Turks and Caicos Islands….Open for Business

Posted on March 30, 2018 by marta

Harbour Club Villas and Marina has a new look with new, white metal roofs…….Yes we are open for business after Hurricane Irma.

Yes, we can now say that we survived a Category 5 Hurricane!

It has been a chaotic and traumatic time for all of us here in the Turks and Caicos Islands. We were hit hard with damages especially to all the roofs. Our red tiled roofs are no longer, ripped off by the horrific force of the winds and left in piles after Hurricane Irma.

Now some 50 days after, we have new white metal roofs and clean up is almost complete. The Turks and Caicos Islands are open for business and better than ever…….restaurants are opening, dive boats are back in the water, snorkeling is great and we’ve seen so many turtles and our bonefishermen are back in the lake and on the flats, excursions and more.

Red tiles are no longer but fresh looking, white roofs

Grace Bay Beach at the Bight Reef is as beautiful as ever so book your vacations now. This was taken a few days ago

Our beaches are all as stunning as ever with the prettiest sparkling water you’ll ever see. All my photos have been taken recently and quite honestly, if you want beaches that have few people on them, now’s the time to come. We are waiting for you so head down for some fun in the sun and on the beach.

Our first flower appears after the wrath and devastation of Irma and it was so beautiful to see.

A rippling effect as the sunlight plays on the waters of Grace Bay

Young flamingos were sighted in Flamingo Lake close by the villas at Harbour Club

A spectacular sunset over Flamingo Lake

Stark silhouette of leafless trees that were stripped by Hurricane Irma

Footprints in the sand along the edge of the water on Grace Bay

A little hummingbird sits on a rope left over from tying our trees together for strength against the hurricane……..so where do they go during hurricanes?

Not ready for scuba diving……call Jodi at Snuba TCI.

Peaceful and serene on the south side of Provo where our villas are located.

Dive operators are ready to take you out for some scuba diving.

There’s some great diving waiting for you…….four of the island’s dive operators leave from the marina at Harbour Club or close by: AquaTCI, Flamingo Divers, Provo Turtle Divers and Caicos Adventures. Give them and us a call for all your diving needs………grab your buddy and come on down.

Snorkeling Smith’s Reef after the hurricane…..so many juvenile hawksbill and green turtles were sighted.

The Bight Reef on a clear day recently…still debris lying on the bottom but thankfully the reef looks really good.

Sailing along Grace Bay with the Atabeyra just this past week

There’s many water based excursions you can choose and one of the best is sailing on the Atabeyra……….so relaxing, do a snorkel or a sunset cruise and watch that rum punch!!!

Here’s my version of “Fall” colours on Provo !

Bonefishing in Flamingo Lake and yes, we saw fishermen last week.

Provo Ponies is ready to take you for a leisurely ride on Long Bay beach

This could be you in one of these lounge chairs?

Those adorable potcakes…….so many of them waiting for good forever homes.

Forever shades of blue and turquoise.

The Turks and Caicos Islands are open for business after the hurricanes and we invite you to join us. We want to show you our special “beautiful by nature” islands and friendly welcoming people.

Hope to see you all very soon.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

A Trip Down Turtle Tail

Posted on July 5, 2017 by marta

A lone flamingo feeds in the Juba salina just a short ways from Harbour Club Villas

I decided on taking one of our fishing guests down Turtle Tail to see for myself where he could access some flats in order to do some bonefishing. Must say, this area is still as beautiful as ever but with many newly constructed houses going up.

I haven’t seen the flamingos for quite an age and was excited to see this, lone beauty.

I couldn’t get him to stop feeding and to lift his head up……….too busy “vacuuming” through the silty bottom.

My beach also known locally as Dog Beach was just awesome with all those turquoise colours

Looking towards Jim Hill and the new villas being built beside Bajacu

Bonefishing flat with some of the Five Little Cays in the distance

Old conch shells piled up on shore

Now this has some potential for some DIY bonefishing

Jet skiers were out on this beautiful day

Rocky southern shoreline with secret pathway down to the water’s edge

Private gazebos overlooking stunning turquoise waters

Mangroves down Turtle Tail with some sweet bonefishing spots

Harbour Club Villas and Marina on a bonefishing lake in Providenciales

Looking across Flamingo Lake towards the villas at Harbour Club and a lone fisherman

Flamingo Lake and a perfect afternoon for some bonefishing

Nesting Mourning Dove Part 2

Posted on June 19, 2016 by marta

This little Mourning Dove set up her nest in the rafters of the Tiki Hut at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. I’ve been photographing the nest and the parent doves for several weeks now. Here are the photos taken up until today, June 19, when I caught all the action of the little birds spreading and fluttering their wings and leaving the nest for the big wide world.

