9 9-27-63 cont. all day and night with gusts to 30 Knots and a steady 20 Knot level. Spent all morning hunting for small land birds. However, saw none in the AM, but collected a Wandering Tattler and a Bristle-thighed Curlew. Curlew was one of eight in a flock: Previous to today there were a maximum of four seen at any one time. Saw at least 5 and perhaps 7 Tattlers. There is and abundance of turnstones and plovers here. Saw one very light colored Sanderling. In the afternoon went out again. Bill tagged two seals, and right behind the Station another tiny land bird (another Waterthrush? ) flew over out of ~12 shot range and I was unable to get a glimpse of him thereafter. At night skinned three of the shorebirds: Finally regaining some of the rusty bird skinning skills. 9-28-63 EXNE 15-23 Knots rain High winds and intermittent [illegible] is still continuing today as we are forced to work inside again. I finished all on my backlog of refrigerated birds and helped Bill on some of the rats. About 12 as I walked back to quarters I saw one of these tiny land birds fly by fast - gun locked up in Armory. Will try to get out today again. By this afternoon the wind let up and it cleared off by 1500. Went hunting at 1600 and saw two sparrows, both the same in a pair (perhaps Song sparrows? ) Very Dark in plumage. Couldn't get a shot at them. Also a Greater Yellowlegs which I was unable to get close enough to shoot. In the evening went banding, and met xi with some real difficulties. The Scaveola here is so very thick and continuous that it is nearly impossible to band numbers of the larger birds: Crashing through the brush alerts them and they are gone before we reach them. It will be particular hardto band the frigates, Red-footed Boobies and Noddies because of this. Tropicbirds also present a problem as do shearwater chicks that are found under the jungle like tangles. Our high hopes for large bandings may be unrealistic for this island. Some of this pro- blem may be eliminated if we can noose the roosting birds.