

Limit for contactless to be increased to £45 apparently. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2...-spending-to-rise-to-45-at-beginning-of-april

delia todd · Mar 24, 2020

I've never ordered groceries on line and not sure I really want to. I like to select my fruit and veg individually - hate getting them in bags and nets as there's always one in the middle that's got bruised or is rotten.

kb57 · Mar 24, 2020

Deb Burhinus said:
Bear a thought too, that extra traffic congestion means delays for our essential keyworkers getting to work, delays for army and emergency vehicles getting around and even more delays on top of the delays caused by the rapid increase of online deliveries (and could potentially even lead to a run on petrol.) (Just take a look at Snowdon last weekend when everyone had the same idea)

Why should you have more freedoms and suffer less than anyone else just because you have a car and want to go out and have fun?

Non-essential journeys is exactly that - please keep the roads clear for those that need them!

I must reluctantly agree with you, those are exactly the reasons as I understood it why car travel for leisure purposes is being discouraged.

That said, I'm actually in the office at the moment, as I needed to be here in order to run my business - hopefully temporarily, as I'm getting fibre broadband fitted at home on Friday (assuming telecoms staff are still working then, which I believe is the case). The office is empty, my colleagues are already home working - I've had two meetings with them already using Zoom videoconferencing, and have a Microsoft Teams meeting with clients scheduled this afternoon - the latter instead of a planned visit to Kent I was desperately trying to get out of last week. I think this is going to change the way a lot of people work permanently.

You'll be pleased to know on my short (<9 mile) journey to work traffic was very light, and few people were out and about (although we are talking rural NW Durham here...). What concerned me more is the fact several of those vehicles were being driven by older people, and whether they were heading out food shopping. Also older people out walking dogs. Maybe the message hasn't got out to the over 70s, or maybe they're just happy to take a risk.

cheshirebirder · Mar 24, 2020

Steve Babbs said:
Unfortunately I'm not sure there is the capacity for everyone to do that for food. Quite rightly they are giving priority to the people who most need it. I may qualify as I'm asthmatic but there's people who are a lot more in the need than me.

Limit for contactless to be increased to £45 apparently. https://www.theguardian.com/money/2...-spending-to-rise-to-45-at-beginning-of-april

Tried over the last day or two to get either a home delivery slot or click and collect slot with all the local supermarkets - no chance. That’s into the second week of April.We’re both 69 and qualify as special consideration under some websites but makes no difference. They’re just unable to respond to the scale of demand. Going to do the food shop is by far the biggest threat to self-quarantine for us.

ClarkWGriswold · Mar 24, 2020

kb57 said:
I must reluctantly agree with you, those are exactly the reasons as I understood it why car travel for leisure purposes is being discouraged.

That said, I'm actually in the office at the moment, as I needed to be here in order to run my business - hopefully temporarily, as I'm getting fibre broadband fitted at home on Friday (assuming telecoms staff are still working then, which I believe is the case). The office is empty, my colleagues are already home working - I've had two meetings with them already using Zoom videoconferencing, and have a Microsoft Teams meeting with clients scheduled this afternoon - the latter instead of a planned visit to Kent I was desperately trying to get out of last week. I think this is going to change the way a lot of people work permanently.

You'll be pleased to know on my short (<9 mile) journey to work traffic was very light, and few people were out and about (although we are talking rural NW Durham here...). What concerned me more is the fact several of those vehicles were being driven by older people, and whether they were heading out food shopping. Also older people out walking dogs. Maybe the message hasn't got out to the over 70s, or maybe they're just happy to take a risk.

Hi KB. My understanding is they are still connecting fibre optics/ broadband. My neighbour had it done this morning. Ours is booked in for Monday. The issue we have is that our broadband is so slow that it’s difficult for both of us to work from home at the same time. They have said this is definitely still booked in.

We’ll be going from 2 mb to 100mb - told you it was slow!:eek!:

Rich

Steve Babbs · Mar 24, 2020

cheshirebirder said:
Tried over the last day or two to get either a home delivery slot or click and collect slot with all the local supermarkets - no chance. That’s into the second week of April.We’re both 69 and qualify as special consideration under some websites but makes no difference. They’re just unable to respond to the scale of demand. Going to do the food shop is by far the biggest threat to self-quarantine for us.

I hope you sort it out. I agree; the food shop is by far the biggest worry for me too. Well now I'm no longer in a school. Because of the idiots hoarding the shops of quite rightly put a limit on what you can buy but that makes the going to the shop 'as infrequent as possible' bit rather tricky.

Andy Adcock · Mar 24, 2020

From my kitchen window.

1. House Sparrow
2. Magpie
3. Carrion Crow
4. Jackdaw
5. Blue Tit
6. Great Tit
7. Long-tailed Tit
8. Blackbird
9. Dunnock
10. Robin
11. Wood Pigeon
12. Collared Dove
13. Goldfinch
14. Greenfinch
15. Black-headed Gull
16. Starling
17. Wren
18. Rook

Deb Burhinus · Mar 24, 2020

andyadcock said:
From my kitchen window.

