King, Warren B., 1963-1964
Page 50
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Transcription
King, Warren B. 1964 32 south at 1641. Several shearwater/petrels passed by but due to various circumstances, bad light distance, BT cast etc. , none were identified by species all were light ventrally, dark dorsally. One Red-tailed Tropicbird was seen feeding by diving from 50 feet or so into water with splash, one breaking fall slightly on way down. Sundell's Fairy Tern was called Tropicbird by watch. On another occasion he reports a Tropicbird being called a pooby by the watch. March 27--Watch reported four Sooty Shearwaters at sunrise, (Howard- reliable). Sitting around the drogue which was set to study currents was a small congregation of White-beaked Petrel, an immature Masked Booby, and two unidentified Shearwater/petrels. The booby narrowly avoided being collected when the net failed to encompass his body. He returned twice in the day, at 0635 and 1442. Seven Wedgetails were seen, three light three dark and one not determined. Sooty Shearwaters and possibles came through all day - 10 in all. The Harcourt's was type B. The flock of 40+ Sooty Terns and eleven Shearwaters (one of which was a Wedgetail at least) was feeding in the seemingly rich waters within a mile of the drogue. A 3 foot 4 inch Mahimahi dolphin and a 4 foot Wahoo were caught as well as a 4 foot White fin? shark which was dispatched and returned to feed its compatriots. The Wahoo was chomped upon several times by sharks before it could be gotten into the boat. A marline was seen too and four killer whales(?). The mysterious petrel of 0720 and 0945 was apparently a molting White-necked petrel. It was seen very well by Su dell at 1040. A Laysan Albatross appeared for several minutes in good light at close range so that everyone on the bridge saw it. It is undoubtedly the furthest south record for this species 11 degrees 30 feet north 151 West.