As our island population gets smaller, it keeps on getting busier. Right now, it's just John Miller and me on island for USFWS. That will keep us busy for going to Eastern Island every day. The contractors working on lead paint abatement are back. We've seen a lot fewer albatross with "droop wing" this year. Droop wing is one of the symptoms of lead poisoning, so the project seems to be working. We continue our Laysan duck botulism checks around all of the wetlands. We still have a very few albatross still here, but by next week, they may all be gone. The birds that nest in Alaska and Canada are coming back, like Ruddy turnstones, Pacific golden plovers, and Bristle-thighed curlews.
I was informed that there is a better link for Chris Jordan's movie (thanks Victoria). I updated it on my last post, but here it is again.
http://tiff.net/filmsandschedules/festival/2013/midway Again, I'll let you know more when the distribution information is released.
Most of the island showed up to the airplane to say goodbye to John & Leona after almost 11 years on Midway. Good luck at USFWS headquarters and we'll miss you!
I checked on the only turtle nest of the season at Midway on Eastern Island and one of only 4 that we've had here. It doesn't look like it has hatched yet, but should soon. Here's some native Lepturus repens grass on the beach nearby, and a bit of trash, with Sand Island in the background.
I also found this WWII era fire extinguisher on Eastern Island from the Buffalo Fire Extinguisher Co. We don't find things like this too often over there, but maybe we will now that the verbesina is going away.
A Brown noddy and chick sit on an old ironwood stump.
Each summer there are a few White tern chicks on the Eastern pier. Many don't make it because they are pretty exposed. This one is being fed seems to be doing well.
I only saw one albatross chick today and that was out on the cargo beach, looking lonely. It rained a few minutes after this.
The clouds are moving in over the Cargo pier.
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