Birds, a rat and our mountain.

We've had a quiet couple of weeks.  Work and home only.  I had a cold the first week and Jenny has it now (mine was worse).  Last weekend and this we barely ventured out.  Only a trip to the supermarket and a couple of walks down through our local shopping area for fruit and veg.

One shopping highlight is the opening last week of the new Sakina Supermarket.  The old one was a landmark and we still describe where we live in reference to the old location even though it has been closed for quite a while (before we arrived at least).  A while back, shutters went up and then suddenly the new shop was opened.  We popped in to check it out last weekend.  Not fully stocked yet but looking promising for many things we need.

We've had another rat.  It was popping in each evening after lights out but we have been careful not to leave any food out.  Everything is either in cupboards or containers.  I had my lunchbox on the counter with a frozen, home-made bread roll in it to thaw overnight.  The rat made a great attempt to get my roll so next night we set a trap and dispatched it.  So far none have come back.

This is quite tough plastic!

On Monday we came home and the Arrow-marked Babbler family was more than usually agitated about something in the garden.  I went to investigate and found a Spotted Eagle-Owl roosting on a water tank ignoring the Babblers.  It posed for several photos.  I assume it is still around somewhere but haven't seen it again (or heard it during the night).  A common bird but the first one for me.  Hope it stays to eat a few rats.

Spotted Eagle-Owl

I noticed a large nest that had appeared suddenly in one of the Acacias in the garden.  Landlord Paul told me that African Goshawks had nested before in the garden so that's what I assume these are.  I photographed a male near the nest on a couple of occasions but wasn't sure that it was an African Goshawk as it looked a bit small.  I put photos on the Facebook Tanzania birding page and others seem to think it is AG so we'll go with that for now at least.  It will be fun watching the chicks when they hatch in a month or so.

Almost certainly a male African Goshawk but what is it eating? A rat perhaps?

Our mountain has been showing off lately with clear skies.  Hopefully we will see snow on it one day - probably early in the next wet season.  It is about 12 km away in the photos below.

View from our friend Phil's house above Ngaramtoni.

View from Jenny's work at Olkokola (over the cowsheds).