In the morning Helen went to a local primary school where Tayeeb sometimes helps out. She had a most interesting time, and the young children helped her with some Arabic! She would happily go back again. In the afternoon I checked out Mohamed's restaurant, which is behind the West Bank ticket office and adjacent to the Pharaohs Hotel and Restaurant in Habu City. The last time I went there was in March 2011, and they had no customers and no beer. This time there were a dozen visitors, mainly British and Chinese, the food looked basic but good, and Stella was L£15. I will return one evening to eat there. The bird with the bright yellow breast was again at the RRH, and again would not pose conveniently. I have to use manual exposures on him, and I didn't quite get them right: In the evening we went to el-Nakhil restaurant for a pizza and a beer. The views are not as good as the last time I was there because of new buildings towards the river.
5 Comments
Angela
12/3/2013 15:36:35
Well that disposes of the starling theory. No starling would have a curved beak. Much better photographs for identifying. Will have a look in my Birds of the Gambia and Senegal. There was nothing in the small Birds of Egypt and the Middle East. Birds of Ancient Egypt isn't in colour and is too specific for tomb scenes.
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Angela
12/3/2013 15:37:50
Can yo upload a photograph from the restaurant? I love the Nile Valley Hotel because of the views.
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Angela
13/3/2013 02:22:18
The beak gave it away, well partly. I didn't think it was a bee-eater so checked my Gambia book and sure enough, one bird with long tail plus name (not yours) but then went back into Birds of Egypt and sure enough - Nile Valley sunbird, male, in full breeding plumage (that's the long tail bit). I am miffed. My sunbirds are short tailed and persistently in the sun so all look brown. I've just got one with a bit of the red breast of the Beautiful Sunbird. Nothing as good as yours. What did you do? Glue it to the telegraph pole (or whatever)? Sunbirds are not known to wait patiently while someone fiddles with a camera. I am now going off to have a huff!
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Brian
13/3/2013 04:12:16
That's the badger. He won't sit still, which is why I have such problems getting a decent exposure. And he keeps hiding in the foliage. But I'll get some better shots of him or his mate before the end of the week.
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Angela
13/3/2013 13:08:39
Your Nile Valley sunbird has just had a cousin land on Angela's blog. That was my best shot.
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