To stem the spread of COVID-19, health officials recommend avoiding large gatherings of people and staying six feet apart, in a practice known as social distancing. On Monday, Massachusetts Governor Charlie Baker issued a stay-at-home advisory, but said people should still take advantage of walks in the park, provided they act responsibly.
Naturalist Sy Montgomery told Boston Public Radio on Monday that abiding by those guidelines to combat the spread of the virus doesn't mean you have to be completely shut off from life, and offered some tips to combat feeling isolated.
"It's a terrific time to watch spring," she said. "One of the great things is that birdsong is returning, which is fabulous ... at night we can hear foxes calling to each other because the baby foxes are going to be born at the end of this month up here in New Hampshire, we've got song sparrows, the males are starting to sing, they have a fabulous song, they're the ones that go 'maids maids maids, put on your tea kettle-ettle-ettle.' ... Porcupines are starting to waddle around in the middle of the day."
Montgomery is a naturalist, author, and BPR contributor. Her latest book is "The Magnificent Migration: On Safari with Africa's Last Great Herds."
