36 Hours

36 Hours

MIDWAY ATOLL

A remote haven for seabirds and other wildlife set like a jewel within an azure lagoon offering unexpected cross-cultural amenities for the adventurous traveler.

Wildlife viewing by bike on the southern shore of Sand Island

By ROB TAYLOR

Getting to Midway Atoll, a small outpost of sand and coral more than 1,000 miles from Honolulu, isn’t easy but for those intrepid enough to make the voyage, it can be the experience of a lifetime. Once a US Navy Air Station, now a wildlife refuge situated within the largest conservation area on the planet, Midway provides critical habitat for rare and endangered seabirds – including Laysan duck and and black-footed albatross – as well as sites of great historical significance including a variety of WWII relics. A dynamic, perhaps even idiosyncratic blend of custom and culture makes Midway a unique destination sought after by the world’s elite travelers (President Obama made a quick visit here in 2016) and yet it maintains an unpretentious charm. Relatively small in area – the three islands that comprise total less than 3 square miles and travel is done by foot or by bicycle – even the most footloose of visitors can experience myriad natural and cultural fascinations in just a couple of days. Currently, travel here is somewhat complicated by lack of commercial flights and visitor services but not impossible, especially if you’re willing to volunteer your time with the US Fish and Wildlife Service to help out with conservation projects. If you can, time your visit during “albatross season” when over a million large, somewhat awkward yet undeniably magnificent seabirds, descend on Midway to nurture their next generation to life.

Friday

( 1 )  3 P.M. Ø REDONDO

A short golf cart limo ride gets you and your baggage from the tarmac to Charlie Hotel  in a matter of minutes providing ample time for a quick tour of Sand Island. Arrange to have your rental bicycle waiting for you to save time then fill up your water bottle (double-filtered water is available in the small water and ice shack across from the hotel) and have the hotel staff make arrangements with airport operations to let them know you’ll be crossing the runway during your bike tour.  Then hop on your trusty cruiser and head out towards the Visitors Center and Museum which is located in the Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge and Battle of Midway National Memorial Headquarters. Small, yet informative, the museum covers both the cultural and natural history of Midway including its importance to native Hawaiian people (the coral reefs here are thought to be the birthplace of all life) as well as the key role the islands played during WWII. A new exhibit explains the recent expansion of Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument within which Midway lies. Be sure to check out the green glass fishing floats and the large scale replica of Sand Island. A table in the back of the museum has albums of fascinating historic photos and other curiosities, including a 1964 copy of the Gooney Gourmet, a cookbook written by members of the Midway Officers Wives Club. Climb back on the saddle and head south passing by the old orchard and the historic Public Works buildings. Continue south and as you approach the runway check out the large, cleared area on your left. Once a forest of the invasive ironwood tree, this area is now a restoration demonstration site and now hosts various native Hawaiian plant species, including the rare and endangered Popolo. Now follow the bike path across the runway to the south side of the island and head west taking in the waves breaking on the reef just off shore. Continue west towards Frigate Point (beware of patches of soft sand in the trail) looking out for the extremely rare short-tailed albatross between the path and the runway. Eventually the path doubles back (crossing the runway again) towards town. Your timing should be just about perfect to arrive at the Clipper House as the doors open for dinner.

Fusion dining at its funkiest at the Clipper House

( 2 )  5 P.M. Ø FUNKY FUSION

The Clipper House is the one and only restaurant on the island featuring a funky mix of American, Thai, and other world cuisines served buffet-style. Chef Pong Wichasawatdi and his all-Thai staff earned their chops on luxury cruise ships and put their culinary experience to good use.  Menus constantly change but if you are lucky you might find a steaming pot of Green Chicken or Beef Massaman Curry and Thai-style Sticky Rice. Larb Moo (spicy pork salad), Tom Ka Gai (chicken coconut soup), and Seafood Tom Yum soup are other Thai specialties executed by the Clipper House to fantastic effect. On the flip side of the menu look for Steak Diane, Adobe Chicken, Baked Acorn Squash, and Zippy Shrimp,  all local favorites. The salad bar features locally produced greens and other produce grown in the island’s hydroponic greenhouse. Thrill seekers can take advantage of the rare opportunity of having Thai and American dishes side by side in the same hot table. Notable fusion concoctions have included Thai Red Curry Mac and Cheese and the incredible Pad Thai Chicago Dog. For dessert, check out the selection of cakes, cookies, and pastries and if Kidjarom’s New York Style Cheesecake is available, don’t even think of passing it up. Otherwise you might opt for the ever-popular self-serve frozen dairy dessert available in vanilla, chocolate, and (occasionally) Clipper-House Coffee flavors.

( 3 )  6 P.M. Ø SHOPPING MADE SUPER SIMPLE

While shopping options are somewhat limited at Midway, the Ship’s Store does a fabulous job of stocking truly necessary items. Forgot shampoo or dental floss? Jack Phosri, manager of the store has your back! Even more important is the stores selection of beers, wine and spirits. If you are used to big city selection, you might be surprised to find only a handful of brands in each category but if you allow yourself to simply comprehend the fact that this is the only store selling adult beverages and snacks within a 1,000 mile radius, you can feel absolutely righteous as you tip-toe out of the store with a couple of six packs of Chang Lager (US $11), a liter of Johnny Walker Black (US $55) and a jumbo bag of Tostito Blue Corn Tortilla Chips (US $6). The Ships Store also houses a large selection of souvenir merchandise offered by the Friends of Midway Atoll including t-shirts, post-cards, water bottles, and the classic, all metal, Zippo lighter (an essential gift for anyone you know who uses disposable plastic lighters, commonly found among other plastic ocean debris that washes up on the shores here).  Be sure to stock up as the Ship’s Store has very limited hours and this will likely be your only chance to visit. Celebrate your newly acquired purchases with a quick trip to Cargo Pier where you can relax on a bench and get a good view of Hawaiian green turtles basking on Turtle Beach and foraging for algae along the pier; you’ll also get a great view of albatross and other seabirds flying over open water as the sun settles in the western sky.

