Deputy Secretary

For such a small place, it sure seems like something is always going on here. The Deputy Secretary of the Interior, Lynn Scarlett, was here last week for a few days. She and the Monument Management Board came out. What's a MMB? (I'm having to learn a whole new alphabet soup with the FWS!) The Monument is run by the FWS, the state of Hawaii and NOAA. They just completed a Draft Monument Management Plan for the new Monument. Did it in less than a year; it normally takes two or more. I read the Concept Plan for Midway and hope I live long enough to see half of it completed. It's a great plan, but, it's going to take millions to complete, mainly because of logistics and decay in structures. The Visitor Center exhibits I'm working on will only be temporary, the permanent VC will be in the Midway Mall. The plan is to re-use as many structures as possible or build new on existing concrete pads. Why? To avoid impacting potential wildlife habitat. Great idea!

We took Lynn over to Eastern and toured around. She also planted some Erigrostis, the native bunchgrass. Found a Wedge-Tail Shearwater trapped in the one small building on Eastern. John got it out and let it go. Kinda sat there dazed for a couple of minutes, then flew off.

She also found the first Christmas Shearwater we've seen this year. Tough to get a picture 'cause it's hiding out, nesting.

And, of course, the male Frigates were doing their thing. Amazing what a guy will do to get laid...

Saw the Spinner Dolphins on the way back and finally got a picture or two of something other than blue water. I'll keep trying for somthing better. We have over two hundred who hang out in the lagoon during the day and go out to open water to feed at night. They love to ride the boat's wake, and get bored quickly if you stop and just sit there.

Got a little rain yesterday and saw this Laysan chick and adult getting a drink from the water running off our roof.

Went for a walk yesterday after the rain quit and saw that a lot of Tropicbirds are on eggs right now. Some have already had chicks. Check this one out; it's gotta be several weeks old!

Getting late and tomorrow is Monday and back to work. Be well, everyone.

Murray