Fluffing out those feathers so I was pretty sure the flight day was pretty close

Feeding time as the little dove returns to the nest to feed his/her little ones.

Getting big and ready to fly

Time to spread those wings

I’m watching you!!

Away we go as the little birds leave the nest and head along the rafters

Everyone safely down from the rafters of the Tiki Hut and onto the gravel in the parking lot

both parents are watching out for the chicks

They scuttled across the parking lot and the parents tucked them safely into a little sheltered spot off the drive way leading down to the marina

They finally flew into the vegetation on our hill

Sad to see them go…what am I going to photograph now?

Nesting Mourning Dove

Posted on June 8, 2016 by marta

Mourning dove on her nest in the rafters of our tikihut.

We saw some twigs and straw sticking out of the rafters of the tikihut at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. As we went to clean it up, we discovered this pretty little Mourning Dove on its nest of twigs.

Close up of its head and extraordinary colours around the eye.

Here’s the nest up on a beam in Harbour Club’s tikihut by the pool.

The mourning dove is named for the rather haunting and sad cooing sound it makes. When it flies, it’s wings make a whistling sound. They are mostly seed eaters that feed on the ground and here at Harbour Club Villas, we often see them pecking at the gravel under our neem trees.

The dove definitely didn’t let me out of her sight.

I couldn’t resist shooing it off the nest so that I could photograph the two eggs. Both parents will build a rather flimsy platform nest usually up high in a tree or a bush. The eggs hatch after 14 days or so and one is laid in the evening and the second one in the morning. Now I didn’t know that both parents care for the little ones. I have noticed another dove hanging around that has been spotted on the roof of the tikihut. I also learned that it’s usually the male that incubates the eggs during the day and the female at night. I don’t know that I can tell the difference between the male and the female.

Two white eggs in a very sparse looking nest of twigs.

My hand just to give you an idea of the size of the eggs

Someone is watching me very carefully? Not sure if this is a male or female.

The mourning dove is 9-13 inches in length and has a wingspan of 15-18 inches. It has a grayish-brown body and quite a long, pointed tail that has a border of white. The dove’s head is small and rounded with a small, thin, black bill. Legs and feet are pink. The wing has black spots and there is a black spot under the eye. The eyes are brown and surrounded by a blue circle of skin. Males and females look alike, but the female is slightly smaller and duller in color.

The dove started to puff up as I brought my camera closer.

Fanning out wings and tail feathers to ward me off in the hopes I would go away.

How beautiful are those tail feathers!

Both parents will feed the chicks that are also called squabs. They are fed pigeon milk which is a mixture of water, fat, minerals, and protein that the male and female mourning doves produce in their crop. The crop is a sac that is found at the bottom of their esophagus.

Two little baby doves huddled together……….no wonder the dove was protective.

Close up of one of the little doves.

The chicks will fledge when they are 2 weeks old.

Nestlings are cared for by both parents and fledge in about 12-14 days.

In the days to come, I will add more photos as the chicks grow and leave the nest.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Sea Stars

Aside

Cushion sea star or starfish in the shallows.

A more modern name for Asteroidea or starfish is now Sea Stars. Usually they have five arms but sometimes a few species have more. Here are some beautiful Sea Stars that I have found and photographed around Providenciales out at Bonefish Point, Grace Bay, Taylor Bay as well as other areas of the Turks and Caicos Islands.

Snorkeling the underwater world often brings an exciting discovery of a brightly coloured cushion sea star

Knobby spines create a geometric design of orangey brown and yellow.

Loads of starfish or sea stars found in Grace Bay

Tiny crab found on the under side. Tube feet located under the arms have small suckers.

The red cushion star can be very large, sometimes growing to about 50 centimetres (20 in) in diameter. It usually has five thick, broad arms projecting from a cushioned disc therefore the name. The colour of adults is some shade of red, orange, yellow or brown. The juveniles are greenish-brown with mottled markings which provide camouflage from predators.

A juvenile Cushion Sea Star

Small two spined sea star washed up as the tide goes out

Front and back of the two spined sea star found out at S W Bluff on Providenciales

Burying itself in the sand

Not sure what kind this one is

Pretty shot as it buries itself in the sand

Seemed to have one longer arm?

Pretty painted toes as a size guage

Showing the underside with small suckers or tubes

Red Spiney Sea Star found out at South West Bluff on Provo

This one had lost an arm

Osprey Rock in the background with a little Red Spiny sea star

Sea stars are often found in calm shallow waters (depths from 1 – 37 m) and more commonly occur on calcareous sandy bottom. The ones I’ve found have been mainly out at Bonefish Point just off the sandbar. It’s a beautiful spot to enjoy our “beautiful by nature” Turks and Caicos Islands on your next trip to Provo.

Happy Sea Star watching everyone.

