Holiday Plans

Have to do an extra week at work this time but it will be worth it because when I get home the exams will be over and it will be holiday time for Rithika. And so, we're off to Kerala for 5 days. One of those days will be spent on a Kettuvallom (House Boat) on the fascinating backwaters. The rest of the days will be spent in Munnar and Thekkady. Pictures will be posted.

Vulpes Ruepelli

'Ruppell's sand fox' or the 'Desert fox' as it is better known here, is another animal that frequents the Rig 33 camp regularly in search of scraps of food. There are other similar Omani animals that also frequent the Rig 33 camp - the men who work here, but the desert fox is the lesser of the two evils and a much more interesting subject.

This animal is supposed to be independant of water and generally lives on berries, fruits, lizards, small rodents and carrion, but here at Rig 33 this lucky bugger gets chicken, lamb and even beef sometimes. Pictured here he (she? I don't know as I didn't look) is about to carry off a bag of chicken.

Another Fine Specimen

Notice the form and line of the jaw, the grace and the poise...... Great isn't it? ..... A fine specimen

Now let's talk about the bird - This bird is known locally as the 'Hud Hud'. In English it is called the Hoopoe. This beautiful bird, I'm told, is native to Oman and this bird was passing over the Rig 33 when it looked down and thought to itself, "Ah civilization!" and decided to visit.

This bird has a crest that it raises whenever it gets alarmed. In this picture I am quite sure that it had just got a good look at me. Yes! Yes! I know that I am an alarming sight sometimes.

Some trivia about the Hoopoe:

The Hoopoe is on the Old Testament's list of Unclean Birds and it's diet of insects and worms may have been among the reasons why this is so. (see Leviticus 11:19 and Deuteronomy 14:18)