BULL ISLAND 
A landing’ near the Sooty Tern colony was precluded by 12-foot surf 
crossing the boat channel. Heavy surf, from 12-20 feet, ran the entire 
length ox the island. 
A landing was made near the site of the village, later the same day, 
-au the island was abandoned after one section of the rubber raft exploded 
ana the surf increased. 
r * 
A Pnoemx Island Petrel was observed offshore as we departed. 
BIRNIE ISLAND 
Novembei -L 17 - Rat (Rattus exulans) population crashed between 
„ T “ - 1 . 9 : 4 and the present visit. Observed rats, during the late evening 
196^? t Wer ® ° nly 5_10% of the number s that had existed during November 
The Gray-backed Tern, possibly as the result of the ebb in the rat 
a A° n ’ nas established itself as a nesting species with approximately 
xOOO pair present on eggs. J 
small'numbers^ 1 ^ ShearWaters and Audubon's Shearwaters were encountered in 
captured/^ 11311 banded on M ° tu Tabu » C bristmas Island was 
EKDERBURT ISLAND 
„_ J .. Eed " f0 F ted . B , 00bies and heater Frigatebirds were both entering a new 
a laJ-f breeding ?° th Speades on fresh e SSs. Sooty Terns had established 
hatched chicks? 7 0n north end ° f the island and were oa freshly 
night^sufn^on 0 ??! _ sh n ini “S through the entire night on three of the five 
bard Ac- A n • island, greacly hindered banding operations and made 
E^it S Crib- ^ a ^L S ? eC * ee m diff i C F Xt ’ if not **Poss 9 le. Large numbers of 
■"•uch a J-.Tinr X A , ." y lern Qolony and high daytime temperatures created 
colonv waT.P r +^° r - al + t ^ the youns chicks that banding operations in the 
rand LA;® t !l h ® Vast ma 3 orit y of So °ty Terns were captured by 
late TfitllLn ut ^ 5^*3° f the colony during the early moving and 
' oon. Moonlight netting proved to be both slow and impractical. 
du-in^S;? F eCQn ^ ly kdlled birds whose breasts had been eaten were found 
alive S on this ? caystay. This suggests that at least one cat is still 
„ms island although none has been seen during the pas f ■' two visits. 
One Red-footed Booby banded on Kotu Upua, Christmas Island was captured. 
