R.S. Crossin 1966 7 March - 2-33 S; 171-12 W - - 2-01 S; 169 - 31 W Bird numbers down as we move away from Islands into open water. Total 120. One White-rumped Storm petrel with odd white belly - not a White-throated Storm Petrel. and one small dark storm pet w/o white rump. 8 March - 1-25 S; 167-49 W - - 0 - 56 S; 166 - 13 W Total 64 birds, mostly Sooty tern in one flock (42). One Sooty collected - banded Enderbury 65. Probably this is the NW limits of Phoenix Island Group birds ranging way out. Mostly quiet all afternoon. 9 March - 0-19 S; 164-32 W - - 0 - 19 N; 162-53W Slow day as would be expected this far from any islands. 89 birds - mostly Sooty tern (36) and Storm Petrels (White-rumped - 29) 2 of which were Leach's collected. 10 March - 1 - 00 N; 161 - 07 W - - 1 - 25 N; 159 - 33 W Total number of birds not unusually high, 181, considering the numbers of band, but considerable variety of species exhibited. Two most common forms were Sooty terns, 119, and White-rumped Storm petrels (32). One of these latter was a Harcourt's Storm Petrel. The majority are unquestionably Leach's - 3 collected. Due to arrive at Christmas at daybreak. 11 March - Christmas Island Arrived on Island about 0930. Mr. Wardell was off on the ? side of the island, so we spent an hour in waiting. After his return and lining up the old dilapitated Land Rover we headed out on survey. One colony of Sooty terns is established on seaward side of main road about 5 mi from London on N side. Another scattered colony is spread along the long axis of the island by Carver way, but this did not seem dense enough to work. Spent the entire night at the PUR colony 5 mi from London with Harrington, Lewis, Smith and Heryford. Banded 7,400 Sootys, and took ca. 110 samples of blood. Chicks were mostly between half-grown and nearly ready to fly. Max and Dayle spent day on. Moto Opua. Phoenix Island Petrels with everything from fresh eggs to grown chicks. 12 March - X-mas Went out to Sooty tern colony on South end of island by deserted, long air strip. This extended for about 5 miles - long axis of island - and was in dense grass and Sida. Chicks ranged from week old to nearly full-grown. Entire party went here - banded 7,600 between chicks and adults. 13 March - Christmas Island Entire party went out in rubber raft to Moto Tabu. Banded ca. 700 Christmas Island Shearwaters. Phoenix Island Petrels and Wedgetails in combination. Wedgetails were primarily digging new burrows. The Phoenix Island Petrels had fresh eggs up to full grown chicks and nested mainly under clumps of vines and dense bushes and under sheltered Messerschmidia trees, as did Christmas Island Shearwaters which ranged through same stages of nesting. A few Red-tailed Tropicbirds with eggs and/or chicks were noted. Fairy terns abundant - eggs to young, mainly in the Messerschmidia trees. Hawaiian Noddy Terns - eggs through chicks, nests built mainly in Messerschmidia trees of leaves of same tree. Common Noddy Terns - eggs ? chicks, no nests built - the eggs laid on bare nets on the ground, usually under dense Messerschmidia. Banded Sooty Tern chicks and adults in the colony on south end of island, during the night. Intermittent rain squalls seriously hampered work.