Saturday, October 19, 2019

MICHAELMAS CAY


Michaelmas Cay, 20 October 2019
The last day of the trip with Group 2 was to Michaelmas Cay on the Great Barrier Reef, off Cairns. The weather was sunny and hot with light winds, making for comfortable cruising aboard Seastar. Not many birds seen on the way out, but soon we could see flocks of birds flying over the Cay. A close inspection of some anchored craft nearby revealed a couple of Bridled Tern. The crew arranged transport for us by glass bottom boat to the Cay roped area. Some 2000 Brown Noddy and Sooty Tern dominated the nesting grounds with eggs and young. Some Brown Booby had young at various stages of development. The heat was being felt by everyone including the birds, looking for the slightest bit of shade. Circling overhead were Great Frigatebirds, looking for pirating opportunities. Some Silver Gulls were skulking, searching for abandoned eggs. A couple of Black-naped Tern also seen. After a brief swim to cool off, the Skipper took us on a private circumnavigation of the Cay. This gave us nice opportunities to see the beautiful Lesser Crested Tern (100+), Greater Crested Tern (10+) and Ruddy Turnstone (20+). After some snorkelling with Sea Turtles and fish we headed out to Hastings reef for some lunch and further birding opportunities. Black Noddy was seen along with some Bridled Tern. After a fabulous day on the Reef, we headed back to Cairns for dinner and farewell drinks.

Watching an Island in the making.
I first visited Michaelmas Cay 32 years ago. No vegetation existed at that time. It’s humbling and fascinating to watch an Island develop. Michaelmas Cay is a large sand cay that is slowly turning into an Island. Sand builds up trapping floating logs, debris and seed pods. The nesting and resting birds provide guano an important ingredient, placing nutrients in the sand. Some seeds germinate and the beginnings of a Tropical Island commence. Many of the Great Barrier Reef Islands we visit today were created in this way, like Green Island and Low Isles. Without the birds, these Islands would not exist.


Steve Grainger

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