Y. Amerman 1966 Sand. Johnston Jan 21 (crnt) Blue faced Booby - 4 on #6 at start, 2 most 8 day after; a third appeared about 1600, Sat on slate for a period, Then moved to rocks among frisate, for 1/2 hour. All active around 1600, jumping off into water, flying short distances. Great Frigate - Similar to Red feet: decrease from ampic to H, then incito. Then constant until 4-5, increase again. Colony about constant all day. Immatures sit in two groups; at E edge of colony and between two segments of it. Witnessed two copulations (or attempts), much courtship. Sometimes, evidently, when the pair bond has been established, when The partner alights beside the other They fence bills briefly and shake heads mutually. This also occurs when F brings nest material. Female accepts, places, them may fly off leaving male to finish incorporating it into the nest; several males busy with nest while females gone. Saw two adult & frisates land among 7 immatures on hill 1540. One & fed two chicks, The young going inside her bill to get the food; evidently not a whole fish regurgitated; both bills level, so food, if liquid, still wasn't "poured" into young. Grayback Tern - 0800 0900 1100 1300-1820 1900: 175 175 40 104 Dick found first egg today, 7 on pier + 1 on islet. 500 Sooties banded. Y. Amerman 1966 Sand - Johnston January 22 Sooty Tern mortality only about 1/2 what it has been previous days. Perhaps This was due to lighter winds last night, or fewer birds being present? Checked pier, one new Gray back egg (total 8). Surveyed Johnston between 1700-1900. Found 2 new Tropic bird nests with eggs plus the older one. No other birds seen flying. No Fairy Terns seen. Only 6 plovers, 20 Turnstone, 2 Rattles and one Sanderling seen. Banded 100 Sooty Terns, checking for molt & brood patches. Three of mine were molting around 11-14th secondaries only. No brood patches get anywhere on island. Worked returns after this - they were much scarcer than last night. The numbers already banded is remarkably low, from observation. January 23 The first Christmas Islands appeared - a pair sitting by the large slab on the east shore at the base of the peninsula. Returned one. (1300). One present at night? on slope. Gray backs beginning to lay on west edge of peninsula near tip - 3 eggs, one broken. Eggs on pier now total 13 3 + 1 on ischo by pier. One of the two Common Noddy eggs on The peninsula hatched. Total of 500 Sooties banded. January 24 Total of 35 Sooties collected from papyrines. Red footed Booby nest on north shore has disappeared. Probably 100-150 Common Noddies nesting on peninsula and grass along east side - 17 banded.