Site Visit

Yes, that time of the day again - the power is off and time to update my blog again.

Andy and I had planned a visit to the site today if the weather played along as well as a visit to the bank. The latter had to happen in the morning before lunch as it get very busy in there during lunchtime.

Well, the weather played along and we got the cameras, binoculars, notebooks and birdbooks sorted out and packed for the site. On the way there, we finished our business at the bank first.

A massive surprise was waiting for me at the site - I knew that everything was growing fast but the sight that greeted me was incredible. The average ground growth varied between just above ankle height to above knee height. Some of the outstanding points were well and truly hidden behind and in vegetation. It was starting to look in some places like a little jungle in the making and with all the rain was amazingly green, add to this all the little flowers that were out - STUNNING.

The road is not even visible from some of the close points like where reception will be. The birdlife was also amazing; flycatchers, fire-finches, weavers, cuckoos and sunbirds etc. Our big goal was to find the little bird of prey that had been making its appearance quite a few times during our previous visits.

The best ID we could do it so far was that it looks like and African Hobby, generally uncommon to rare in Africa, its not a call I want to make unless I'm 100% certain and have the pics and/or video to prove it. Unfortunately, it/they did not make their appearance this time but there was a bonus waiting.

One of the lads who look after the site for us i.e. walk around on a regular basis and check alls ok, told us he had found the new roost for the Spotted Eagle. From the north eastern corner he took us on a little bundu bashing into the site and then suddenly stopped and pointed. About 20m away was the owl perching on an open branch of an eucalyptus tree. Andy and him stopped there leaving me to stalk it with the cameras for the elusive photo. To date the owl has proved very camera shy and disappears when I arrive at the site with the cameras. At this stage I would be happy with a record shot only.

I managed to get quite a few 'record' shots and some video footage. As can be seen with the pic above, it is a record shot - not meant for a photo competition. I'll wait and see how the SLR pics come out but light etc was not on my side AND, Murphy's Law, I had left my big zoom lens at home. I must admit though that I'm very happy with what I got (for now anyway) to add to the records of everything we find there.

The lad also told us that someone is grazing their cows on the site at about 4am in the mornings and regardless of him being told not too, returns time and again. Now as I understand it, in Rwanda this is against the law in two aspects; firstly grazing on somebody else's land and secondly, allowing your cattle/livestock out on the roads. Andy will go and have a chat with the local leader who will then act on it. The locals have been fantastic though in general (other than this individual) and as soon as they realised we had bought the land and were to commence with a project there, stopped crossing over it and rgazing their livestock there. Even the young boys who using the site as their card game venue, stopped going there when we asked them.

Back at home it was back to some work on the pc again. I also got a visit from Greg (Amahoro Tours) who had some good news about a new service provided by the mobile service provider that will save us a fortune on the dial-up internet connection. I have some meetings set up for Friday in Kigali so will go and check it out.

Tomorrow is Gacaca trials again (every Thursday) so all businesses around here will be closed until noon. One of those days that you do all the things you need to do around the house or in the office till after noon.