Creedance Shearwater Revival

"In 1972 a crack commando unit was sent to prison by a military court for a crime they didn't commit. These men promptly escaped from a maximum security stockade to the Los Angeles underground. Today, still wanted by the government, they survive as soldiers of fortune. If you have a problem, if no one else can help, and if you can find them, maybe you can hire the A-Team."

crew geared up for Wedge-tailed Shearwater(Puffinus pacificus) chick banding

The Wedge-tailed Shearwater(WTSH), a bird of the tropical Pacific and Indian Oceans, nests in burrows on offshore islets, atolls, and barren headlands. It is a nocturnal species. This is the bird that has a somewhat cat or even human ghostly moan for a call. You hear these guys quite a bit in the evening. Though less now, since a number of them have dispersed as this particular breeding season is over.

WTSH, light morph, adults

From the first picture, notice the volleyball-type knee pads as well as the long sleeves and gloves.

First the knee pads. Lots of bending down to, and lying on, the ground. Remember, these guys are in burrows. Burrows are located all over, even under barracks, porches etc. Luckily, most are located away from man-made structure.

Regarding the long sleeves and gloves. These chicks will take healthy "nips" at you. Always been told that Northern Cardinals(Cardinalis cardinalis)are the worst when it comes to this. Not so. WTSH chick have a long hooked beak, and the twist back and forth.

WTSH chick, this is not our smartest tech, he decided to go all-John Rambo and hold the bird w/o gloves. Just for this photo op.

"I call the big one Bitey."- H. Simpson

Working the Wedge-tailed Shearwaters was a blast. Yesterday was only day one, we covered just the SW corner of Tern. This little island looks alot bigger from ground-level, burrow-to-burrow.

-mwyork