Egypt - Nature

Egypt - Nature

by Günther Eichhorn


I didn't get to see anything other than the land along the Nile. For the most part, the area away from the Nile is desert. Along the Nile is a fertile strip of land on both sides of the Nile. The soil there is deposited by the Nile during the annual flood. Without this, there would be no fertile land there at all.

The Nile itself has changed considerably after the Aswan High Dam was built. Before the dam, the Nile would flood the area along the river every year. These floods were essential for the ancient Egyptians, since it was their only source of fertile land along the Nile. Since there are no more floods, the fertility of the soil is decreasing continually. Another effect of the High Dam is the accumulation of salt in the irrigated areas, since there is no water to wash the salt away. Even the minute traces of salt in the freshwater accumulate with time to significant levels. This increasing salinity of the soil causes considerable problems.

The most common tree in Egypt is the Date Palm by far. You can see these palms everywhere along the Nile.

The only animals I saw were birds, but there were a lot of them, mostly shore birds, wading birds, and waterfowl. If you can identify any of the birds in my pictures, please let me know, I would like to tag them with their names.

All pictures are © Günther Eichhorn.

The Nile

Egypt 1445 Reed grasses along the Nile. Some areas had large low lying parts that were growing reeds for quite a distance inland. (443k) Egypt 1440 Reeds in the Nile. (674k) Egypt 1384 Date Palms along the Nile. The Date Palm is the most common tree in Egypt by far. (456k) Egypt 1462 Going after his chores, a man on the bank of the Nile. (588k) Egypt 1456 A Date Palm grove with a village in the distance. (617k)
Egypt 1444 A local village on the bank of the Nile. (412k) Egypt 1521 The minaret of a mosque shining through a Date Palm grove. (428k) Egypt 1497 There are plenty of Ancient Egyptian ruins along the Nile. (374k) Egypt 1477 You can see the thick layer of fertile soil. The soil is deposited by the annual flood of the Nile. Without these floods there would be no fertile land along the Nile. (508k) Egypt 1495 A full moon over the bank of the Nile. You can see that the fertile area along the Nile is very narrow in some places. The desert starts immediately where the terrain rises and the Nile flood cannot deposit the fertile soil. (210k)
Egypt 1509 Another example of the narrow strip of vegetation along the Nile. (384k) Egypt 1809 The First Cataracts. There were six cataract areas along the Nile in ancient times. Cataracts two through four are now flooded by Lake Nasser, the reservoir behind the Aswan High Dam. (367k) Egypt 1833 The Aswan Low Dam and its reservoir. This is the one that flooded the Island where the Philae Temple of Isis used to be. (180k) Egypt 1810 View from the Aswan High Dam towards the reservoir behind the Aswan Low dam. You can see the very shallow slope of the High Dam. (321k) Egypt 1813 View from the Aswan High Dam over Lake Nasser, the reservoir behind the High Dam. (237k)
Egypt 2204 View of Lake Nasser from the air. Notice the narrow band of vegetation around the dam, beyond which is only desert. (210k) Egypt 2212 Another view of Lake Nasser from the air. (130k)


The Desert

Egypt 1495 A full moon over the bank of the Nile. You can see that the fertile area along the Nile is very narrow in some places. The desert starts immediately where the terrain rises and the Nile flood cannot deposit the fertile soil. (210k) Egypt 2216 Aerial view of the desert next to Lake Nasser. (262k) Egypt 2202 View over the the desert with Lake Nasser in the background. (186k) Egypt 2218 Aerial view of the desert and Lake Nasser, with the small band of vegetation around the water. (241k)


Flowers and Trees

Egypt 1445 Reed grasses along the Nile. Some areas had large low lying parts that were growing reeds for quite a distance inland. (443k) Egypt 2506 A tall reed grass towering over the low bushes, with a bird perched n the reed. (351k) Egypt 1384 Date Palms along the Nile. The Date Palm is the most common tree in Egypt by far. (456k) Egypt 1029 1029 (408k) Egypt 1456 A Date Palm grove with a village in the distance. (617k)
Egypt 2502 A flowering vine climbing through the grasses and bushes. We didn't see many flowers that were not cultivated. (807k) Egypt 1747 Papyrus, the plant of Lower Egypt for the ancient Egyptians. It was used to make paper in ancient times. (791k) Egypt 1745 A flowering bush in the botanical garden on the island near Aswan. (559k) Egypt 1746 A palm tree in the botanical garden on the island near Aswan. (431k) Egypt 1755 Another palm tree in the botanical garden on the island near Aswan. (670k)
Egypt 1756 I don't remember what kind of tree this was. (722k) Egypt 1757 Various types of palms in the botanical garden on the island near Aswan. (819k)


