Hibiscus sabdariffa

I read recently that there were many different varieties of this Red sorrel, also known as Roselle / Hibiscus sabdariffa / Oseille de Guinée. A lot of us know the Senegalese name of the drink made with it, bissap, or karkade, in Egypt. A less widely known fact is that the leaves can be consumed like spinach in any recipe calling for leafy greens.

The most common variety around Agbodrafo, Togo is this one:

But yesterday, wading through an overgrown plot of land that as best as I can guess remained untouched for the last 25 years or so, I discovered this type:

I think both can equally be consumed. Please feel free to give me the specific type names or any information that may be of interest.

Please contact me beforehand if you intend using any content found on this blog. It's nice, and it's the law. Thank you!

African pied wagtail

Again, I apologise for the poor quality of the pictures. They were taken from inside a house, through the (fixed) mosquito net. Here is an African pied wagtail / Motacilla aguimp / Bergeronnette pie, clicked in Agbodrafo, Togo. I don't assume I'll win any nature photography award with these pictures, but I rather post them as a reminder to myself to look for opportunities to take better shots of these specific birds.

Please contact me in case you want to use any materials found on this blog, which are copyrighted. It's nice, and it's the law. Thank you.

It's like eating nuts...

... says my mother: the more you do it, the more you want it. Birding is a wonderful pastime. I apologise in advance for the poor quality of the following pictures, but I was so excited to discover this bird that I decided not to hold back and share it. Let me introduce the Green Wood-hoopoe / Phoeniculus purpureus / Irrisor moqueur, clicked in Agbodrafo, Togo.

A word of caution: please contact me for permission to use any content found on this blog. It's nice, and it's the law. Thank you!

Fly away

I'm sure by now my readers have figured out I like weavers. Their colours, their chatter, and their nests are sources of daily wonder. I took these pictures of Village weaver / Ploceus cucculatus / Tisserin gendarme (male and females/juveniles) in Agbodrafo, Togo.

A male, looking down on the action in a nearby tree, seemingly oblivious of the Rainbow lizard / Agama agama / Margouillat watching it.

I don't know for sure whether the one below is a female or a juvenile. They look very much the same, but this one looks fully grown and therefore I think it's a female. Please feel free to set me right if I'm wrong and to share tips to know one from the other. Thanks!

This is my very first almost decent picture of a flying bird. It is a tiny bit blurry and probably doesn't look much technically or in terms of action, but it makes me happy.

A friendly reminder: please contact me if you want to use any materials on this blog elsewhere. It will be nice, and will keep you on the right side of copyright law. Thank you!

Village weaver

Because I can't tire of admiring these birds and their nests, here is a recent shot of a Village weaver / Ploceus cucculatus / Tisserin gendarme. 

A friendly reminder: if you want to use any materials on this blog, anywhere, for any purpose, please contact me beforehand. This will please me, and by the same token keep you on the right side of copyright law. Thank you!