Animals

3.6.13  I went to visit a bat colony.  There are thousands of Straw Coloured Fruit Bats not too far from here.  Enjoy the pictures.

 

Sun Squirrel at Abuko Nature Reserve

Violet Turaco at Abuko Nature Reserve

Red Bellied Paradise Flycatcher at Abuko Nature Reserve

African Thrush at Abuko Nature Reserve

Never trust a smiling crocodile.  Taken at Katchikally Crocodile Pool.

This little guy was trapped in a plastic bottle and seemed to take a liking to me after rescuing him.  See the way his hand is wrapped round my thumb, it was like he was cuddling me, awww, cute little thing.

I don't know how he managed it but Kat brought us gift of a bat.  Fortunately it was unharmed and hung around in the living room for the evening.  We weren't sure what to do with it as it couldn't seem to find the door.  Fortunately Toye, the vet, visited and after the bat fell asleep he pulled it away from the wall with a stick and took it outside.  He flew away quite happily.  This was a small one but I can't find out which type it is.  The bats we usually see are fruit bats and are huge, I think Kat would think twice about going for one of them.  He came face to face with our neighbours hen one day and had to back down.  Wimp!!

People and Places

The aren't any brick making factories here, concrete blocks are made by hand and sold or you can buy molds and make your own.  While preaching a sister met a young woman in her 20's.who was making these concrete blocks by herself.  When asked where she got the money to buy cement she said that she collected water in canisters (you can see the lady below sitting on one) and delivered them to the houses in a wheelbarrow.  She would only be paid a few pennies for this but the money all goes to build a house for her mother, this house that she is literally building herself!

Women threshing and winnowing.  I don't know what the grain is.  The lady at the back filled the grey bucket to overflowing and carried it away on her head.  She spread it out to dry on rice sacks much to the delight of the chickens!

 

We took a short trip on the river from Lamin Lodge.  We went for lunch first then hit the water.  See the Animals section for the birds that we saw. 

Boats at Lamin Lodge

This Kora player joined us for lunch and included our names in his songs.  Very touristy!

Baobab tree pretending to be an elephant.

My little buddies, bumsters in the making. 

The local women collect oysters from the mangroves and separate them into two sizes.  The larger ones are sold to the restaurants and the smaller are sold on the market.  They put the shells to dry for 7 months and grind them to make lime for buildings.  They also use them to make paint.  When there are no oysters they collect cockles again to sell for food and the shells are put on the ground in compounds as a decorative burglar alarm.

This was taken on an evening stroll near our house, lovely tree at sunset.

 This salad garden was a pleasant surprise on day on the ministry.  These two women told me they spend all day fertilising and watering the plants by hand.  No hoses, not even a watering can!  They grow herbs, lettuce, tomato, aubergine, chillis and cucumber. 

                                                              Fish head and rice anyone?


We visited Katchikally Crocodile Pool with Eddie and Tess who were visiting from England.  It was originally a pool with wild crocodiles.  Space was short and eventually the pool was surrounded with houses.  The crocodiles are fed daily so are too full to bother eating tourists who pay 50 dalassis (£1) to see them.

 
We also spent a very rare day on the beach and enjoyed this fabulous sunset.