wildlife as it is

Todays dragons and damsels on  http://egyptdragonflies.blogspot.com/

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 The baby egrets from todays shoot are on 
http://egyptswildlife2.blogspot.com/

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a few months ago I did a blog on steam engine  housing  after going to 9 of these derelict buildings  I did not find one engine or remnants to say it once housed a pump    ;http://nilelife2.blogspot.com/2009/12/blog-post_7007.html

 and here on banana island under the trees of the heronry  I did not find a building just a few walls and what remains of the pump  the boiler that drove this pump has long gone Mr afiz tells me this pump was built in 1890s and in use until the boiler itself blew in 1976, this small steam engine was fired on the abundant tree croppings  banana, mango,arange,lemon and the cuttings from the sugar cane. in them days banana island was an island  before the days of the high dam and the barrages along the Nile  Edfu and Isna that now guvorn the rise and fall of inundation  the island itself rises some 20ft above the Nile at high level. and the land has always been irugated and  looked after by hand so it must have been a blessing when they brought a steam engine pump  on the island ,

 but alas all it is now is home to lizards rats and snakes, not to say the young heron that falls from the trees while taking its first brave flight before its feathers grow. and of course the trusted donkey  no doubt has spent a few of its none working hours  tied to the  flywheel  or the pulley wheel.

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And housed next door to the old pump house is another workhorse if I may call a camel that.this young lady only works for 6 months of the year  and that is in sugar harvest time,

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The Lizard what  can we say about the lizard.

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One of the shy wildlife always running across your path to get out of your way  and until it moves one will not see it a master of disguise. until it sees something that wets its appitite  and caution is blown to the wind. or  in this case the wind has blinded caution.

Ok wise guy!   its not mine. the dog left it for the flies.  and me,  I eat the flies see,  at least its fresh meat. unlike those poor fish in the stagnant pool;

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Nile perch 

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Nice fish  big enough for 2 people.  these are the fish who are serviving in the stagnant pool  caused by the filling of reed bed land,   go to the Nile pollution page  http://www.myegypt.co.uk/index.php?f=data_home&a=1                no fishermen near the pool any more,  because of the smell from the pool.  last year this pool was filled by fresh nile water that filtered through the reed beds giving new life to the pool.
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