Nature Talk September

Published date Thursday, 08 September 2011 12:46

The seasons are-a-changing as we say goodbye to the migratory Humpback Whales that have been passing within 500m of Thevenard Islands' Beach Front Cabins since July. These amazing giants have put on a special display of breaches and tail slaps as they make there way North to give birth before returning with calf in tow. Daily sightings of their activity will still be recorded right up until October, with some stragglers still passing by in mid October. Encounters with these whales are an added bonus to a day on the water, and is almost guaranteed during the August and September transfers to the island.

Turtle activity now really gets going on Thevenard Island, with the first mating turtles seen on the beach this week. Green and Flatback Turtles are the main species who nest here on Thevenard, however there are other species seen occassionally. Mating, nesting and hatching occurs from October to March and can be viewed from your beach front cabin. There is a strict code of conduct when viewing turtles that allows us to get close to the action without disturbing natures course. A walk along the islands 'Turtle Highway' stretch of the Thevenard Nature Walk will leave you in awe!

As the temperature warm up to a lovely 28 degrees, our land based critters seem to get a bit more active! Our native Spiny Tailed Monitors and TatTa Lizards roam more frequently, while our resident Quail population have just had another successful hatching. Both Thevenard and Direction Islands do not have snakes and are therefor brilliant grounds for these birds to flourish