Albatross Banding

This week we had another visit from the Kahana to pick up our trash, supplies, and personnel for return to Honolulu. The turtle techs as well as Paula, Ruth, and Sarah went back, and right now we have 5 volunteers, 3 seal crew and 1 manager. The new volunteers are learning quickly how we do things here (expecially how to keep the place clean). We also got almost 600 albatross chicks banded this week, and only another 2000 (or so) to go. We won't be able to slow down until we get that done though.

The turtles have been active around here lately, finding ways around our fences and getting stuck in various places on the island. We've had to help a few back to the beaches or back into the water in the last couple of weeks. We don't like them crawling over the entire island because they'll just crawl over anything in their way, so birds can get crushed by them.

This week has been busy, as usual, but of course it's also beautiful here as usual.

We have a vagrant bird visiting. It looks like a short-eared owl. It hides all day long in the rocks because the brown noddies harrass it non-stop when it isn't hiding. It'll probably stay around a little while longer.

Many of the sooty tern chicks have hatched and are growing quickly. They still have to watch out for the frigatebirds, which have eaten quite a few of them so far this summer.

The small boat from the Kahana had some engine trouble, so we helped them bring the last load of supplies to the ship.

Keith and Paula are helping to take down the turtle camp tent on East Island.

Here is a picture I got from Caitie. I think a good title for it is "Another Day at the Office"
(that's me looking at the coral near Disappearing Island). It would be nicer if I got to do that every day, but I get to do it more often than a lot of people, so I can't complain too much.