Fanjove Fantastic!
On Fanjove Island in the SongoSongo archipelago (SE coast of Tanzania), the Dimorphic egrets, after weeks of dutifully protecting their nests, finally started seeing their chicks begin to hatch in January.
Over the past few weeks the egrets’ breeding colony, or heronry as they are known, has transformed the normally peaceful mangrove seepage where they are nesting into a symphony of babbling, gargling and squawking noises.
Dimorphic egret populations are found coastally, but specifically are found in close proximity to coral reefs. They are identifiable by their characteristic plumage, which has two possible colours. The more commonly seen is white plumage, and others have a less common dark grey morph. It will be very interesting to see which colours our new Fanjove generation of egrets will take when their plumage begins to grow!
The Egrets have been born into a blustery month. The Kaskazi winds blowing in from the North have meant cooler evenings. The beach has been breezy and we’ve had some fantastic fun playing with the kites on the beach in the perfect kite-flying conditions.
The Kaskazi has also brought us some short-lived but heavy rain showers, which have prompted the trees to grow bright new leaves and island is looking very lush and green.
In the calmer lulls in the weather, we’ve had some remarkable dolphin excursions, both with the spinner, and bottlenose dolphins, with some guests even managing to swim with both species within two days.
Fanjove Reviews: “Unforgettable is the best word to describe our stay. We’ve been to some beautiful places but Fanjove is just on another level. Apart from the unbelievable nature, the service is perfect. The way everyone works hard to make it seem like nothing much is being done, everything happens at the right time and most of the time it felt we had the island only for us. I’m eternally thankful I got the privilege of spending my honeymoon here!” Jannerson & Barbara – Brazil – 01/01/18 “Fanjove Fantastic! What a glorious few days. Thank you to the team for your hardwork and thoughtful hospitality. The Spinner dolphins and flawless menu were a real highlight. Until next time!” Glenis Gillespie – South Africa – 13/01/18 “Dear Fanjove Team, This is a paradise on EARTH! Spending time with all the wonderful creatures and you guys is a real gift. Keep it up and we hope to be back soon!” Stefanie & Michael – Switzerland – 16/01/18 “Dear Fanjove, Thank you for your warmth and hospitality. Fanjove is truly a tranquil and serene place. It brings out the true meaning of life. I am so pleased with my stay here and I know I will return someday. Best wishes to all of you.” Kimberly – USA – 21/01/18
Note: The Dimorphic egret (Egretta dimorpha) is a species of heron in the family Ardeidae. It is found in Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mayotte, Seychelles, and Tanzania.The dimorphic egret is sometimes considered as a subspecies of the western reef egret(Egretta gularis) or as a subspecies of the little egret (Egretta garzetta).
