South West Bluff and Osprey Rock

Posted on January 14, 2022 by marta

Bonefish Point is the most beautiful spot on Providenciales

A perfectly beautiful Sunday and a trip is planned to head down to the southern most tip of the island at South West Bluff, Osprey Rock and Bonefish Point. I always enjoy this excursion and make sure all my camera batteries are fully charged. There’s always so many plants, birds, views and our extraordinary clear ocean with its’ marine life to photograph.

View of the Pirates cave and Osprey Rock

Please don’t forget to bring lots of water and some shade as it does get really hot.

A Black Legged Stilt was very vocal as he tried to scare me away.

There’s a beautiful pond area as you get closer to the little beach by Osprey Rock. There seems to always be salt foam looking much like snow. This Sunday there were several Black Legged Stilts and they really didn’t like my being there. Perhaps there were nests as they tried to ward me off.

A large patch of wild sea island cotton

Sea island cotton has such pretty yellow blossoms

The view looking towards Bonefish Point from on top just above the beach.

The wide cove from Osprey Rock to Bonefish Pont is a wonderful place to see cruising or resting rays, turtles, juvenile sharks crabs and other marine life.

This is one of my favourite places to go by boat or road. It’s a little piece of heaven that often is yours alone to enjoy but getting busier so now it becomes more difficult to find these treasures

Love to snorkel between the rocks and see all the little fish.

The pirate’s cave is easier to access through the water and make sure to take some water shoes as the rocks can be sharp ……. no flip flops! Climb the ladder in the little cave through the rock opening and onto the top of the cliffs where shipwrecked sailors came ashore in the early 1800’s. In the rocks on top of the cliffs there are carvings with the names of the sailors.

The ocean looking from the pirate’s cave

Lone fisherman stand on top looking towards Osprey Rock or Split Rock

There are always ospreys out there and sometimes you’ll luck out and see the babies

Inscription of the St. Louis burnt at sea in 1840 carved into the rock by shipwrecked sailors

This inscription is found up on the bluff along with others. A newspaper in Nova Scotia indicates that the St. Louis burned on Aug 30th, 1842 and was lost. A brig called the Impulse rescued some of the people but apparently she also wrecked on the Caicos Reef on Sept. 3rd and was still carrying the crew of the St. Louis. All this history and it all can be seen if you climb the ladder to the top and look down in the rocks.

Climb up the ladder in the cave to the top of the bluff and see the view……that’s a sting ray in the water below.

A stunning osprey with extended wings dries in the bright sunshine.

The shallows with a southern sting ray cruising through

Pretty beaded periwinkle shells line the jagged rocks as you wade through the shallow waters.

Sand ripples and Osprey Rock in the background

A pin cushion star fish in the shallows of the sandbar at Bonefish Point

A sea star in the shallows of the sandbar at Bonefish Point

Chitons are found attached to the rocks

Interesting rock formations

The waters are so very clear …….. you can see everything!

An osprey stands in the water and he knows I’m there.

Bonefish Point from the air

Bonefish Point on Providenciales Turks and Caicos Islands

A walk down to Bonefish Point and this awesome view

Such an amazing area for a picnic lunch with friends and do take a walk down to Bonefish Point. I can assure you that you will see so many interesting things as you walk along the beaches and rocks. It is one of Provo’s gems and one of my favourites.

Sighting Flamingos on the way home. I’ve never seen so many!

WOW, what a gorgeous sight, a flamboyance of flamingos flying past.

And on the way home after a perfect day, we sighted a huge flamboyance of flamingos.

What a treat as I’ve never seen so many in all my years here on Providenciales

Enjoy your day,

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Blue Hills

Posted on May 20, 2020 by marta

Blue Hills with its Caicos sloops is a fun place to explore.

Blue Hills is hands down, the most quaint and colourful part of Providenciales. Take an hour or two and meander along the beach road where you’ll find small eating establishments, many churches and cemeteries right on the ocean.

