Friend Against Friend

A male Red-footed Booby, making the world a better place.



Christmas Shearwater, about to unleash the holiday spirit.



I am Beastmaster. Or, SOOTYTERNMASTER.



This pillbox (fortunately) never got to perform its original purpose, which was to defend the island against a Japanese troop landing. Now its a hangout for Brown Noddies.



This is the oldest Red-tailed Tropicbird chick from any of the study plots. I wish it my best.



The classic Laysan Albatross "handshake".



This Black-footed Albatross chick is close to fledging.



Since this one was given The Mark Of The Beast, I'm sure it will live a long, sinister life terrorizing squid and future albatross chicks.



Pure gratuity. That's Kate, she is an algaestar.



My ceiling tile from the All Hands Club. My stuff is in the upper right corner.

I'm back in San Francisco now, trying to adjust to life where just about everything is the opposite of what Ive been experiencing since I first got to Midway. It's not the smoothest transition, but its great to be around friends again where I can feel free to be my loathsome self.....or anyone else, for that matter. So far, so good.

Below is my bird list from the atoll....I think its a pretty good list. It has every species known to currently breed on Midway, some migrants, some vagrants, some wintering birds......I think it's pretty great. Sure its not a massive list by any means, but Out There its quality, not quantity, you know what I'm saying? I might add that the Lesser Frigatebird was spotted on my birthday, and I didnt even use binoculars with it. Pretty sweet deal if you ask me. Here is an identification tip for you that isnt really emphasized in the i.d. books Ive gotten my hands on....the LEFR really is substantially smaller than the many Great Frigatebirds that are out there. Its pretty obvious. That doesnt help if the bird is by itself, but if its mixed in with a big frigatebird kettle like mine was, they stand out pretty well.

I'll post some more pictures in the near future......until then, you can find me getting reacquainted with an old friend (Jameson).

Green-winged Teal
Laysan Duck
Northern Pintail
Northern Shoveler
Eurasian Wigeon
American Wigeon
Laysan Albatross
Black-footed Albatross
Short-tailed Albatross
Bonin Petrel
Bulwer's Petrel
Wedge-tailed Shearwater
Christmas Shearwater
Tristram's Storm-Petrel
Red-footed Booby
Brown Booby
Masked Booby
Lesser Frigatebird
Great Frigatebird
White-tailed Tropicbird
Red-tailed Tropicbird
Cattle Egret
Pacific Golden-Plover
Whimbrel (Siberian and American)
Bristle-thighed Curlew
Grey-tailed Tattler
Wandering Tattler
Ruddy Turnstone
Glaucous Gull
Glaucous-winged Gull
Little Tern
Least Tern
Sooty Tern
Grey-backed Tern
Brown Noddy
Fairy Tern
Black Noddy
Common Myna
Canary