Curious Critters and Collections at RVA

Almost every day brings us new sights and new introductions to creatures and characters and collections here in East Africa.



We see bulbuls everywhere--don't be deceived--he is a bandit.
This cheeky fellow with the yellow rump
likes to eat the squash blossoms in our shamba.











This fellow likes to put the bulbul in his place. Jim calls him
the "orca" of the bird world. Shrikes don't want any competition for bugs,
and it suits us just fine when they chase the bulbuls out of our garden.












One of Jim's eighth graders found this chameleon by his dorm.















Another raider in our shamba--an ibis after nesting material.

And weeks later, here are her babies

No, she looks like a stork, but she does not bring babies...she just has them...

Loud babies...think raucous crows...BIG raucous crows.

A Curious Collection -- Chai cups.

Everyday at about 10:30 RVA students and staff enjoy chai--yummy hot tea

with lots of milk and sugar. Each high school student brings a cup,

and some leave them outside day after day...rinsed...or not.

Most kids turn them upside down and that's good, because birds love new perches

...and to leave small "gifts."

A sunbird in a blooming jacaranda tree. These relatives of humingbirds don't hum,

because they know the words.

A rare sight -- blossoms on an acacia -- the flat-topped tree we associate with Africa.

A sadly rare sight -- rain. We enjoyed a brief spell and things were looking

much greener. The total for the year is about half of

what it should be. You need to make this a matter of prayer.

This unusual bush with purple, lavendar, and white blossoms is

called Yesterday and Today. The leaves and blossoms on our bush

have wilted from the drought. Much more serious, potato plants

in local Kenyan shambas have died.

A Favorite Character -- Max

This fierce guy is a Rotweiler/Doberman mix. He can clear a five-foot hedge with no strain at all.

And he is on the job, protecting us from...

Monkeys...this one is a Colobus.








Seriously, if it weren't for Max things like this would happen more often.

A baboon crashed through a friend's roof recently, creating this hole.

A few months earlier, and the baboon would have landed on their daughter's bed

and possibly their daughter as well.

This Welsh Corgi likes to think of himself as Max's nemesis.

He has just enough attitude to turn his back on me and walk off from a photo op.

Max is not impressed. He hops over Crown of Thorn bushes.

Having the run of the campus, he goes where he likes.

But he's really just a big baby. I felt a huge presence nudging my leg

as a I worked at a desk top in the staff lounge...it was Max wanting love.

I think you are all expecting bugs in Africa. Here is a flying ant...a huge flying ant.

Rugged RVA kids eat them.

Sometimes even Africa must cope with invasions of alien species...one of the most notable...

TEXAS AGGIES!