Friday Update!

I'm still off work, still taking the prescribed medication and been doing my exercises twice a day and icing (hip, not cake🤣). I'm certainly better than I was, but don't like the fact that I'm having to take a strong anti-inflammatory drug in order to exist. I feel really sleepy throughout the day, presumably because of the strong medication. I'm realising that my hip pain is not going to disappear overnight and am going crazy with only myself for company! I was signed off work for a month, until 3rd December, but decided I'm going back to work next week. It feels like I have been off work for weeks, but it is actually only 6 days, now that I'm part time. I don't think it would be a good idea to go back if I had been working full time still, but hopefully I should be able to manage three days!!! I havn't done any lockdown 'exercise' yet as it has been too painful to walk far and driving was worse, as I discovered when going to the supermarket a couple of times recently. I have my first physio appointment next Friday with a staff physiotherapist and seeing an consultant in a outpatient clinic in early December.

I had cracking views of a crow mobbing a Common Buzzard flying over my garden today in the blue sky – new tick for my town garden! Lots of House Sparrows and Starlings demolishing the fat balls/cakes and seed – also Blackbirds, Blue Tits, Coal Tit, Robin and at least 6 Collared Doves. Have not seen any rats for ages, thank goodness, but very sadly no sign of any Hedgehogs!

Nathan Craske found a cracking male Desert Wheatear late this afternoon at Gramborough Hill, wow! I would love to see that bird, but besides the fact that it would kill my hip to drive that far, I wouldn't be anyway. There has to be a limit on driving locally for 'exercise', even though Boris didn't stipulate a maximum amount of miles that people should be driving – King's Lynn to Salthouse is not acceptable at all in my view. It will be interesting to see which year listing birders and photographers arrive at Salthouse tomorrow morning, who have travelled beyond their 'local' area!

Strong winds and rain tomorrow, but Sunday looks a little better. I may venture for a 'local' walk within the next few days, if I feel up to it. Back to work on Wednesday and looking forward to seeing and working with all my colleagues, but not looking forward to wearing a mask all day and the stress of Covid-19. I read somewhere on social media, that people are planning to drive from afar to see the seals at Horsey, I hope this is not the case!!! People are dying for goodness sake! People need to follow the 'rules' this time round in lockdown 2 more than ever!!! And, as for those people protesting about having to wear masks in shops etc, try wearing them for 7.5 hours+ plastic visa's, aprons, hot uniforms and in a hot hospital and then you will have something to complain about!!!

I hope everyone enjoys their 'local' birding this weekend, whatever the weather and enjoy nature to heal your souls! I'm disappointed that there hasn't been a Siberian Rubythroat in Norfolk yet, maybe one day hopefully, before I pop my clogs 🤣!!! There hasn't even been one in Shetland this year..... yet.