The pier in Blue Hills is a scenic spot for photographs

Caicos Sloops are being built on the shore.

Some say that Blue Hills was the former name for our island of Providenciales and named for the blueish tinge of the hills and ridges as sloops neared the island from the sea. Life centered around the sea, sloop building , fishing and conking. Sloops would sail out towards West Caicos and French Cay to collect conch which would be dried and then traded with neighboring islands for materials and other food products.

Beach has coral formations close to the shore

Blue Hills on Providenciales in theTurks and Caicos Islands

Looking down the beach towards the Blue Hills pier.

Chasing the birds on the beach in Blue Hills.

Beautiful conch shells are sold down on the beach.

This handsome pelican was perched on one of the pillars on the pier at Blue Hills

Harbour Club Villa guests and others such as this paddleboarder drop in for a conch lunch at one of the eateries in Blue Hills

Da Conch Shack is a beautiful ocean side eatery

Delicious conch salad, fritters and rum punch too

Our guests at Harbour Club Villas and Marina are often seen having lunch or dinner down in Blue Hills as it is a quaint and charming part of Providenciales not to be missed. The road rambles along the shore line and was the first paved road on the island. Work started on Front Road in 1956 at a time when there was no heavy machinery. Much of the work was done by local residents and by hand and took some ten years to complete.

See you soon enjoying the local flavours, sights and sounds of Blue Hills.

Marta

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Babalua Beach Day

Posted on March 16, 2020 by marta

Babalua Beach is one of those wonderful little beaches a bit hidden and out of the way.

Babalua Beach is simply a lovely spot for lazing in the water, snorkeling around the rocks or the reef just off shore, pelican watching, and exciting for the kids too. It is on the other side of the Turtle Cove Marina boat channel.

The water is always crystal clear as you wiggle your toes in the sand and the shallows as the sun creates sparkling prisms on the water.

Dive boat returning from diving Provo’s spectacular reefs.

Snorkeling in the shallows around the rocks

Always fun to see all the colourful fish.

The rocks are home to numerous little crabs.

A pretty blue crab scuttles along the rocks….hard to catch in a photo.

Kids love to explore as they climb onto and around the rocks.

What a spot to photograph our national bird, the Brown Pelican.

Babalua is full of activity. I managed to get up real close to the pelicans and the resulting photos were spectacular. The Caribbean brown pelican, has a wingspan of around 5 to 8 feet and a weight of 6 to 12 pounds. Endless entertainment as they dive bomb into the water and scoop up fish in their large bills, which can hold up to 3 pounds. Their bills are a natural sieve that will drain out all of the excess water.

A swooping pelican comes in for a landing.

The rocks create a shallow calm area to enjoy the water.

A treasure found while snorkeling….that’s a sea urchin test.

A snorkeler takes a close look at a beautiful King Helmet shell

Eve finds and takes a closer look at a spectacular King Helmet shell while snorkeling off Babalua beach a while ago. They have a thick, glossy “shield” on the inside of the aperture on the bottom of the shell. This can be carved into cameos, and so they are sometimes called “cameo shells.

The King Helmet is a species of very large sea snail with a solid heavy shell.

Keep a watch for these striking shells as you snorkel. The waters are brilliantly clear and hopefully you will enjoy seeing a variety including the Queen Conch.

And here’s a monster turtle cruising the shallows. It was the biggest one I’ve seen to date.

Providenciales is blessed with the most extraordinary beaches.

We’d love to have you enjoy our “Beautiful by Nature” islands.

Take some time to travel around Providenciales and while away a few hours at our more hidden beaches that are tucked away. Here at our villas…….Harbour Club Villas and Marina, we can give you ideas as to where you might go. We’ve been on Provo for over 20 years and know all the best spots. Hope to see you soon!

