Today, while kayaking around the beautiful perimeter of Long Caye, we had the privilege of spotting a Brown pelican nest. One youngster caught our attention, stretching up to watch us paddle by. This pelican, in that classic in-between stage from juvenile to adult, looked a bit awkward—still growing into its impressive gular pouch. The gular…
This morning, I stepped onto the dock and was immediately greeted by nature’s symphony. A massive heron squawked “Grrrakk!” as a young lemon shark gracefully swam by. Small fish darted playfully through the water, splashing against the lowest steps. On the beach, a little heron hunted for worms, while a pelican observed from above. Not…
Neotropic Cormorants (Phalacrocorax brasilianus) are a frequent sight at Lighthouse Reef, gracefully plunging into the waters to hunt. These skilled diving waterbirds call this area home and seem unbothered by respectful human visitors. With Tropical Storm Sara behind us, today’s calm and sunny weather is a welcome relief for all creatures, especially the cormorants. Clear…
As Tropical Storm Sara sweeps through, the White Ibis (Eudocimus albus) are making the most of the high waters on Long Caye. These elegant wading birds, known for their bright white feathers, curved reddish-orange bills, and pink legs, are a striking sight against the stormy backdrop. Taking advantage of the break in the weather, the…
“It’s a blustery day, but at least it’s warm!” remarked this visiting Palm Warbler (Setophaga palmarum), perched with us on the dock. This non-breeding adult, taking a moment to enjoy the view of building clouds across the water, is one of many migratory songbirds that grace Lighthouse Reef during their journey from North America. Palm…
The Queen butterfly (Danaus gilippus) dazzles nature lovers in Belize with its vibrant orange wings adorned with striking black borders and white spots. While you can frequently see these butterflies fluttering through open fields, gardens, and forest edges on the mainland, spotting one on Long Caye is a rare and delightful treat! Often mistaken for…
Today, while strolling along the beach near Lr3, we encountered a remarkable Spotted Sea Hare gliding gracefully through the seagrass. These fascinating marine creatures play a vital role in maintaining the health of seagrass ecosystems by feeding on algae. With their soft, rounded bodies adorned with dark spots and brownish-yellow mottling, they camouflage seamlessly with…
Today we took advantage of the calm weather and kayaked out to the reef’s edge. The rocks create small tide pools and the shallow water houses entire, miniature coral reef systems! There’s always something magical to be found in 6 inches of water out here. Sure enough, a peacock flounder was actively hunting small fish…
This is not the first time this guy has come by to see what we’re up to at Lr3 and this time I was able to grab a few pics. Cattle egret aren’t full timers on Long Caye, but sometimes a few will winter here. This year, we’ve had at least 2 strolling across the…
This week we built some temporary planters in the shallows intending to transplant our mangrove seedlings into them. Because the heavy wave action from tropical storm Sara knocked over a block, we decided to move them closer to shore. As we moved the blocks, we disturbed the sleep of a beautiful Caribbean Reef octopus. He’s…
