In the absence of a vaccine, the only way to stop Covid-19 is to stop its spread, and it is right and proper that we all play our part in that by limiting our visits to the outside world to an absolute minimum: and in particular, not going out unless it's essential.

But it's hard having to stay indoors at this time of the year, when you're a bird photographer.  

Few "non-essential" things are more season-dependent than bird photography, and this is the time of year when the first of the Summer migrants are coming into the country from Africa and the continent; and when the waders are starting to hit the beaches again. 

A highlight of the birding and bird photography year, and all (unless you're lucky enough to get them in your garden) out of bounds for the foreseeable future.

So yes, it's the right thing to do, but I doubt that I'll be alone in feeling a little bit of sadness that we can't engage with these visitors to our shores - this time of year usually puts a spring in my step and a smile on my face. Less so this year...

Now, I accept unreservedly that as disappointments go, this one is right at the top of the First World Problems pile - I'm not suggesting for a moment that it's within several orders of magnitude of what other people are having to deal right now - but it just adds to the realisation that you often don't miss things until they're no longer there.

Hopefully the lockdown will hasten the end of the virus, and I for one am being entirely compliant with it (to the extent that I'm probably Vitamin D deficient by now..!) until the job is done.

And on that: it's not hard to make the argument that - if you're out anyway, getting your daily permitted exercise - and you just happen to come across some birds (eminently likely right now) what harm would there be in having the camera along, just in case?

(I know - on the first day of the lockdown, I found myself wrestling with the same dilemma...)

But such a justification is a patent breach of the regulations: if you're out for some exercise, then by definition you're not out to take bird photographs.

It's that simple.

Tempting as it might be to take some gear along on the off-chance, it would be a twat's trick, and you know it. 

So don't do it.