SIC 11 
R.S. Crossin 
1966 
Experienced no great difficulty coming in or out of the lagoon. Very few Sooty 
Terns were encountered on EW side of island - a scattered few flying high over 
head. Max encountered one swirl and collected 3 - one of which possessed a 
broad patch and so nesting may soon commence. The following estimates are 
concerned with my portion of the survey (EW side within the lagoon: White-tailed 
Tropicbird - only one individual with an exceptionally long tail was seen flying 
over the coconut palm grove surrounding the village. Brown Booby - scattered 
individuals were seen over the lagoon and taking off from the small islets along 
EW shore. Estimated 150 birds seen, mostly adults. Frigate birds - Frigatebirds 
were abundant over the lagoon, and perched on the taller vegetation along the 
islets - appeared to be Greaters although no ad. c? were seen so species must be 
regarded as belonging to either Lesser or Greater. Estimated 200 seen. Golden 
Plover - three individuals were seen along the lagoon shore. Ruddy Turnstone - 
one individual was seen at the cove on the E landing area and one other along the 
lagoon shore on EW side. Wandering Tattler - one was collected at the cove on E 
landing channel and approximately 10 more were seen, mostly single hires, along 
EW lagoon shore. Bristle - thighed Curlew - one individual was sighted flying over 
the lagoon near the village on W tip. Sooty Terns - estimated 200 individuals 
were observed flying, usually in small groups, over lagoon on EW area. Gray - backdd 
Tern - abundant on EW side, numbers seen continuously over lagoon and EW islets. 
A colony of roughly 1000 birds flew up from the 3 small islet W of landing 
channel. A stop was made, but no evidence of nesting was present. Smaller group 
of up to 100 flew up from other islets toward village. Estimated 2000 birds were 
scattered over EW portion of island. Common Eoddy Tern - small numbers of birds 
were seen rising from every islet from E landing area up to the dence coconut 
p&lms area near village. An estimated 500 birds were seen along this EW shore 
of the lagoon and out over the lagoon. Hawaiian Eoddy Tern - an estimated 50 
birds were seen along the EW islet, but larger numbers were observed leaving the 
island during early morning. Fairy Tern - scattered individuals were seen all 
along EW side (flying), but numbers were greatest in the coconut palms grove about 
the village, where the birds were noted alighting in the palms. Estimated 150 birds 
seen - mostly about the village. Crested Tern - Two were seen over the open 
ocean before passing into the lagoon and 5 were noted on a sand bar on the EW 
lagoon shore. Hawaiian Eoddy Tern - an estimated 50 birds were seen along the 
EW islets, but larger numbers were observed leaving the island during early morning. 
New Zealand Cuckoo - one collected by Max near the lagoon side of village as it 
progressed through the coconut palms. 
February 13 - 4-27S-172-14W - 3~^8S; 171--4-2W 
At 1630 one of the oilers cut his finger off in the compressor belt and ship 
changed course from en route to Phoenix instead to Canton Island. Arrived Canton 
ca. 0100. 
February 14 
Canton Island 
Took Jeff back onto Canton at 0300 to be shipped off to Honolulu as his 
throat is no better and he is quite concerned. Came back to ship after seeing 
Jeff aboard an Air Force Rescue Plane. Appeared to be about 2000+ Gray-backed 
Terns on the small island E of the channel, 25+ Hawaiian Noddies seen flying 