Marta

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Jim Hill Nature Walk

Posted on January 29, 2016 by marta

Jim Hill view towards Five Cays…….such calm turquoise waters today.

What an awesome day it was today. One look at that turquoise, flat calm water and a quick trip up Jim Hill ended up being a good two hours. There was an abundance of glorious wild flowers in full bloom after the rains of last week. The Turks and Caicos Islands are blessed with so much natural beauty.

The wispy, dried and twig like Broom Brush has undergone a transformation and now has white delicate flowers.

Most of the year, the Broom Brush goes un noticed as it looks withered and dry most of the time. The rains of last week created the greening of the branches and an abundance of delicate white flowers. The Broom Brush is endemic to the Turks and Caicos Islands and the Bahamas.

Jacquemontia Havanensis is a twining vine and the flowers on this one had pretty pink highlights.

Many of the shrubs were covered with this little vine with star shaped flowers. Many were white but there are variations with pink and light blue colours.

I love the scent of the Bahama Strong Back which is similar to jasmine.

This shrub provides food for birds and insects and the fragrant flowers are a source of nectar for butterflies and the Bahama Woodstar Hummingbirds found in the Turks and Caicos. And when you boil the twigs and leaves making it into a tea, it relieves back pain and has medicinal properties. I’ve heard it is good for tummy problems too.

This Old Man Cactus is about to burst out with a beautiful flower……..it generally blooms at night.

Blooms are extraordinary…….satin like and with a cloying scent.

The Old Man Cactus flower is attractive to insects and butterflies and its bright red fruit is loved by our local birds.

The Wild Senna has beautiful bright yellow flowers.

The Candlewood when not flowering looks like a miniature holly bush.

The Candlewood has bright spikey orange flowers with four longer stems that look like candles, thus the name.

Encyclia Altissima, our beautiful wild orchid

I don’t know what this is but it was a pretty little daisy like weed.

Just love this one with its delicate seeds and turquoise sea background.

Sea Sage has to be one of my favourites with its multi pink and yellow cluster flowers.

Heading down Jim Hill towards the marina and Harbour Club Villas.

How I love the Wild Passionflower vine and this one was in full bloom….. check out the little caterpillar.

A little snail on the Sea Grape bush.

Pretty butterfly hovers above the passion vine.

The lovely Melochia with its’ pinkish purple flowers

A beautiful day, a wonderful photographic excursion to enjoy our local wildflowers.

Look around you as you enjoy our beautiful by nature islands.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Flamingos on Flamingo Lake

Posted on October 19, 2015 by marta

Such beautiful plumage colours on these flamingos sighted in the lake by Harbour Club Villas.

The flamingos have returned to Flamingo Lake by Harbour Club Villas and Marina on Providenciales, Turks and Caicos Islands. Just recently, a friend called me to tell me she could see the flamingos feeding in the lake. She ran down to pick me up and off we drove just before sunset to find and photograph them.

These two were honking and ruffling their wings.

It was difficult to capture them because they were busily feeding with their heads in the water.

The sun was going down as a small flock of flamingos were feeding in the lake.

Preening, neck stretching and ruffling their wings.

Such beautiful birds with amazing colours

They mainly feed during the day………this one had the most beautiful colours.

Flamingos sweep their bill upside down through shallow water picking up food as they go.

I can’t believe what beautiful plumage and colours these birds have.

Flamingos are like ballet dancers so graceful in the waters

We don’t often see flamingos but these ones were so close to us in the lake just out by the villas.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Thirsty Anole at Harbour Club Villas

Posted on September 27, 2015 by marta

It’s time for relaxing and ending the day with a beer.

Pretty much every evening we head on up our hill and sit and enjoy the view over Harbour Club Marina. On this particular evening, I set my beer on the wall beside the bench and to my amazement a little anole lizard cautiously approached. He evidently was thirsty and started to lap up the beads of moisture that had formed on my Corona. What a photo op and my camera captured this cute event.

Lapping up the beads of moisture

Anole lizards are interesting to watch and they do move fast.

Just another little drink before I go!

Hummingbird Rescue

Posted on August 8, 2015 by marta

Momma hummingbird feeding her two new little ones

Harbour Club Villas and Marina have a new little guest……..a Bahamas Woodstar hummingbird has built a nest in one of our Bridal Bouquet plants. The nest has been battered by the strong winds and the lower leaf supporting the nest is slowly starting to die.

Perching on her nest to feed the babies that were just hatched a day ago.

The yellow beak of one of the two little hummingbird in the nest lined with soft hairs and fibres.

Bridal bouquet showing how off kilter the nest is.

The yellowing leaf is supporting most of the nest but it’s not going to hold for sure until the birds are ready to fly.

The two little hatchling hummingbirds are at the mother’s tail and she will have to add more to her nest to shore it up so that the babies don’t fall out.

