July 11, 2014

Along with all the wonderful creatures of the sea, there are a few terrestrial and avian creatures that are fun to watch, or watch out for.  We have tarantulas all over, seeing lots of holes in the hillside where they hide.  We have scorpions that love to come out of the holes in the stairs at night.  There are many varieties of hummingbirds flitting all over and hanging out at the birdfeeders for them as well as crows, and frigate birds soaring on the winds.

                      I found a dead snapper in the sea grass beds and brought it back for Rob to use with his Mantis shrimp research but he decided against using it so I tossed it back in the water and the frigate birds decided to scoop it up, fighting over it in the air, dropping it, picking it up, over and over again, until one finally flew off with it.  It was a sight to see.

                     Went back to check the SE near shore area (by the base camp) to check on the movement of the previously marked Flamingo Tongues.  About 1/3 – ½ of them were still on the same fan.  Some had moved to other fans or corals, most of the time no further than 1.5m and sometimes as close as only 6 cm to the next coral.  Others were unable to be found on their original fan, in the sediment or any fans near.

                      Saw a huge purplish Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber close to 30 cm long (yes, that is their name), some different colored, fairly large cowfish and a burr fish, as well as the usual multicolored parrot fish, jellies and various other fish as well as a purple Sponge Brittle Star wrapped around a gorgonian branch coral.

              

                                                Squirrel Fish

                                           My little juvenile Flamingo Tongue.