Michaelmas Cay is one of the most important seabird breeding areas on the Great Barrier Reef and birds nest on the cay all year round.Many different species of birds nest at the Cay year-round, and all have very specific breeding and nesting habits. As the weather starts to warm in early November, visitors aboard Passions of Paradise can expect to see Brown Boobies and Common Noddies nesting in and around Michaelmas Cay. Brown Boobies, which are a common sight at the Cay, can be seen nesting year round, with chicks usually hatching in mid-November. These birds are generally tolerant of bird watchers, providing there is no encroachment near the nest or chicks. The truly spectacular sight to see, starting around November, is when the Common Noddies come from hundreds, sometimes thousands of kilometres, to breed on Michaelmas Cay. Usually preferring to stay out to sea, the Common Noddies will breed in colonies which may contain over 100,000 nests,