SO THIS IS NIGER

African Hoopoe - Upupa africana

It is lovely to watch a flock of hoopoe birds probing the ground for insects or worms on Bujumbura's golf course. In Germany, to the best of my knowledge,  these pretty birds have joined the ranks of extinct species. I only remember them from The Grimm's Fairytales. I am short of time today, but I found an English translation on the Net.

The Bittern and Hoopoe

by The Brothers Grimm

translated by Margaret Taylor (1884)

---

"Where do you like best to feed your flocks?" said a man to an old cow-herd. "Here, sir, where the grass is neither too rich nor too poor, or else it is no use." "Why not?" asked the man. "Do you hear that melancholy cry from the meadow there?" answered the shepherd, "that is the bittern; he was once a shepherd, and so was the hoopoe also,--I will tell you the story. The bittern pastured his flocks on rich green meadows where flowers grew in abundance, so his cows became wild and unmanageable. The hoopoe drove his cattle on to high barren hills, where the wind plays with the sand, and his cows became thin, and got no strength. When it was evening, and the shepherds wanted to drive their cows homewards, the bittern could not get his together again; they were too high-spirited, and ran away from him. He called, "Come, cows, come," but it was of no use; they took no notice of his calling. The hoopoe, however, could not even get his cows up on their legs, so faint and weak had they become. "Up, up, up," screamed he, but it was in vain, they remained lying on the sand. That is the way when one has no moderation. And to this day, though they have no flocks now to watch, the bittern cries, "Come, cows, come," and the hoopoe, "Up, up, up."

Posted by: Lewana at August 31, 2007 16:50 | link | comments (2)
africa, birds of burundi, bujumbura, burundi, bujumbura golf club, bird-watching, african hoopoe

Sunday Sightseeing in Gitega

Gitega is a sleepy little town, spreading across several hills. There’s the National Museum of Gitega, which supposedly has an impressive collection from Burundi’s past, but unfortunately it is closed on Sunday.

Near a restaurant overlooking a small park with a tall old tree there are a few crumbling neglected colonial buildings: amongst them most famously the 'German House'. Despite being more than a hundred years old, the building with its distinctive roof seems to be in surprisingly good nick. An NGO is using it as a carpenter’s workshop on one side, on the other a door painted with the promising word “Patisserie” . It is closed.

Three young guys hang around the compound, but otherwise this part of town sleeps on this afternoon.

 I’ve been told that there is also a German Prison, but apparently the Belgians build a big wall around the original building. The prison is still in use and we don’t have the nerve to ask the guards to let us enter for a quick look.

On the outskirts on our way back to Bujumbura we stop again to look at another lovely old bungalow. Again it lies deserted within a large bare compound. The large lawns and flower borders have disappeared, but a local guard keeps watch. He doesn’t stop us though for us to have a look. It reminds me very much of the sort of bungalow of the Indian Colonial area. Inside, through dusty and broken windows we marvel at two rustic open fireplaces, a bar and in the back behind a large high-ceilinged bedroom two there are the remains of a bathtub.

 

Our driver thinks that it must once have belonged to the local Royal family, but that the property has been taken over by the city of Gitega.

Pity, really. Both historic buildings would deserve renovation and preservation…

 

Posted by: Lewana at August 30, 2007 16:39 | link | comments (1)
africa, burundi, gitega

Heuglins's Robin

White-browed Robin-chat (Heuglins's robin) Cossypha heuglini (20cm)

I have been chasing this shy robin for the past two weeks. He lives outside my study and I can see a pair of them quite close through the window. Unfortunately our bungalow has fly screens everywhere. But today I was lucky thanks again to my golf trainer who took me for another round of the golf course in his golf buggy. We got really close and the bird even sang its melodious song.

Posted by: Lewana at August 30, 2007 15:01 | link | comments (1)
africa, birds of burundi, bujumbura, burundi, bird-watching

Critters in my Garden

I have a very happy family of  Blue-headed tree agamas (Acanthocerus atricollis) living in my garden. They are quite shy but with a bit of luck I caught him before he was disappearing over the wall.

Posted by: Lewana at August 29, 2007 14:30 | link | comments (1)
africa, bujumbura, burundi, critters in my garden, blue-headed tree agama

Soldiers Then and Now

Posted by: Lewana at August 28, 2007 16:21 | link | comments