1. House Sparrow
2. Magpie
3. Carrion Crow
4. Jackdaw
5. Blue Tit
6. Great Tit
7. Long-tailed Tit
8. Blackbird
9. Dunnock
10. Robin
11. Wood Pigeon
12. Collared Dove
13. Goldfinch
14. Greenfinch
15. Black-headed Gull
16. Starling
17. Wren
18. Rook

:t:

kb57 · Mar 24, 2020

cheshirebirder said:
Tried over the last day or two to get either a home delivery slot or click and collect slot with all the local supermarkets - no chance. That’s into the second week of April.We’re both 69 and qualify as special consideration under some websites but makes no difference. They’re just unable to respond to the scale of demand. Going to do the food shop is by far the biggest threat to self-quarantine for us.

You gave an answer to my question before I posted it! This is unfortunate if there are a lot of older people (I'm 62 myself BTW...) or those who have the dreaded 'underlying health problems', who have no alternative but to go shopping themselves.

The local community association near where I live is offering to shop for those who are self-isolating or older - this needs to happen more widely. I also asked an older neighbour if he needed any shopping (he didn't as he had family to help) - everyone who is still able to get out and about should do this, you may be able to get a little guilt-free birding in along the way to the supermarket!

kb57 · Mar 24, 2020

ClarkWGriswold said:
Hi KB. My understanding is they are still connecting fibre optics/ broadband. My neighbour had it done this morning. Ours is booked in for Monday. The issue we have is that our broadband is so slow that it’s difficult for both of us to work from home at the same time. They have said this is definitely still booked in.

We’ll be going from 2 mb to 100mb - told you it was slow!:eek!:

Rich

Thanks Rich, that's reassuring! I don't even have broadband at home, our village went from totally useless speeds too to having fibre a couple of years ago, but I like to separate work from home, don't watch much telly, and could look stuff up on the phone on 4G if I really needed to.

MalR · Mar 24, 2020

Deb Burhinus said:
Sorry Malcolm, while I see your frustration about these restrictions they really have to apply to everyone equally or it will simply be unsustainable. It’s hard enough for us to live under ‘lockdown’, ‘social distancing’ and ‘self-isolating’ without seeing one’s neighbours get into their nice Subara for a family jolly in the forest or driving off to do a day’s birdwatching ‘somewhere out of town’.

Why should you have more freedoms and suffer less than anyone else just because you have a car and want to go out and have fun?

If that's the impression my posts have given, then I'm clearly not expressing myself very well. The point I was trying to make was nothing to do with me having fun and suffering less than anyone else. But I've obviously failed to explain what I did mean, so I'll leave it at that.

Malcolm

IAN JAMES THOMPSON · Mar 24, 2020

delia todd said:
I've never ordered groceries on line and not sure I really want to. I like to select my fruit and veg individually - hate getting them in bags and nets as there's always one in the middle that's got bruised or is rotten.

I’ve had great trouble finding anywhere to find a delivery date with the earliest delivery date been at least 2-3 weeks ahead. But after a great deal of trying I’ve managed to book 3 delivery days for online shopping including 1 day later this week. A lot of people with underlying conditions have had great problems just like me to find any online delivery days for less than 2-3 weeks ahead. Lots of individuals I’ve seen are still having problems finding a delivery date under 2 weeks. Maybe I’m lucky, as I have managed but it was difficult. I’m very fit as far as walking goes, but with having diabetes type 2, I voluntarily self isolated on Thursday of last week for up to 12 weeks ahead and possibly more. I’m normally out a few days every week birdwatching and it was a difficult decision to make, but my personal health is very important to me and I hope this situation is over sooner than lots of the scientists think that it will be.
Ian.

davpen · Mar 24, 2020

Deb Burhinus said:
Why should you have more freedoms and suffer less than anyone else just because you have a car and want to go out and have fun?

You could just as easily argue that because some people don't have a garden, the lucky ones that do have one shouldn't be allowed to sit out in theirs.

Robert Wallace · Mar 24, 2020

It will be interesting to see how some of the "honey pot" reserves suffer financially because of the impending restrictions.
Some reserves have become "nature theme parks" where the majority of visitors are simply taking their children /dogs for a walk. Visitors supporting binoculars (never mind scopes) are in the minority.
Some reserves manage visitors better than others, for example you can visit Cley Marches (Norfolk) or Potteric Carr (S. Yorkshire) Visitor Centres and enjoy their cafe and gift shop without having to pay to walk onto the reserve. For many casual visitors that is all the want and it seems to work well.
However I acknowledge that Visitor Centres are an important source of revenue. I was talking to a volunteer at Fairburn Ings and was amazed to learn how important in terms of revenue the sale of those small metal bird and butterfly badges are. Unfortunately the UK restrictions will last during the peak visitor period.
Best of luck to the various nature organisations.

Steve Babbs · Mar 24, 2020

davpen said:
You could just as easily argue that because some people don't have a garden, the lucky ones that do have one shouldn't be allowed to sit out in theirs.

There's a big split between us people who live in towns and those who live in the countryside. It's easy to say don't drive anywhere if you have countryside near you. I have some lovely parks but I don't want to go there for obvious reasons.

delia todd · Mar 24, 2020

I'm presuming the this year's Springwatch won't happen. Has anyone heard anything?

Deb Burhinus · Mar 24, 2020

davpen said:
You could just as easily argue that because some people don't have a garden, the lucky ones that do have one shouldn't be allowed to sit out in theirs.

This isn’t the politics of envy, it’s common sense my sitting in my garden has absolutely no impact on anyone else so, no, it can’t be ‘just as easily argued’.

Just received the GOV.UK text ALERT to ‘stay at home’

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