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Saturday - thousands of butterflies appear
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date: 15/11/2008
Author:Laura Smith
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CONDITIONS
Weather: Mostly fine, warm | Air Temp: 28.3°C | Wind: SE/NE 10 knots | Water Temp: 24°C | Water Visibility: ~ 20 m | Sea State: Calm
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
The appearance of thousands of butterflies in the last few weeks has added a little extra magic to Lady Elliot Island! And what a lovely addition to all the other amazing life blooming before us; birds, turtles and fish life all seem to be feeling the spring vibe!
A notable recent addition to the island life is some brand new buff-banded rail chicks! Judging by their appearance, they are probably a couple of days old. It is believed that their nest is located under the vegetation growing directly in front of reception, and they are frequently seen scurrying about in the main walkway around reception and the dive shop. Their adorable antics are putting smiles on the faces of all who have the pleasure of seeing them!
The frequent sightings of turtles spark much curiosity amongst guests about their habits and biology, and our informative “Turtle Talks” are the perfect remedy to unanswered questions about these wonderful animals. At today’s Turtle Talk, guests and staff chatted about the fascinating life cycle of our turtles, how to maximize your chances of seeing a female laying egg, and what to do around nesting females to minimize disturbance. Guests were able to see and hold a real green turtle’s carapace, and stories were shared about everybody’s personal turtle encounters during their stay.
Wildlife abounded on this afternoon’s reef walk! The first creature to catch our sights was a moray eel. It spotted us quickly after, and took refuge in a crevice in the reef. Both reef walkers and moray eel realized simultaneously that this crevice was already occupied, when a startled rock cod shot away across the reef flat. Later, not one but two sea hares were seen, of two different species. Both were foraging on turf algae. Reef walkers were amazed by the movement and feel of this endearing little creature. While walking back, a small moving creature caught the eye of a member of the group. On first glance it closely resembled a hermit crab. But, upon closer inspection, it was clear that this obscure creature was in fact a small octopus! They are masters of disguise, and are well known for their ability to change their shape, colour and the appearance of their texture in order to mimic other reef creatures to fool potential predators. We watched the octopus as it flowed like liquid across the surface of the reef, until it was too far away from us to see anymore.
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Butterfly at Coral Gardens - Laura Smith
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