Birdwatching from Home: My Isolation Experience and Tips

I am working from home due to the unprecedented times of COVID-19 isolation stay at home rules and keeping myself safe, and protecting the NHS. There's just me and my companion "Sparky" (my beloved dog) who spends most of his time asleep while I work busily away.

As I sit at my dining room table in the living room doing the daily job of serving Haith's customers over the 'phone, I must admit that I do feel a little lonely at times; I'm missing my colleagues and all the hustle and bustle of office life. Thank goodness we have so many lovely customers at Haith's who are happy to chat for a moment or two about what's happening in their garden this spring and I'm grateful I can see out into the garden from my patio doors (which is very consoling).

I have a climbing ivy and a spring bush studded with small yellow flowers growing up the side of the garden wall, which I can see clearly. My garden also has Holly and Forsythia bushes in it so there's plenty of choice for the birds to feed and feel safe. It's lovely to watch them hop from branch to branch. 

A few weeks ago, I noticed that a couple of Blackbirds have taken up residence in the Ivy and started building a nest, which I find very satisfying to watch. The comings and goings of both parents doing their duty too is a timely reminder that we're all in this together. These parents are making sure they have everything ready for their soon to be family. That sure is a sweet thought to carry me through the day.

The parents are so busy all day long, flying in and out of the nest with food to feed their young. Right up until dusk, I see them hopping around the garden looking for insects and patting the ground for the worms to come to the surface so they can gobble them up and take them to the nest to feed their young. All that juicy protein will help the new family thrive and the moisture will help replace what we're not receiving in rainfall; however, the plants would certainly appreciate a little rain. The birds also fly onto the bird table to eat the healthy bird seeds that I put out for them daily. Health birdseed, healthy birds. 

As we at least have another three weeks of Isolation and working safely from home, I will hopefully see the fledglings fly from the nest, which I shall be so excited to see.

Take care, stay safe, keep well.

Written by Chris Smith