Husted, Dayle N., 1964
Page 13
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Transcription
Husted, Dayle N. 1964 13 July 8 --Today we hired a hopper to take us into Nuslolo Valley. On the Top Pali Coast on the way to the chopper, at the Plantation Hotel, we found Newell's Shearwater resting under a tree. We promptly captured the bird, were well bitten for our effort, and put her out of the misery. The bird was a female, non-breeding, and in excellent plumage. The social director at the hotel said "there birds come in here frequently." Bobby, the social director said they even come in to the lobby, especially if the nite is bad out. They are evidently attracted to the lights (?). We were set down in the valley at about 1100 and the pilot said he would pick us up about 1600. The valley is J shaped with almost shear volcanic rolls (basalt) going up about 1500+ feet. The floor of the valley has a stream to the left side (left side when facing landword) with watercress growing in it, and tarro along it mainly at the back. On the floor there is also much lontana (wrong spelling) I think). At the landward end of the valley there are also many trees. The animals we saw were goats, 25+ hubrid pheasant, 15-20 Wedge-tailed Tropicbirds, female jungle fowl, and finshes (sp.). We covered almost every place we could get to in search of Newell's Shearwater, including some places that I don't believe would or could nest in if they are burrows. One of the places I looked was on the top of a ridge that was difficult to reach. The dirt was very crumbly, and I ruined all foot and hand holds gone up one side. I had some terrible thoughts about being stranded there until I saw the other side. A long the ridge almost every place they could burrow was taken up by a thick cover of grass, and the sail was very cumbly besides that, not good for burrowing. I