Birds, Leps, Observations & Generalities - the images and ramblings of Mark Skevington. Sometimes.

Saturday, 1 January 2022

MMXXII Begins - A Retro Tick

HNY to all.

Let's hope 2022 brings better health, peace of mind and happiness in whatever you're doing.

I'm not one for resolutions, but I do need to make one. The last couple of years have been a bit weird with covid restrictions and cancer concerns - to say the least - which meant that for one reason or another I spent a lot more time at home than I would have normally, and more time out and about in my home square but less time out and about away from home. And, crucially, less time focussed on work. I am conscious that my work-life balance has swung way too far to the work end over the last few months since recovering from surgery and seeing covid restrictions relaxed. My job role is not one that I can easily ignore and completely put aside overnight or for the weekend, but I have got to find ways of making time to relax and wind down a bit!

Anyway, nothing current or topical to post about but I have found a retro tick today: a bee that I'd originally mis-identified from Croft Hill on 10/07/2020 and then forgot about. I had a good look at photos today, stumbled through the key and speculatively came to an ID that Steven Falk agreed with.

Sphecodes gibbus

I've still got a bit of tidying up of 2021 records to do, with a few moth gen dets outstanding. I'll try and get that sorted and finalise my aborted home square list for the year over the next couple of weeks. Whilst the square listing fell by the wayside in late summer, I suspect the final numbers will still throw up some observations.

3 comments:

Gibster said...

Happy New Yearlist to you too, buddy! Bring yourselves up to Skye for a week would be my advice for unwinding. Turn your phone off, set your email to "piss off I'm on holiday" mode and immerse yourself in mountains and forests, skies and the sea. I can probably point you at a fair few goodies too ;) I see you've already linked to my new blog, cheers for that - tis appreciated (and unexpected, you DO know it's about plants, right??) Take it easy buddy.

martinf said...

Happy New Year to you too. Important to get the work life balance thing right for more than just your year list! Hope you have a nature-filled and healthy 2022.

Skev said...

Cheers Seth - one of these days I'll take you up on that offer! Saw your blog link on a comment you'd made; plants, whatever - good to see and read what other like-minded people are up to. Also good to know you've come back to blogland. Besides, you might post a good music link ....

Thanks Martin. Yes, family time is not a problem, but I need to find a bit more time to relax and enjoy the outdoors for my own sanity as much as anything - the listing bit is not the priority.