Lockdown Wildlife with Viking Optical

One of the few positives to come out of the lockdown period was the well reported upsurge in natural history interest.

Being largely confined to gardens and the local vicinity, people started to take the time to learn what was on their own doorstep. The answer was by turns surprising and beautiful. Hitherto unnoticed birds, wild flowers, and an abundance of insects on uncut verges, became sources of both wonder and comfort.

Exercise walks became mini voyages of discovery as something new caught the eye and aroused curiosity.

People on social media were questioning why verges were cut at the times they were despite teeming with life and posing no danger to traffic or pedestrians. Why trees, shrubs and hedges were cut whilst birds were nesting. It was wonderful to note that so many were enjoying the wildlife and then were bereft when it was needlessly removed.

The quiet in March and April was deafening. Little road noise, almost no planes thundering overhead meant that birdsong was heard loud and clear.

The economy will slowly recover and traffic levels will increase to pre-pandemic levels but there must be a glimmer of hope that many have been awakened to the kind of local environment that is better for everyone’s health and wellbeing.

Nature is amazing and you don’t have to travel thousands of miles to exotic locations to see its beauty and drama played out – it’s happening everywhere, you just have to look!