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Thursday - Bird watching got the day underway
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date: 6/11/2008
Author:Shay Young
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CONDITIONS
Weather: Sunny, early cloud cover | Air Temp: 26°C | Wind: N/NW 15/20 knots | Water Temp: 24°C | Water Visibility: 10m | Sea State: Choppy
ISLAND LIFE
Critter Encounters:
As the birds awoke it was not to the usual blazing orange sun but to a cloud filled sky with a slight thunderstorm passing by; this was then followed with a rain shower lasting only minutes before clearing up to a magnificent sunny day.
Bird watching got the day underway - and what a tour it was! Bird species flew overhead left, right and centre; the bridled tern was the first on the agenda putting on a great show for all onlookers demonstrating exactly how it gains it’s alternative name ‘dog tern’ by yapping as we passed by. The white capped noddies have all started to lay their eggs now with a tree full of noddies observed and at least 4 nest with eggs sighted; the red tailed tropic bird were also of great interest with Zulu almost completely out of his nest and on the pathway. The young tropic birds are now becoming very adventurous exploring the areas surrounding their nests. The oystercatchers were all found on the northern end of the runway scavenging in the shoreline for any available food; the common noddies have also started to lay eggs on the southern and northern end of the runway and were today guarding their nests. The ruddy turnstones gathered on the runway with the godwits also looking for available food.
The frigate birds were seen high in the sky with at least 40 counted gliding in the air looking like soaring Terradactyls.
The glass bottom boat headed out on the western side of the island to explore that amazing underwater world full of fish and other exciting creatures. The fish flourished off Second Reef with wrasse and parrotfish to be seen everywhere; the turtles were out again with a green ‘turtle stack’ occurring and the less seen loggerhead turtles also spotted mating.
Fish feeding was on a very high tide today allowing those bigger fish to head on in; the rabbit fish showed along with the wrasse and mullet however Nigel the silver drummer was missing today obviously he found a better food source for the day.
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Tropic Birds - Shay Young
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