Why I love Critters

This week I have a variety of critters to post about. Not only that; I also want to show why I love the outdoors, looking for and photographing birds and other critters in the area and sharing the love with others.

On Tuesday morning Madu, the Guest House gardener told Michael that a bird I'd been asking about, was roosting in a tree the garden. Michael called me; I grabbed my Swarovski Binoculars which I asked Michael to carry; I already had my camera slung over my shoulder and together we walked across to the Guest House. Madu pointed upwards and sure enough, there was the African Harrier-Hawk that I'd heard but not seen. I'm sure it's the same bird which was born in that tree when its parents nested there last year.

African Harrier-hawk

While I took photos of this beautiful bird, Michael was focusing the binos on it as well. Madu watched in awe as Michael made remarks in Swahili about the red face coloring and the fact that its one foot was raised. 

 Michael looking through my binoculars as if he's born to it !

I finished snapping the Harrier-hawk and told Michael to show Madu how to look through the binoculars. The ensuing scene that played off in front of me,  was precious!

Michael shows Madu how to hold the binoculars and where to focus so that he can see the bird!

  

As Michael and I walked back to my house, he said: Bibi, the kinyonga/chameleon is here. And he pointed up into the branches of a tree hanging over the road. 

 The Rainbow Chameleon

A few days before Princess gave birth to the pups, Michael called me to see a small snake in the garden. The staff all know I don't kill anything and I discourage them killing critters as well. With all the excitement of the babies arriving, I forgot about this little snake. I don't know what it is; it seemed to be injured so I asked Michael to pick it up on a piece of cardboard and put it in the field beside out house.

A small snake in our garden

While in Mwanza last week, we had lunch at the Malaika hotel (more about this later) Afterwards waiting on the shores of Lake Victoria for our driver to arrive, I got chatting to a young man who was promoting boat tours on the lake.  At the same time I spotted a movement on the rocks beyond and snapped!

Agama Lizard female on Lake Victoria

Perhaps you can see the greenish critter in center of this photo. And huge brownish critter to the left of the photo. I spotted a grasshopper (green critter) but as I was trying to photograph it, Princess (brown critter) was chasing it away. Nothing is safe in the garden while Madam protects her pups!

I managed one photo of the grasshopper before Princess chased it right out of the garden! 

And look what she's so protective of...

The pups, day 17!

We still sleep all day

Note the communal nappy is replaced quite often during the day

Wrrrourrff! Am I cute or what?

And the best news? Today I asked Grant that when the time comes, can we place these pups in and around our house as Michael and I originally planned. Two here with their mama Princess; one as playmate and later, companion to Nando at the Guest House and two each respectively in the semi-detached expat houses diagonally across the road from us. He said YES! Yippee! So the pups are basically all homed already but I get to "keep' them theoretically. 

How cool is that?

I'm linking my post to Saturday Critters with Eileen which you can visit here