Monday, September 27, 2010

Sunday, September 26, 2010

A LATE SKY WATCH EGYPT.26/9/2010

SUNRISE OVER LUXOR CITY  PHOTOS TAKEN FROM THE WEST BANK.




7.30 SUN THROUGH THE EUCALYPTUS TREE
YELLOW FLOWERED ACACIA TREE.
LOOKING THROUGH THE ACASIA FLAMBOYANT TREE,

Saturday, September 25, 2010

Common Water Hyacinth (E. crassipes)

One of the fastest growing plants known, water hyacinth reproduces primarily by way of runners or stolons, which eventually form daughter plants. It also produces large quantities of seeds, and these are viable up to thirty years. The common water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) are vigorous growers known to double their population in two weeks.
OK you have had the nice part of this beautifully flower now for the reality of this plant,
this and a lot of the Nile land in Egypt is Inundated once an year  where the seeds or the root of the plant is germinated  and grows like wildfire most of the seeds that or in the land will grow in the water without rooting in the land these for the most  when the Nile recedes will go down the Nile as flotsam the rooted plant is left for the farmer to clean up but what they do not realize is if this plant is not cleared away and burnt it will grow more vigorously next time it gets inundated, resulting in what you see in the next photo.
 the plant needs 6 pints of water a day  and as soon as the nile river recedes the plant on higher land will die off.
here as soon as the Nile water has receded the farmers try to clear the land to sow corn whether its maze or cereal corn .
this pile of hyacinth will be moved  to the path where there is still water  just so the have dry land to walk on.
some may get burnt they will even feed the animals on it  the seeds go through the animal which in turn goes back on the land.

There are economic impacts when the weed blocks boat access. The effects on transportation and fishing are immediately felt. Where the weed is prolific, there is a general increase in several diseases, as the weed creates excellent breeding areas for mosquitoes and other insects. There are increased incidents of skin rash, cough, malaria, encephalitis, bilharzias, gastro intestinal disorders, and schistosomiasis. Water hyacinth also interferes with water treatment, irrigation, and water supply (Opande et al., 2004[3])). It can smother aquatic life by deoxygenating the water, and it reduces nutrients for young fish in sheltered bays. It has blocked supply intakes for the hydroelectric plant, interrupting electrical power for entire cities. The weed also interrupts local subsistence fishing, blocking access to the beaches (LVEMP, 2004[5]).

CATS AND SUN

WHO SAID THE WEATHER WAS BAD IN WALES, THIS IS MY CAT SYLVESTER SUNBATHING ON THE FRONT ROOM CARPET, 

Friday, September 24, 2010

the old farmer

In the 80s I had bought a pre 1600s farm  house to renovate  along with the old farm I bought a few acres of land where we ;- me and my wife decided to do a bit of farming first came a couple of pigs  good rooters  as long as they come with no rings in the nose, they cleared the land of unwanted weeds such as nettles  dock etc, then we bought a guilt in pig this was a rare breed oxford and sandy. but she was all black and the reason we got her at a reduced price, we named her dolly  and she had several litters  of 12 piglets and  she only lost one  the reason!!  dolly decided she did not lik being inside from the day she had her first litter, we as her adopted parents went by the book and made here a very comfortable furrowing shed with a rail so the piglets as the book said had somewhere to escape to when mummy  lay down to feed,  but dolly after 2 days of looking after her brood  wanted to go out.  one reason was  she had already made her litter bed in what we called the shelter. this consisted of a few bales of straw  and hay  and  an old oak beam  across the ground entrance and this is where dolly spent her day with head resting on the oak beam . surveing all she owned when not digging up  what she owned,  and this beam was the blame of dolly  loosing one piglet  her second litter  the first one out was against the wood  it was too deep for such a little thing to climb back in to the  forrowing nest  and the evening frost killed her,  now we humans think our piggies and other creatures have no think brain., dolly never laid back to the beam again while furrowing, neither did she eat her dead offspring.
the shelter had a fine view of the fields. and mum and dad when it was feed time,  we had goats,  wild  mallards that we inherited with the farm, and all manor of breeds of hens geese and ducks. that all needed feed, dolly would wait until after the goat milking when her meal of home ground corn and ground maze was mixed with the milk.  and  she had taken her litter  to her own made home. and nothing we did made her go back to the fancy furrowing shed, the piglets had the run of the farm untill they became to big to get between the gate bars, much to their disslike. and they would squeal" stuck in here"  anyway the reason for this blog post. our first xmas on the farm we bought a turkey from one of our pig breeding freinds, a rather  expensive  bronze turkey  but very nice it was too lasted all the festive season and only too right at 26 lb in oven weight.
 in  spring we had all  manor of poultry chicks for sale, and was offered a swap of 3 bronze turkeys for some harlequin ducks. ooh yes  we said with glee. thinking how much we paid for our festive turkey,
What a mistake we made   knew nothing about the turkeys upbringing ready for the xmas ahead and sell the others. one drowned itself   in the drinking water tray, did not know that  did you  said the vet, they are proned to commiting suicide have to have a special water feeder.  and he said  yo had better get The drug Dimetridazole to be used in the drinking water or feed,   black head my freind Histomoniasis,
bloody hell we said . as they already had the desease as chicks, and died within a few weeks,
 and here in Egypt the bloody things are everywhere,  what about histomoniasis  I ask ,?   what ?
  black heads.    you think my turkey has got zits?
an all male group  no wonder they all came flocking over to me 

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Back home in Wales



Thanks Dave for the reminder what I am missing back in wales

Texel sheep running amock in some poor blokes garden.
Ok you call it the latest lawn mower, going green,

And gray squirrels stealing nuts or is it a pole ballancing act.


now this is a real welsh sunset its a pity none will enlarge I presume they are from a mobile phone, but nice one Dave and thanks again,

Saturday, September 18, 2010

photos of birds in the wetlands Luxor Egypt

heron in flight
Kestrel and plover

ibis and grey herons


grey and night heron


little stint

black winged stint

7 pied kingfishers




grey heron

black winged kite

glossy ibis
l
grey heron with the ibis

whoopoe bird
l
ring necked plover

crested lark

yellow wagtail

green cheeked bee-eater

female nile valley sun-bird