4 
day. Three to six birds were present for the last three days. The in¬ 
crease of albatrosses came at the same time a notable drop of surface 
temperature was recorded. Of the l4 birds for which rump color was noted 
six (42 °jo) were white-rumped. This is about the same as the overall per¬ 
centage of white-rumped birds in the present Grid survey (15 out of 42; 
82 $). 
Sooty Shearwater ( Puffinus griseus) 
# Obs 
= 2 
Two Sooty/Slender-bill Shearwaters were seen on l4 July. One had 
’’light’ underwings, the other was not seen well, but both were probably 
this species. Both birds were traveling in a west-southwest direction. 
# Obs 
= 2 
Pterodroma sp. 
Both sightings were on 12 July. One may have been a P. externa. 
# Obs. 
= 3 
Three shearwater/petrels were observed on l6 July in the area of the 
most rapid surface temperature drop. Two of the birds were tentatively 
identified as Kermadec Petrels, one light-and one dark-phase. 
Red-tailed Tropicbird (Phaethon rubricauda ) # Obs. 
= 1 
A short-tailed bird (subadult ?) on 17 July (ca. 30° N; 134° W) was 
closer to the North American coast than the Hawaiian Islands. 
White-tailed Tropicbird ( Phaethon lepturus ) # Obs. 
1 
This was the only bird seen on 13 July. 
# Obs 
1 
Tropicbird sp. 
Seen on l4 July, this bird was noted as follows: ’’Sitting on water, 
large, pinkish hue, dark bill, long-light tail.” 
# Obs. 
= 2 
Jaeger sp. 
Two birds were seen together on 12 July. 
Section ”C” Pt. Arguello 
23 July 
One hour of observation was run from the helicopter rendezvous 11 
miles off Pt. Arguello to A Point 20 miles southwest of Pt. Arguello. One- 
hundred-sixteen birds of six species were observed. This area is well out¬ 
side of ’’pelagic” areas (see Figure #2). Albatrosses were present but low 
in numbers; no storm petrels were seen. Sooty Shearwater was the dominant 
species. (See non-Grid Table #4 for summary of observations.) 
