I’d be very surprised if your mindset and mood haven’t changed a bit in the last week, maybe particularly in the last 24 hours. The world is a different place.
So, what to write about in times of corona?
Some of the things that I normally write about won’t happen (my diary is emptying rather than filling), and some of the things that I write about will seem less important than before as they may be dwarfed by other vastly more important external events.
My guess is that the regular readers of this blog will be happy to keep up to date with the types of events and news that I normally cover, but that a little light relief or distraction might be welcome too. Am I right?
I’m touched by the very warm reception that the series of blogs on bird song have received – I’ll certainly keep those coming. But I’ve been wondering whether I ought to write a little more about science in other ways too.
In difficult times, nature should be a source of solace. There are great opportunities for people to reconnect with nature at a time when shrinking back from large gatherings of people will be the norm. I’ll bear that in mind while writing.
And you can shape the content of this blog by writing for it – good guest blogs, like those of Mark Robins today, and Nigel Hand last week, are always welcome. The simple guidelines (simple, but rather often neglected by contributors!) are here.
But let me know what you’d like me to write about, and I might oblige.
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Hi Mark,this is a dilemma faced by many of us just now but no one is expecting Coronavirus advice etc on your blog. We will all need distraction,entertainment and knowledge as we spend more time at home. I for one would very much like you to carry on covering the issues you always cover on your excellent blog , long may it continue. Stay safe everyone.
As somebody who is likely in the vulnerable group as far as Covid 19 is concerned ( diabetic, with a bad chest and 69) and I suspect that my two planned trips abroad this spring and summer will be cancelled local wildlife here in Mid Wales will be prime time as it were. Yes Mark keep writing its always readable informative whatever the subject and may become a link to further afield with other folk equally trying to avoid the virus whilst trying to stay sane.
Like Ros I too hope that we can all stay safe as unlikely as that currently seems and if not I wish those of us who catch the virus a speedy recovery.
I’d appreciate your views on this report, should time and inclination allow. I’m sure others would too.
‘Woodlands for climate and nature:
A review of woodland planting and
management approaches in the UK for
climate change mitigation and biodiversity
conservation
Report to the RSPB by Ellie Crane, February 2020’
Best wishes to you and yours.
Stay safe, Mark, we and wildlife really need you! Good luck to the team with the court case. I think that many people might discover the joys of nature during this time – getting outside, away from people, is the obvious and safe thing to do, and while there they might discover that there are many fascinating and beautiful companions to spend time with – just not human ones! Inspiring blogs for people who are new to nature would be lovely I think.
Given that the current covid19 crisis is likely to have a huge impact in reducing carbon emissions, it would be interesting to get thoughts from you and comments on the blog about how to sustain this after the health crisis passes.
It seems inevitable that the government, especially this one will rush to boost air travel again among many other economic stimulii.
Some fascinating images from Venice. With a drastic reduction in boat traffic sediment isn’t being stirred up so suddenly the canals are clear and you can either see the fish now or they’ve moved into the canals. With fewer boats swans have also taken up residence and dolphins have been seen in the harbour. There has been a very sudden and significant drop in air pollution in parts of Italy with massive fall in number of cars on the road and already animals like wild boar have been seen venturing into urban areas. Remarkable changes in a matter of days.
Supporting the comment from Bimbling, your thoughts on a eco reset/restart would be great. There are a lot of hands-up for government help … from football clubs, pubs, bus companies, train companies and airlines. Can we afford this all … and even if we could, how will it be repaid. Air travel could (and should) cost more to reflect the environmental damage, and personally I would happily not subsidise throwaway fashion companies. But supply chain robustness, including our food chain, all have to be considered in the “recovery world”. Your thoughts on this most welcome!
Iain
First day of lockdown here in France: 1 black redstart on the balcony rail (first one this year, and looking very dapper), 1 black kite cruising in the distance.
All of the suggestions above look good, I’m also putting in a vote for the really basic things such as your garden list and how many days you have seen red kites this month — day-to-day wildlife and long-term data collection go on, and that’s reassuring and grounding.
Yes, please keep on as you are doing, Mark. A read of your blog is a familiar pleasure in an uncertain world! Especially as my weekly visits to one of the local NRs may stop as lots of people who are off work will be taking their dogs there!
‘Nature as a source of solace’ is an excellent guide. I have heard so many people ask ” what will we do now we can’t go out?”. But we can! And all of us can gain in appreciation of the detail of nature as well the grander picture, especially at this time of year.
Yes, to more of your blogs on bird song. They can have an important Heineken effect on locked in states of mind in these worrying times. And the avian soundscape is a good place to escape to, especially when you allow questions to arise about this underrated subject.