Surprise sighting

Another day of staring at a screen. I was able to find some time to work on a report that had been left partly done by another person before resigning and moving to another DHB. 

This lockdown has been very different from the first one, when acute presentations decreased. This time there has been an increase, and people are much more stressed overall it seems. It's been different for me, as the first time I went in to the unit and isolated in my office. This time I've been staying in the beach house, and only going out for my nearly daily run and the supermarket. 

Today the count of new cases has dropped again, suggesting that the strategy is being successful. 

The tide was very low when I went out this afternoon, and I was able to run on firm sand between the mudflats and the edge of the water. I saw the usual birds (only a couple of Tuturiwhatu today) and then caught sight of a Kuaka; the Bar-tailed godwit. A couple of times since the departure of the godwits for the Arctic circle (near Alaska, I think), I have thought I'd seen a solitary one feeding. Although I can't be certain I think this one that got left behind and which has remained here over the winter. Otherwise it would be an early arrival.