Peek-a-Boo

I was due to visit mum this morning, but when I called the care home they asked me not to go as she's still not well, and they said they'd call back later in the day.  I used my time productively and cleared some stuff out of the garage and went to the tip, then stopped off at Tesco on my way home.

This afternoon I'd arranged to meet a guy known as the 'Squirrel Whisperer' at The Dingle Nature Reserve (Nant y Pandy), where Alan and I went last Sunday.  Hugh used to be in the army and suffers with PTSD and he created two wonderful areas within the Dingle where he puts food for the birds and the squirrels, and he said he created it for his own mental well-being and says he's usually there 4-5 times a week.  He now takes pleasure in taking other people who are part of a FB group called Red Squirrels of Wales, and he Welsh Wildlife TV presenter Iolo Williams is also a regular visitor.

I'm glad I went with him as his feeding stations are quite off the beaten track and there's no way we would have found it on our own.  He's built benches and has added tree stumps that have spikes through the bottom that he puts in to the ground, and then he's drilled holes and pushes fat balls into them, lays nuts for the squirrels and puts seeds down for the birds as well.  No sooner had we got there, than the first red squirrel appeared, and within no time at all, I didn't know which way to look, there were squirrels coming from all directions!  Lots of birds came including a woodpecker, long tailed tits, nuthatches, chaffinches, tree creeper, robins, blue tits and great tits.  Hugh also saw Jay, but unfortunately it didn't come lose.  We sat for over 3 hours, and I took nearly 1,000 photos!!  It was hard to choose my blip and I've added a selection to my extras - I even had one come and eat some nuts that we'd placed on my walking shoes!

It was a wonderful afternoon, and Hugh as said I'm welcome to go back whenever I want and can bring whoever I want.  I've said I'll take Alan and we'll take a picnic and just sit and enjoy the nature.

On my way home, I spoke to the care home, and they've said that they think mum has got Covid (I did wonder!), but unfortunately she won't let them do a test, she really struggles with them, so I guess we'll never know for sure.  The carer did say thought that there are 4 other residents that have tested positive and also some of the staff, so I think it's likely.  They've tried so hard though to keep it away, with restricted visiting, testing all the time and wearing PPE, but I guess it's hard to avoid completely.  She said that they think mum is over the worst though, and I was able to talk to her.  She's still isolated in her own room and her meals are brought to her there, and although she still didn't sound well, she was a little brighter than when I spoke to her on Tuesday, and she said that she's enjoying watching the winter Olympics.  Fingers crossed, she and everyone else there is better soon!