I don't mind being wrong at times - it's sometimes the best way to learn...

I had thought that in Lockdown, it would be a quiet time at the various sanctuaries as people wouldn't be able to go out and find birds/wildlife in distress...wrong!

In actual fact more people have been spending time in their gardens and the countryside as they haven't been at work, and consequently have come into contact (and indeed conflict) with mother nature more than ever before. The fine weather during April has exacerbated this and whilst wildlife has appreciated the lack of vehicles on the roads, they have found peoples gardens are not the places of safety as in previous years, and there has been a huge increase in cat attacks of young birds, and children pulling nests of birds from trees and bushes - often more by curiosity than maliciously - but nevertheless the young birds/animals have ended up as orphans being taken to local wildlife rescues who all inform me they are already approaching capacity a full month earlier than normal. This is a worrying trend, and one hopes that with better education by the rescue centres we can quash this before it gets any worse. Of course matters are further complicated by social-distancing at the sanctuaries, which means that interaction between rescuer and sanctuary is somewhat limited.

So, enjoy your gardens and walks by all means - but please remember to respect that Mother Nature ISN'T on lockdown and she needs to get on with this years' breeding season with as little interruption as possible. Although each rescue will always do it's very best; mother and father bird almost always do a far better job, and natural food is much better than what the sanctuaries can provide.

Keep safe and well everyone.

Nigel