Flora and Fauna at Harbour Club Villas

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An anole lizard wards off visitors on Harbour Club Villas’ office deck.

Another week of photographing some of the critters wandering through the gardens at Harbour Club Villas along with our beautiful wild orchids that have just started to bloom. I came home the other day to this anole lizard guarding our deck. He wasn’t too pleased to see me but did pose long enough for me to snap a photo or two.

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Cute anole and he had the most gorgeous colours on top of his little head.

 

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A pretty shell house for this little hermit crab……..he didn’t want to go to the pool!

We often find hermit crabs also know locally as soldier crabs ambling on through. Sometimes we even help them by giving them a choice of a new home. There’s also been some strange houses such as PVC pipe, an old film canister and basically they’ll use whatever they can find in the moment. This one had a very pretty shell.

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We often find hermit crabs and I’m sure I’ve photographed many of them.

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Here’s a gorgeous Encyclia Altissima wild orchid.

The wild orchids are blooming all over Providenciales. Found our first Encyclia Altissima orchid today just starting to bloom and what a beautiful scent they have.

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A cluster of wild orchids in the bush by Harbour Club Villas

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A Cuban tree frog ……….. look at those suction pads.

This little Cuban tree frog is not native to the Turks and Caicos Islands but they are spreading rapidly throughout.

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Pretty amazing to see how far they can jump!

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A yellow bellied sap sucker………this is a new bird for me and really exciting to see.

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Here he is pecking holes in our coconut palms.

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A row of old holes and then the new ones.

It was thrilling to catch sight of and photograph the yellow bellied sap sucker. Definitely not easy to do as they are very shy birds and hard to get a photo of them.

Hoping we can show you some of the local critters around Harbour Club Villas…lots of birds, lizards, geckos and some beautiful flowering plants and shrubs.

Marta

Orchids at Sunset

Wild orchids blooming at Harbour Club Villas over looking the sail boats in the Marina.

We enjoyed our first sunset of the first day of the new year in our favorite spot overlooking the marina. I had to include a beautiful Encyclia Altissima (orchid), the sun setting and some sail boat masts. Perfect end to a perfect day!

Hope 2012 is a great one for all!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Orchids

Orchids blooming with the marina entrance in the background.

Orchids blooming with the marina entrance in the background.

This Tall Encyclia orchid was growing on the rock ridge overlooking the entrance to our marina. The days have been so gloomy and so I decided to see if the rain had made our local plants bloom. The Encyclia Altissima orchids are growing all over and flowering at this time of year. This one was quite showy with vivid purple striped lines on its petals.

The Marina channel and Cooper Jack Bight were perfectly calm creating a pastel backdrop of colours as the sun tried to break through the clouds.

The Marina channel and Cooper Jack Bight were perfectly calm creating a pastel backdrop of colours as the sun tried to break through the clouds.

We have been waiting for days to see the sunshine and today was the day……….and it lasted all day!

 

Marta

 

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Spring Orchid

I noticed this beautiful orchid growing at Harbour Club Villas today. I've been looking for it as I know it should be starting to bloom about now.

I noticed this beautiful orchid growing at Harbour Club Villas today. I've been looking for it as I know it should be starting to bloom about now.

 

Encyclia Rufa is the name of this orchid and the yellow flowers grow in clusters.  They are often found growing on thatch and silver palms and flowers can start to appear from early February until July.  The Spring orchid is currently listed on the endangered species list.

Yellow flowers of Encyclia Rufa our Spring Orchid that is found growing wild throughout Providenciales.

Yellow flowers of Encyclia Rufa our Spring Orchid that is found growing wild throughout Providenciales.

Have a look in the bush as you travel around Provo……….you’ll be sure to see the Spring Orchid.

Have fun,

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Encyclia orchid

Orchids peaking through the Palmettos

Orchids peaking through the Palmettos

I thought these orchids deserved another photo just on their own. They are so beautiful. As you travel along Provo’s roads, have a look along the roadside and in the bush. You’ll see these orchids stretching up to the skies.

Cheers,

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Orchid and Praying Mantis

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What a find.......a praying mantis on one of our wild orchids

I was trying to get some good photos of one of our island’s orchids and came across a praying mantis that was hiding in the petals. This orchid is found almost everywhere at this time of year and is known as Encyclia altissima (formerly known as Encyclia hodgeana). When in bloom, the flower sepals are greenish-yellow with brownish-red striping and the petals are yellowish-red with accents of purple. We have at least four different species that are found here and there’s pretty much one of them flowering for every season of the year.

Great camouflage..........It looked like a green twig until it moved!

Great camouflage..........It looked like a green twig until it moved!

The praying mantis is named for its front legs which are bent and held together at an angle that looks like it is praying.   These insects are quite the predator. They have triangular heads which can turn 180 degrees to search their surroundings with two large compound eyes and three other simple eyes located between them. Anyway, I was fascinated and spent a while taking photos.

Marta

www.harbourclubvillas.com