Miscellaneous Birds

Egypt 1115 Unknown bird. (260k) Egypt 0275 Some type of crow. (334k) Egypt 2501 A Little Green Bee Eater (Merops orientalis). (225k) Egypt 2273 Two of the Bee Eaters. (275k) Egypt 2523 A raptor in flight. (50k)
Egypt 2521 This raptor was coming very close. (567k) Egypt 0856 Some shore bird. (115k) Egypt 2481 Some shore bird. (320k) Egypt 1742 Sea Gulls. (395k) Egypt 0259 This bird is called a Hoopoe. The German name for this bird is Wiedehopf (Upupa epops). I have seen this bird in many countries. (406k)


Waterfowl

Egypt 1128 A flock of waterfowl. (44k) Egypt 0979 Waterfowl in flight. (321k) Egypt 1518 Waterfowl on a small sand bank in the Nile. (380k) Egypt 1387 A small flock of Coots (Fulica atra) in the Nile. (425k) Egypt 2486 This is a Coot (Fulica atra). In German this bird is called Blesshuhn. (332k)
Egypt 1771 A bird similar to the Coot. It may be a Purple Galinule. (125k) Egypt 2475 Another kind of waterfowl?. (362k)


Cormorants

Egypt 2504 A Cormorant in the Nile. (413k) Egypt 2511 A Cormorant on a rock in a shallow part of the Nile near Aswan. (326k) Egypt 1708 Two Cormorants (?) in flight. (257k)


Kingfishers

Egypt 0854 A Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis), posing on a boat in the Nile. (119k) Egypt 0861 A Pied Kingfisher hunting. They hang in the air, flapping their wings to stay in place. When they see a fish, they dive for it. They dart back and forth to look for fish, never staying in one place long enough for me to focus the camera, so I didn't get a sharp picture. (48k) Egypt 0862 Another hunting Pied Kingfisher. (51k) Egypt 2498 This Pied Kingfisher (Ceryle rudis) was much more accommodating and let me focus well. (370k)


Egrets and Herons

Egypt 1381 A couple of Herons. (664k) Egypt 1401 A Great Blue Heron (Ardea herodias). (521k) Egypt 1117 A flock of Snowy Egrets (Egretta thula) (228k) Egypt 0852 A couple of Snowy Egrets (154k) Egypt 0847 A wading Snowy Egret (71k)
Egypt 1750 A Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis) (197k) Egypt 0742 A Snowy Egret (162k) Egypt 1339 A Snowy Egret. This one was visiting us on our cruise boat. (147k) Egypt 1375 He gave me plenty of time to get close. (273k) Egypt 1768 A Snowy Egret landing. (378k)
Egypt 2487 A Snowy Egret fishing, trying to keep his balance. (487k) Egypt 2471 A Great Blue Heron. (588k) Egypt 1555 The Egrets congregate in the evenings on this islands in the Nile to spend the night. (449k) Egypt 1579 A flock of Cattle Egret on their way to roost for the night. (458k) Egypt 1409 A Great Blue Heron in flight. (456k)
Egypt 1545 A Cattle Egret in flight (51k)


Scenic Moments

Egypt 1514 The full moon rising over the banks of the Nile. (149k) Egypt 1033 The full moon with the sun still up is still very dim. (213k) Egypt 1478 Sunset over the banks of the Nile. (267k) Egypt 1485 Sunset twilight over the banks of the Nile. (265k) Egypt 1575 Sunset twilight over the banks of the Nile. (184k)
Egypt 0773 Sunset over a Felucca on the Nile. (164k)


Here are the links to the other pages on Egypt:

Today's Egypt Ancient Egypt

People

Egypt

Architecture

Mythology

Pharaohs

All pictures are © Günther Eichhorn


© Günther Eichhorn
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