Urban Birding. Peregrines in Marlow.

CV 19 The Daily record 23.04.20.

31 days in lockdown.

I need to go down to the age concern garden to water it and also turn on the drip feed system. So we head down into the ghost town that is now Marlow.  The garden is looking a bit sad but still plenty of colour. I need to come and deadhead a few things but all in all it looks ok. We chat to the manager who is awaiting a meal delivery outside. The good news is that all of the guests that come to Age concern are doing very well, with the exception of one who has had a fall and broken something. There is a lady who is 98, she loves the garden and always makes an effort to come and talk to me about when she had a garden and how much they all enjoy the flowers when they visit age concern. This lady was fit and bright as a button when I last saw her but is suffering mentally with the isolation and safeguarding of the very elderly.  They all loved coming to MAC it is a very social thing for them to do. Meeting up playing cards, bingo, chatting. Sitting in the garden and having a nice lunch with a glass of wine. Meals are being delivered to them on their designated days but perhaps are not getting to the right people in the housing complex.

Leaving MAC we walk to All Saints Church where it has been reported Peregrines are nesting. We keep to the back streets, as the top of the High street can get a bit busy with Boots and the supermarkets located there.  Standing on the green outside the George and Dragon its not long before I locate one, having a snooze in the shade of one of the spires. A man has brought his very excited young son to see it and we exchange a few words and tips on where to get the best view. Some people ask what we are looking at and it’s a shame that I cannot lend my binoculars for them to get a look. I have though about taking my scope down but it would attract too much attention and the police would probably tell me off. What an opportunity right on our doorstep, if restrictions are relaxed a little I maybe able to get down again and spend a little more time there. Ian managed to get some good shots but it was quite far away.

There is a lot of building work going on in Marlow; it appears that people are creeping back to work. I know the building industry was allowed to continue if they kept social distancing, but they all stopped for a while. I am wondering what has changed for them that they now feel it is ok to go back to work. I guess the answer to that is they need the money as nothing else has changed. This is worrying me that people are starting to become complacent and think that as its quiet its ok to carry on as normal.

We walk home along the back streets again and up Oak Tree road. A couple of planes fly overhead and the main road is busier than normal but apart from that it’s very quiet.

Not a lot else to report. We faced timed friends and family. Eleanor in London who is coping very well and all the Winnings in Halam.  Tom was due to have gone to South America today for a few months travelling so was feeling a bit down. Lockdown is very well for us retired folk but it must be awful for the younger generation, especially of you are locked down with Mum & Dad, just joking.

A friend of mine had to take her mother to the doctors for an injection. It is a drive through appointment, they drive up, wind down the window, stick her arm out gets the jab and drives off. Hilarious. Just had to make a note of how we and doctors are coping with this type of thing..

NHS clap for carers was very good again tonight in our street. Someone let of fireworks at the end of the road and another had a claxon going. I expect all the parents with babies were pleased about that, however it was a great noisy turnout.

The Big Night In was on the TV raising money for various charities when we went to bed they had raised 27 million. Wycombe general hospital featured in Peter Kay’s Amarillo sketch.

Donald Trump has finally lost it suggesting perhaps we could get a disinfectant injection or hit the body with a powerful light to kill the virus, and then states he is not a Doctor.

CV News.

Virus testing is being ramped up with the army now doing mobile testing and NHS and carers able to book tests online.

The vaccine has been injected into volunteers in clinical trials.

Nicola Sturgeon has revealed lockdown exit plans for Scotland, but says it will be a long time before life returns to normal.

616 people died yesterday taking the total in the UK to 18738.

There are 2.7 million reported cases worldwide and 191,000 have died.