Nothing changes - five weeks on

I couldn't make this up? Just to let you know, I'm such a highly regarded member of the Fuji SIS crew, I'm not being allowed to take voluntary redundancy! This is despite others being made jobless on a compulsory basis. "Needs of the business" being the reason given. Can't say that I'm overly surprised by the decision, although feel that the whole affair has been a bloody shambles since the initial announcement. Five weeks of total chaos means that shop floor morale will suffer as a result of today's decisions, of that I'm convinced. But for me, at an individual level, I'm just happy to know what's now happening, going forward, and can start to make plans accordingly. The thing that is most pleasing is the fact that I'm now back in control of my own destiny and can make decisions, pertaining to employment, based upon personal circumstances. I'd need to be certified should I moan about the situation that now exists as "normal" for us. There are so many others who will be adversely affected by the fall out from this lunacy, A recession? What's that all about? I remain in employment and will have no difficulty paying my way Still, that's enough about the work situation, time to write about other stuff!

With Covid-19 not going away, any time soon, and Bev's mum still living with us, we've to remain vigilant about any social contact we engage in. Obviously there have been many medical advancements, since the onset of this crazy pandemic, yet neither of us are willing to mix with other households, more than is absolutely essential. shopping and the like! Pubs, clubs, holidays and beaches ain't likely to see us partake anytime soon. With nothing better on offer, I've been happy to spend my time in and around the garden using the BWKm0 vibe as my inspiration. Looking at familiar species, with a different mind-set, has allowed me to glean much enjoyment from very ordinary encounters. 

House Sparrow numbers are building steadily and it is not unusual for flocks in excess of three figures to be encountered along the gardens or out on the huge areas of stubble which remain after the harvest around Newlands Farm. Getting an accurate count of these birds would require a coordinated effort, thus unlikely to be undertaken, but one thing's for sure. House Sparrows are doing very well around this part of Thanet. Other birds around the garden are pretty much as expected, with just the occasional juvy Willow Warbler to add a little sparkle. A recently fledged Rose-ringed Parakeet was a surprise visitor at the feeding station, with none of the agility or guile of the adults, it made hard work of getting sunflower hearts from the metal feeder. 

Adult making light work of it

This scruffy youngster struggled

Kestrel, Sparrowhawk and Common Buzzard sightings are regular, if not daily, yet the local gulls still get agitated whenever one appears over the area. The Herring Gulls have now fledged from the three nests along Vine Close and one cheeky individual has taken to begging outside the study door. Constantly offering that whinging squeal, whilst awaiting me to put out some grub, it does offer a chance to play around with the cameras.

Hedgehogs are now a nightly feature in the garden, coming to feed on the "Spike's Dinner" we provide, along with the all important water. Common Pipistrelle bats are also recorded whenever I use the detector at dusk. This excellent piece of kit also picks up other inaudible noises, out there in the darkness, and what I assume must be crickets (?) can also be heard clicking away via the technology inside the Magenta 5. 

An absolute joy to have several of these wonderful animals visiting our garden.
I am struggling to get an image without getting the reflection of the flash. I'm sure that there
is a photoshop technique available, just I'm too lazy to look!

So that's your lot. Now that my fate has been given a semblance of order I will attempt to get this blog back to some level of normality, if that's a term which can be applied to my rambling nonsense?