DRAFT 
MARSHALL - GILBERT AT-SEA REPORT 
This is a report of the observations made at sea by Pacific Project 
personnel October and November 1964 en route to and from the Marshall and 
Gilbert Islands and between the atolls visited on the trip. 
The six-member field party departed Honolulu, Hawaii, at 1500 on October 
aboard the U.S.N.S. ’’Shearwater” and returned at 1645 on November 27. Observations 
were maintained underway throughout the trip between sunrise and sunset, for a 
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total of 2^5.1 hours. Of this total, 89.2 hours^were obtained between Honolulu 
and Taongi Atoll, the northern-most atoll of the Marshall Islands, 99*7 hours 
between Aranuka Atoll, central Gilbert Islands, and Honolulu, and 56.2 hours 
between the 11 atolls visited. 
The avifauna encountered at sea between atolls differed markedly in species 
composition and daily numbers from that observed between Honolulu and the Marshalls 
and Gilberts. Therefore, the data for these two areas will be treated separately. 
General Discussion - Honolulu to Marshalls and Gilberts to Honolulu . 
In 7 days of'.^observation from Honolulu to Taongi Atoll and 8 l/2 from 
Aranuka Atoll to Honolulu 5885 birds of 56 species were recorded. Of this total 
5051 were identified to species and 18 were collected. 
Only 2/5 as many birds were present in late November as in early October. 
However, this difference is mainly attributable to the lack of Sooty Shearwaters 
in November in contrast to the more than 2000 which were seen the previous month 
at the peak of their migration. 
Among birds recorded 5 or more times each month, 10 species were more numerous 
in October than November (Wedgetail, Sooty Shearwater, Bulwers Petrel, Red-tailed 
Tropiebird, Blue-faced Booby, Red-footed Booby, Greater Frigate, Golden Plover, 
Common Noddy, and Fairy Tern) while only 4 showed increases in November (Cook T s 
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