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Hummingbird Nest at Harbour Club Villas Part 3

Posted on March 14, 2020 by marta

At about two weeks old, the baby hummingbird is filling the nest nicely — At two weeks old, the baby hummingbird is filling the nest nicely

The little hummingbird grows very fast in its’ third week of life. Mama is flying back and forth and feeding every half hour or so. When females feed their young she inserts her long bill into a part of their esophagus and passes to them a mixture that is both nectar and insects.

Such comfort but can you imagine if there were two babies.

Nestling being fed a mixture of nectar and insects

Baby is getting quite big and can catch flying insects

Showing perspective of just how tiny the nest is

At three weeks of age, the little baby hummingbird is looking like a real hummingbird. It keeps testing its wings more and more in preparation for flight. In the next few days, this little one will fly off and I will no longer be able to photograph him daily. Sad really but I loved having been able to catch this all on camera from nest building to baby’s flight.

Hungry after that exercise and mama’s right there

And here’s the very last photo of the young hummingbird

For many weeks I photographed this delightful hummingbird. A nest was built by the mother hummingbird and she laid two eggs. One egg disappeared but I was lucky enough to film the little nestling right through to a few days after leaving the nest.

Hope you enjoyed this as much as I did.

Marta

www.harbourclubvillas.com

Hummingbird Nest at Harbour Club Villas Part 2

Posted on March 13, 2020 by marta

Two little eggs were laid but only one left……….perhaps taken by one of our critters like a pygmy boa.

Unfortunately, one day when I looked in the nest, only one egg remained. I asked around and found out that it could have been a snake that made off with the egg. In any case about two weeks after the eggs were laid, a baby hummingbird hatched.

Just hatched…too bad I didn’t get it on camera!

The mother hummingbird disposes of the broken egg shells after the babies are hatched. When the baby hummingbirds hatch, they have no feathers and dark skin and they are hatched with their eyes are closed.

Momma flies in to feed the little one.

The mother hummingbird drinks nectar and eats tiny bugs. she then will regurgitate the slurry substance that her baby can easily digest. She flies in every 20 minutes or so to feed this mixture to the baby hummingbirds. Of course there are usually two babies to feed so she’s kept very busy.

Big yellow beak and wide open mouth just waiting to be fed.

The baby grows pretty fast and the feathers are coming in.

When the baby hears the whirring of the Momma’s wings, it pops up and opens its beak ready for feedings

A good perspective so that you can see how tiny the nest is as compared to an adult hand

When the baby hummingbirds are first born, the mother hummingbird will spend most of her time sitting on the nest, keeping the baby hummingbirds warm.

The baby hummingbirds will feel the wind from the wing of their mother and lift their little heads up and open their mouths.

The mother hummingbird puts her beak all the way down into the mouths of the baby hummingbirds while dropping a little of the regurgitated insects and nectar inside.

Big commotion and twittering as the momma hummingbird chases off a curly tail lizard……she fans out her tail feathers as a warning.

The baby quickly doubles in size.

After one week, the baby hummingbird is covered in tiny little fuzzy feathers

The baby spends a lot of time snoozing but grows very quickly with all the daily feedings

More to come as the baby starts moving around more and grows large enough to fill up the nest.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Hummingbird Nest at Harbour Club Villas Part 1

Posted on March 13, 2020 by marta

The start of a hummingbird nest in a potted Desert Rose at Harbour Club Villas and Marina

Two weeks ago, I noticed a hummingbird flying around a Desert Rose that I had growing in a pot at our villas at Harbour Club Villas and Marina. I noticed something on a branch and on looking closer discovered the start of a nest. She was a busy little bird flying to and fro gathering bits of bark, spiders nests, fibers and the hairs from the Old Man Cactus. An amazing piece of work!

Here she is perched on the nest.

A close-up view of the nest showing the delicate, soft bits lining the inside.

Here she is bringing back some wisps of white fluff for the nest.

Love this one as she looks overcome by all the bits and trying to pack them down.

