Birding in the time of coronavirus

Who among us would have ever imagined the days we are currently living in. Each of us is doing our utmost best to deal with the challenges of self-quarantining and social distancing to help “flatten the curve” of the spread of the novel coronavirus. Here at The Natural History Center, all tours are canceled until May (of course, if the medical professionals extend the time that we need to isolate, we will honor that decision). Meanwhile, we do what we can to keep our sanity.

For some, that is reading books and bing-watching Scandinavian crime-dramas on Netflix (you know who you are). For others, it is reconfiguring your work to be done from the security of a home office. Some people have to work in a public environment, and for those that truly do—nurses, doctors, medical technicians and staff, grocery store workers, police, and those at our fire departments—we thank you for all you do to make us safe and secure.

Here at The Natural History Center’s headquarters (read: my home office), a certain twelve-year-old is studiously and, I might add, diligently, pursuing her studies online. My desk is a jumble as I reconfigure my 2020 calendar (look for some special tours to come this summer and fall) and plan to teach ornithology online for College of the Atlantic. (How, you might ask, do you port a field-based course to the cloud? Good question! I’ll have to let you know….).

But we don’t want to be entirely out of touch with all of you. Beginning next week, we will offer virtual birding tours! Look for details over the weekend. This will be an evolution as we figure out the best way to deliver this content.

In the meantime, be well and be safe. —Rich, Natalie, Anouk & Fogo

(The photo is of a Northern Shoveler I have been watching this week at Hamilton Pond.)