Thursday 19 November 2020

2020 The Year of Covid Lockdown.

 Well as another year is drawing to a close I'm sitting in Howard Springs Quarantine Facility doing my mandatory 2 weeks after another roster at work, It seems like this year has been a never ending cycle of Work and Quarantine, at least I will be home for Christmas this year. What began as a very promising year after the devastating Bushfires of New Year's Eve was completely turned upside down in March with the rise of Corona Virus aka, COVID19. As I flew to work in early March I couldn't help but wonder if I was going to be able to get back home at the end of my swing. As I turned out I have been able to get home after every swing but it has been challenging every time with the changing circumstances and mandatory Quarantine every time. I have managed to get away for a few days with my wife most times home but only for short trips within Western Australia as any interstate travel in impossible with the hard border closure. Early March was the last time I was over in Sambarland and as we drove home across the Nullarbor news was just breaking of a mystery flu like illness in China, who would have thought before the month was out we would be behind a closed border.

I was sitting outside my room in Quarantine this afternoon and filmed a couple of juvenile Blue Faced Honeyeaters to pass the time, when I went to download the video I stumbled on a couple of clips of a Knobby Fallow Buck I filmed the last time I was in Sambarland.   





I watched him feed across the paddock and back into the timber and I decided to let him walk as I already had a freezer full of meat. The Blue Faced Honey Eaters had led me to stumble upon these long forgotten clips and remind me of how the year has changed. My first trip home was a write off as far as venturing out was concerned with my 2 weeks mandatory quarantine and the whole state in regional lockdown. My next time home we were able to get out camping for a couple of days after my Quarantine period was up, and we had a very relaxing time in the Gascoigne region of Western Australia.

Campfire in the Gascoigne.

Old Masonic Lodge, Cue Western Australia.

Big Bell Ghost Town, Western Australia.

Swag and a fire, what more do you need?

     
Then all too soon I was on my way back to work and another round of Quarantine on my return. I put my time in Quarantine to good use and set about painting the house, managing to get half of it done before my 2 weeks was completed. Once my quarantine was over we got away to Denmark in the South West for a couple of nights and did Tree Top Walk near Walpole and stayed in a lovely little cottage at Karma Chalet's Denmark.

The Tree top walk through the Tingle trees at Walpole

The cottage outside.

And Inside everything you could need including a Fire. 



Then all too soon it was off to work again for another round of Quarantine on the way home only this time with a twist.  Melbourne had an outbreak of COVID19 infections and went into lockdown, the rest of the country reacted and on our return to the Northern Territory instead of being allowed to pass through the airport and Quarantine at home we were all sent to Howard Springs Quarantine Facility for 2 weeks. Fortunately we were able to secure exemptions from quarantining again on our return to Western Australia, though this required the use of a special chartered flight. I spent some of the time home finishing off the other half of the painting and cleaning up the back yard. We also had the pleasure of watching a New Holland Honeyeater raise a pair of chicks in a potted tree under our pergola. We then took a few days out to visit Pemberton and my friend Roy, who lives close by. We spent a day with Roy, who kindly gave us some Marron from his dam, and the rest of the time relaxing and Trout fishing although no Trout were caught.



Feeding time for baby birds.

Feeding time for hungry Humans, Marron courtesy of Roy.

 Early morning mist on the Trout Lake.




An evening thunderstorm at Howard Springs.
 
                                        
The Juvenile Blue Faced Honeyeaters at Howard Springs.

That pretty much rounded out my time at home this year so far and brings me to where I am today, back in Howard Springs Quarantine Facility. Where I am currently passing my time taking pictures and videos of the thunderstorms at the beginning of the Wet Season and the wildlife inside the wire.

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