Another hummingbird nest at Harbour Club Villas…..what a work of art!

Looking down into the nest to see the little hummingbirds.

Here are the two little hummingbirds sleeping in their soft nursery.

A photo showing the sloping angle of the nest

Our little grandson peaks into the nest to see the new hatchlings

I was really worried about the little birds falling out of the nest as it seemed to be leaning really far on the one side. The nest was only woven around one leaf that was dying. I asked our gardener to try and tie up the nest so that it would last for about three more weeks.

Sturdy twigs on either side of the nest adding support and safety for the hatchlings.

I came back to find two sturdy branches tied around and supporting the nest…perfect! Mama hummingbird is now sitting upright on the nest and the little ones are safe and secure in the newly shored-up nest.

She seems to be enjoying her newly supported nest.

Collecting nectar for the babies

Minute cottonball puffs have been added to the nest

Here’s a close up of the baby hummers

Mama flies in to feed the little ones

Taking a break, the little hummingbird perches on a branch.

Here are the babies a week later and growing so fast

Two open little beaks just waiting to be fed

Mama bird’s favourite perch on a flowering ixora bush.

Flying in for a landing on her perch to see if all’s clear……….she knows I’m there

More repairs as we have to pull the bridal bouquet branch up under the eaves

More repairs …….. the leaning bridal bouquet branch was catching the full on sunshine and I could see that the baby hummingbirds were suffering the heat onslaught. We had to tie it up using the villa louvers to pull the branch back into the shade up under the eaves.

Feeding her hungry crew.

The mother hummingbird drinks nectar and catches bugs which she regurgitates into a slurry substance the baby hummingbirds can digest. This mixture is fed to the baby hummingbirds approximately every twenty minutes. She insert her beak all the way down into the mouths of the baby hummingbirds.

Peaking out of the nest with beak wide open.

When a mother hummingbird comes to feed the baby hummingbirds, the baby hummingbirds feel the wind and vibrations from the wings of their mother and lift their little heads up and open their mouths.

Close up of the nestlings as they wait for mama.

With two repairs to her nest, we are hoping all will hold together until the baby hummingbirds are ready to fly.

The mama hummingbird and one of her favourite perches in a bougainvillea that’s near the nest.

At six days old they have the startings of feathers and hungry all the time.

The little hummingbirds are grow fast and feeding is approximately every 20 minutes or so.

Hummingbirds lap up the nectar with their long slender tongues.

Two weeks old and they have fluffy feathers.

Yes, they projectile poop lifting their bums out of the nest so as not to dirty it.

See how long her tongue is?

There’s a greenish tinge to their feathers and they are looking more like hummingbirds.

One of the little guys perches at the edge of the nest.

Enjoying a little scratch as she perches on the bougainvillea branch.

Three weeks old and almost ready to fly.

The babies grip the nest with their claws so that they don’t fall out.

Now you can see the iridescent green on their feathers

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Under the Dock at Harbour Club

Posted on April 28, 2015 by marta

Anemones growing under the floating docks at Harbour Club’s Marina

A beautiful late afternoon spent lying on the docks taking photos of the marine life and world under our marina docks at Harbour Club Villas. Our guests had wandered down every evening of their stay and were coming back to tell me of all the sightings. I just had to see for myself.

Lying on the docks taking photos of the pale anemones with my reflection in the water.

Many pretty squirrel fish were darting around under the docks

The common blue crab was feeding on growths covering sturdy ropes laying in the water.

The beautiful neon yellows of the juvenile schoolmaster snapper.

Here’s some grunts, foureye butterfly fish and schoolmaster snapper.

Squirrel fish and schoolmaster snapper captured together

Love this photo of a little squirrel fish

Sea Anemone in pretty pink

Pretty but not sure what this is??

A fairly large barracuda kept prowling past.

Excitement when a guest spotted this octopus……..thanks Bryan for the photo.

Red-banded fanworm swaying with the currents.

Octopus trying to hide from Mike’s camera……what a beauty and changing colours.

An upside-down jellyfish.

I’m really amazed at all the marine life found down at the docks. Our guests at Harbour Club Villas love to wander down there in the evenings to discover all sorts of creatures, many birds, even sighting turtles and a four foot reef shark a few weeks ago.

Marta

http://www.diving.tc

MyTurksAndCaicosBlog.com

Turks and Caicos Vacation, Travel, Fishing, and Diving

Category Archives: Flora and Fauna

Turks and Caicos Islands….Open for Business

A Trip Down Turtle Tail

Nesting Mourning Dove Part 2

Nesting Mourning Dove

Sea Stars

Aside

Jim Hill Nature Walk

Flamingos on Flamingo Lake

Thirsty Anole at Harbour Club Villas

Hummingbird Rescue

Under the Dock at Harbour Club