SCHREIBER 
CHRISTMAS ISLAND 
7 April 
there are so many land crabs around that i decided 
to do some marking of them around th camp to see 
where they go. Painted 40 on the south side of 
' the road in camp with yellow paint and then marked 
35 on the other 4i side with a lavender paint. I 
think that probably this lavender will not be goog 
since it is prettymuch like the a crabs themselves. 
8 April I 
Today drove along the lagoon road and makred 
birds seen. Drove about^$ miles beyond the bridge 
and found a frigate colony. Also several fords 
in the road, Went back at night to work in the 
frig colony and banded both frig and red fooots. 
It is bad news out there alone and not at all fun. 
Spent alot of time looking for the road, not only 
is it hard to see in the dark but also with the I 
chnages inthe tide the landmarks change. 
( 3LUE FACED BOOBY: found £xxm nests Along the (6) 
road, one two egg clutch, two one egg clutch, 
one with a chick approx 10 days old, and one with 
a chick a day or so old and a freshly piped egg. 
measurements taken and data onBFB sheet. Also saw 
I 
am immature bird flying well, all dark head and 
breast. Also saw about 5 £>irds sitting around 
that look like they are on nests but not get to th 
em because of the water. 
RED FOOTED BOOBY: terhe are rfb mikex in amoung tl 
e frigates and also individual pairs in trees with 
nests. counted.in the colony where i banded 6+2=8 
chicks a month old or so ( just with lots of down : 
on body, holding heads up, make noise, but only a 
small spot of black showing in the scapulars, if 
any at all) found two chiks a day or so old, and 
counted 15 adults sitting on eggs. j 
GREAT FRIGATEBIRD: found this colony along the 
lagoon road approx B\-5 miles beyond the bridge neai 
camp, it is near a burried cable with a white flag 
flying on a post. Est at least 500 pairs in this 
area. Many males with fully inflated sacs, saw on* 
chick perhaps 3 weeks old, and counted 15 birds on 
eggs. Many of these males have the sub adult beasl 
1 
SCHREIBER ? 
CHRISEMAS ISLAND - aw 
28 April 
with the white, in fact i would say that this 
coloriation is more common that the fully dark 
breast. Many of thise birds also have a light artt 
s in the base of the wings, not nearly as light as 
in thelesser frigate but enough to make a me wondet 
about it. This colony is very wide spread and ham 
to do alot of walking to find you way from bird 
to bird. ON NOt more tax than one or two pairs 
in a scaevola bush and many of tern have nest in 
very low bushes not more than two three feet high. 
WEDGETAILED SHEARWATER:found a colony of approx 
200 burrows to the fight of the road just across a, 
ford, marked it withcan. heard birds in burrows al 
1500 but did not check andy of them. At night in 
the frig and rfb colony heard individuals calling 
but could not find any. Also this area looked to 
be much too hard for any burrowing. It is possible 
that they are nesting on the gound and not burrow 
ing? 
( RTTB: counted 9 in the air and banded one adult 
on a scrape but no egg present. 
GP: countedII in winter plumage and only one in 
spring plumage. 
BTC: counted 8 in this drive and saw one flock of 
3 twice flying aroundtogether inthe same placd. 
CT: only saw theee crested terns. 
Found at dead RFB adult cought in a bush with the 
primary feathers wrapped around a fork in the tree, 
Wonder if something scared it and it got caught or 
jsut what happened. 
After heavy rain in the afternoon many crabs out a 
11 over the roads and in the frest hwater pools 
forming along the road. Also standing under the 
drain spots of the buildings. Getting cooled or 
washed off????? 
- rygj ■> ■wy , r .- 
