Doesn't look like there's any fish here!!!
The Green Heron is one of the smallest herons in the Turks and Caicos Islands and this one keeps coming back to our pool. He has made himself at home and complains loudly when guests disturb him. It’s local name is the “Kow Kow” because of the loud call he makes. Birdwatchers and birders enjoy the variety of birds they can see around Harbour Club Villas.
Birdwatching is great in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
Marta
This Turk's Head Cactus with both flowers and pink fruit grows wild in the Turks and Caicos Islands.
The Turk’s Head Cactus is one of the national emblems of the Turks and Caicos Islands where it loves the dry climate and thrives in exposed areas. It is named after the distinctive reddish cap that sits on top of the green cactus and looks like a Turkish fez (cap).
Turk's Head Cactus blooms throughout the year in the Turks and Caicos Islands
The Turk’s Head Cactus produces small spikey looking pink flowers and as they die, they form the fruit which grows inside the white spongey cap. The rosey pink fruit contains the seeds and are much loved by our lizards and birds, iguanas too. The locals also will eat them as they apparently are sweet and juicy. I haven’t tasted one yet but will do so one of these days.
I’ve had some success in growing Turk’s Head Cactus and have lots started
Hermit crabs are called "soldier crabs" by the locals
We found this little hermit crab on our walkway. It is known as the Caribbean hermit crab (Coenobita clypeatus) and also known locally as the soldier crab. Some call it the purple pincher because of its distinctive purple claw. Caribbean hermit crabs often wander through our property and I went looking for my most unusual photo of one.
Hermit Crab with the latest in PVC pipe homes!
Ah.......that feels much better!
What a view! Over looking our anchored boat with Five Cays in the background.
Spectacular colours at sunset
Sunset was a glorious sight with such great colours…….. pinks, reds and golds. Even more spectacular was Kathleen’s barbecued ribs. We were invited by our guests to enjoy a barbecue prepared by Chef Kathleen. I can’t describe how good those ribs were…….the best we’ve ever tasted. Luckily we have been given Kath’s recipe and so long as I follow it to a T, we’re hopefull the ribs will taste as good. Many can attest to the fact that I am not too good at following recipes as I tend to add bits and pieces and take out stuff I don’t like.
catching blue crabs between the two lakes by Harbour Club Villas
Over the last three days there’s been all sorts of activity just down the road from our villas where the waters from Turtle Lake flow through a culvert and into Flamingo Lake. I went down there today with my camera as I had heard from guests that there were all kinds of crabs in the water and on the bank and that some locals were catching them.
Good job you have thick gloves Stanley!!
When I arrived on the bank, Stanley who does a little fishing and is from North Caicos, was there with his net and a bucket. He told me that he would be eating real good tonight. I guess they love these little crabs and throw them in a pot and cook them up.
This one was looking quite fierce and didn't want to be caught
Stanley said that there were “hundreds” of them the other day when he was out.
It's not easy to throw that net.
I’m not sure just how much crab meat you would get out of some of the crabs. He was throwing back some of the smaller ones and was looking forward to a good feast this evening.
The beautiful pink shell of a Queen conch is often crafted into decorative pieces
Haitien sloops are often run aground in the Turks and Caicos
This Haitien sloop recently grounded on a south side beach just up Turtle Tail on Providenciales. It probably had some 100 illegals that came ashore. Some were caught by our island’s special police called SPICE and others would have tried to disappear. I guess life here is a thousand times better than in Haiti and these sloops are becoming all too frequent.
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
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!
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