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BANDING AMD RIKOVERIES OF RUDDY TURNSTONES IN IKE PACIFIC 
Max C. Thompson 
Smithsonian Institution 
In the summer of 1964, the Smithsonian Institution launched an intensive 
banding program of Buddy Turnstones on St, George Island, the Eribilofs, 
Alaska, St. George Island was picked as the logical site for the operation 
as thousands of Ruddy Turnstones congregated here during migration to fatten 
up on insects before continuing southward. The turnstones are attracted to 
the abundant food on the Northern Fur Seal killing grounds. These grounds 
have been utilised for over a century for the harvesting of the fur seal. 
The carcasses on St. George are left on the killing field to rot away, thus 
attracting large numbers of insects. 
At the height of the migration, the number of turnstones was estimated 
to be in excess of 10,000, The high density of turnstones lended itself well 
to the use of a cannon-net for trapping purposes. We had previously tried 
using iaxst nets, but the high wind and presence of Arctic Foxes rendered them 
unsatisfactory. 
The cannon-net was a modified Miller type using 3 projectiles on a 75* 
x 35* nylon knot less net. The charges were coiaaer daily prepared and one per 
cannon was used in the firing. The cannons were detonated by irsxle hand- 
cranked blasting machine. 
It was found that oho Buddy Turnstones whtn frightened would fly down 
to the beach or off into the tundra and remain there until we had completed 
seating the net. After setting the net, one person would walk the area around 
tne killing field and flush the birds back to the killing field. The other 