Hummingbirds bring little bits of fluff, bark, fibers back to the nest a little at a time and it’s glued all together with spider webs. The nest will stretch because of the spiders webs as the babies grow. The photo above shows her with webs over her beak and body as she tries to pack it all down. The hummingbird will camouflage the nest as much as she can by using small sticks, bark and plant pieces for the darker outside of the nest. The parts of the nest that may catch the sun are done with lighter materials while the darker parts of the nest are in the shade and blend in with the surroundings.

Notice that the nest is beginning to take shape and this is three days after I first spotted it.

She uses her wings and presses the nest against her body so that she can get the perfect shape and rounds off the center.

The nest is pointed towards the bottom join in the branch and you can clearly see the bits of plant materials used.

The nest is getting bigger and more rounded but it’s only like less than two inches across.

She’s letting me come up fairly close to her as I take all my photos.

My little hummingbird lays her first egg seven days from my noticing the nest.

She continues building the nest and doesn’t start incubating the eggs until she lays the second one.

Pretty colours as she lands on the nest.

I managed to capture her flying in with wings spread and feet grasping the edge of the nest.

Beak open as she brings more plant material for her nest.

It’s difficult to catch them in flight as the wings are beating so fast.

And then there were two little eggs. She laid them two days apart.

She will now start incubating the eggs and continue to build up the nest.

My desert rose is starting to bloom.

Usually the Momma hummingbird works on her nest for about four hours per day with many, many trips to gather materials as well as feed. She can make as many as 40 trips in a day.

She will sit on the nest incubating the two little jelly bean sized eggs for approximately 16-18 days before they hatch.

And so, she’s sitting on the eggs probably until the end of September when hopefully I’ll be able to post more photos of the eggs hatching and baby hummingbirds in the nest. I can’t wait. Make sure to check back in to see the babies. Marta http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

Half Moon Bay

Posted on March 3, 2020 by marta

What a treat……..I’m thinking this had to be JoJo wanting to play with the boat.

What an amazingly beautiful day as guests headed out on an afternoon excursion on the turquoise waters …… look at the colours! We were just off Leeward Going Through when look who joined us? I’m pretty sure that it was JoJo the dolphin come to play. He stayed with us for a bit and then we were off headed for some snorkeling at the reef, iguanas, conch salad, Half Moon Bay and followed by some fun tubing and water slide. Provo has many excellent boating, cruising and water fun excursions to offer as the one we were on. For more information, just contact us and we can make some suggestions.

Our sensational waters………a turquoise like you’ve never seen before. WOW!

Turks and Caicos rum punch coming up.

Waves breaking on the reef as we prepare to do some snorkeling.

Beautiful corals and a variety of fish as we snorkel beyond the cut.

Love those silver palms precariously perched at the far end of Half Moon Bay

The far end of the beach at Half Moon Bay is so beautiful to photograph….an idyllic spot.

Found an Oyster Catcher sunning himself on the rocks. Not at all disturbed by the camera!

A walk along the beach and such glorious colours

Such an impressive looking iguana. The Rock Iguana Cyclura Carinata has had to be re introduced to less populated cays

Conch shell on the beach. A delicious “fresh from the sea” conch salad was made and enjoyed by all.

Book your excursions and enjoy being on the water in the Turks and Caicos Islands. Our beaches are spectacular and you can enjoy a cruise, diving for conch, taste some “as fresh as you can get it”conch salad, stop for some snorkeling on the reef, see iguanas and simply let the world float by as you finally relax on “island time”.

You too may be lucky and have JoJo the dolphin join in the fun.

Marta

http://www.harbourclubvillas.com

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

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

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MyTurksAndCaicosBlog.com

Turks and Caicos Vacation, Travel, Fishing, and Diving

Category Archives: Birds

South West Bluff and Osprey Rock

Blue Hills

Babalua Beach Day

Hummingbird Nest at Harbour Club Villas Part 3

Hummingbird Nest at Harbour Club Villas Part 2

Hummingbird Nest at Harbour Club Villas Part 1

Half Moon Bay

Nesting Mourning Dove Part 2

Nesting Mourning Dove

Flamingos on Flamingo Lake