BCF Cruises 
King, Warren B. 
I 
wind was only 14 knot*. The first Fairy Tern of the cruise was seen 
5/4 mile off - • It maintained % a position 25 feet or so above waters until 
it disappeared. A Noddy? flew over the deck of the ship but its rear was 
all I saw so I wasn't sure of the call. At 1145 cane the first of eight 
possible Sooty Shearwaters . I called it a Christmas Island Shearwater (?) 
because of its flight pattern (lota of flaps, no high arcing scales, 
continually low over water, no real hurry to get anywhere) but in view 
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of succeeding sightings it seems probable it was a Sooty Shear, although 
the underwing surface was not seen. At 1215 a Sooty Shear passed 250 
off the bow, this tlr* revealing its silver linings although it too 
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flew low and unhurried, atypical except for one high arc after 
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it passed the bow. At 1221 another more typical in flight , but not 
revealing its silver linings. Again the same 1545, 1758 two Sooty 
Shears, one of which showed its silver linings, the other was not seen ^ 
me, but watch assured me it was same species* At 1832 and at 1846 dark 
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Shearwaters were seen in failing light corresponding to Sootles in 
0 • . • , 1 • * . ■ • r 1 - . 'WZ ~ __ t- . t- ‘ . 
flight and silhouette but couldn't even be sure of color. Two Red-tailed 
* f * * r .fi * 
Tropicbirds for the day, both lmmatures with short central retrices. 
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One of the "Hsrcourts S.P.'s” seemed to fly with greater strength, 
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more petrel-like, less bat-like. The others were the usual bat-like, 
almost butterfly- like birds. The one with the stronger flight had very 
noticeable lighter patches or bars on the dorsal wing surface. It 
sepmed larger too, almost Bonin Island size. At 1504 a large gull-like 
bird came up alongside the ship on the port side at about 25 feet up 
about 200 yards off. It was dark brown dorsally and ligrter vent rally, 
• 5# * • „ 7/ ’ . , ' • -j j * . 1 . ■« •• ■ 
with distinct white bars in the dorsal wing surface at the wrist. It was 
