Isolation blog – Ducks, Perthshire

As one of the ‘vulnerable’ folks I’ve not been out the gate since mid-March. I hate being cooped up inside, but I’m lucky to have an acre and a half of garden so I don’t feel too enclosed. I have tremendous sympathy for folks who are stuck in a flat with no garden. 

But I have not been bored - I haven’t had time.  

My day is spent with chores such as planting tatties (so far the varieties are rocket, Pentland javelin and kestrel, with sarpo mira still to be planted), chopping firewood and kindling, weeding, and feeding and cleaning out our khaki Campbell ducks and rhode rock hens. There are also intermittent and welcome visits to the conservatory for tea and biscuits with my wife, Jan. We can also watch the many birds in the garden, tempted here by 9 feeders and 15 nest boxes. The latest additions to the garden list since the lockdown were a pair of ravens which flew over the house deep in conversation with each other, and a goldcrest on a conifer near the front window.

I’m still keeping an eye on wildlife crime issues and changes in legislation. I thought that I’d have plenty of time to write articles on my blog but so far have just managed a couple on further restrictions by Scottish Natural Heritage protecting bird species that some consider to be ‘pests.’ I see that, rightly, there is public disgust at estates still burning heather despite requests by countryside agencies and shooting organisations not to do so. Burning heather is off the bottom of the scale in terms of being essential and thankfully the Scottish Government, on the recommendation of Andy Wightman MSP, has legislated to ban it, at least on a temporary basis.

Despite being reasonably content with my current situation I really miss visits to – or from – our family; it would be lovely to give them all a nice big hug. I also miss my long walks on the nearby Dupplin Estate but I’d need to take the car. Sadly I don’t expect I’ll taste a pint of Guinness with my publisher in the local hostelry until we reach the other end of this frightening pandemic.

Alan Stewart