Fleet, Robert R., 1963-1965
Page 141
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Transcription
Fleet, Robert 1964 20 Miscellaneous Seven Common Noddy eggs on cliff face, 6 in nests, 1 placed on bare rock. Red-tailed Tropicbird local threw up deep water (mallet ?) fish 8 inches long with head digested: 2 inches deep, 1 inch wide. Observed 6 to 12 Common Noddy chasing a Fairy Tern with fish in bill. Five minutes. Observed adult Fairy Tern feed flying young, Called young to itself by repeated squeaks; transferred single minnow-like fish from bill to bill. Red-footed Booby adult seen by Bob Long on Necker on9/26. (sitting and then flew). With orange tag on right leg. Somewhat weathered. Under way for French Frigage Sheels at 1630 hours on the 26th. Arrived at FFS at 0730 hours.on the 27th. September 27--Transferred gear and personnel into small boat from station and were underway to islands by 0930. Visited Frigate Island, Whale and Skate Island, East Island in succession spending one to two hours on each. La Perouse rock was circled several times but no landing was attempted. Tern Island was surveyed on the evening of the 27th and the morning of the 28th. Trig Island: Population Survey estimates Blue-faced Booby = immature 21 (estimate 75) local 1 adult 2 Red-footed Booby = immature 2 (10) adult 2 Ruddy Turnstone = 45 - 50 Golden Flover = 3 Common Noddy = 100 chicks; 200 adults Wedge-tailed Shearwater = total 300