Get your karaoke on after hours at the Aree House

( 4 )  8 P.M. Ø SING YOUR HEART OUT

Over twenty hardworking Thai nationals (all men) live and work full-time on Midway maintaining the infrastructure and providing essential services to all of the island’s residents. After a long week of labor, it’s time to kick back, and long-term residents and visitors alike are all welcome at the Aree House where you can always find a cooler of beer and the warm, hospitality that the nation of Thailand is known for. Though it may be hard to decipher some of the card and dice games typically played on weekend nights, karaoke is a popular pastime that anyone can easily join in on. Put in a request for your favorite tune or just wait until a song inspires you to sing along. The Beatles, Neil Young, ABBA, The Eagles, and Selene Diaz are eternally popular but there is a wide selection of songs available cutting across a dozen or more genres. Thai pop songs often prompt the more accomplished local singers to croon. On warm summer nights the garden with its benches, water features, and attendant albatross chicks make for an exceptionally convivial and international setting. Charlie Hotel is right next door, but be sure to bring a flashlight as there are no external lights on Midway (to protect the birds) and it can get very dark!

( 5 )  7 A.M. Ø UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL

With so much to see in a short time, you’ll want to set your alarm and rise early.  Even if you don’t, the albatross will probably wake you up anyway. Coffee and breakfast await you at the Clipper House but you’ll want to get your feed on quickly because you need to be at the Finger Piers at 7 am to meet up with Sam Songserm and his able crew of weed control technicians. Locally known as the A Team, Sam  and his crew travel by boat to Eastern Island  to wage war with verbesina (a noxious weed) and there is usually a couple of empty seats available (make sure they’ll be coming back at lunchtime!). Why drag your sorry keister out of bed so early to go to Eastern Island? While Sand Island harbors an incredible abundance and diversity, the presence of man, prevents some species from living there. Uninhabited, Eastern Island allows the visitor to observe a number of seabird species either absent or infrequently encountered on the rest of the atoll including Great Frigatebird, three species of Boobie (Red-Footed, Masked, and Brown) and both Sooty and Gray-backed Terns. As it lacks any old buildings or ironwood forests, the environment and wildlife of Eastern Island also provide an experience more similar to that of what a 19^th century shipwrecked sailor might have had. Pack a spare camera battery to be sure you don’t miss out on once in a lifetime photographic opportunities!

( 6 )  10 A.M. Ø ALBATROSS SAFARI

The Hawaiian name for Midway is Pihemanu which means the “loud din of birds”. Yes, indeed, these albatross can certainly make a racket but they also display a rich set of behaviors that can be appreciated only by spending some serious quality time with them. Both Laysan and Black-footed albatross are abundant on Eastern Island making for excellent opportunities to better acquaint yourself with them. The black and gray Laysan Albatross is more numerous and tends to occur more towards the center of the island while the dark-colored Black-footed Albatross prefers areas near the shore. Dances of these species, while somewhat similar to the uninitiated, include distinct and elaborate maneuvers and gestures. Air snap, Rapid Bill Clapper, Head Shake and Whine, and Scapular Action are just a few of the moves you may see. Pick an area where both occur and take some time to revel in their exuberance.

Left: Spinner dolphins are seen frequently in the lagoon. Right: Wildlife recolonized Midway after the closure of the Naval Air Station.

 ( 7 )  1P.M. Ø REEF TIME

If the weather abides and other factors align, a snorkeling trip to the outer reef should be included in your itinerary. After a lunch at the Clipper House head down to the Finger Piers where you can get fitted out with gear at the Snorkel Shack. Be sure to inquire with locals as to the water temperature or check the NOAA Tide Station to see if a wetsuit is recommended. Travelling across the azure waters of the lagoon is nothing short of magical and you are often accompanied for part of the journey by the local pod of Spinner Dolphins whose name derives from their habit of leaping far out of the water to execute incredible pirouettes. Just a few miles from the harbor is Reef Hotel which, despite the name, was actually a surveillance post constructed by the Navy during the cold war. All that remains now are some old rusty steel posts which, along abundant coral provide a home for a dazzling number of sea creatures. Unicorn Fish, Convict Tang, Moorish Idol, Giant Ulua, White-throated Eel and Spotted Knifejaw are just a few of the species you’ll see. Watch out also for Spiny Lobsters that take refuge in crevices in the coral and the humongous Sea Cucumbers that laze about on the ocean floor. Because it is a wildlife refuge no fishing or any other type of collecting is permitted which allows the animals here grow to remarkable size.

( 8 )  6 P.M. Ø A SUNSET TO DIE FOR

After dinner, pack some refreshments and ride out to West Beach to witness one of the best sunsets the planet has to offer. A small bike parking area and some old fishing buoys mark the start of a trail that leads through the local naupaka shrubs to the beach.  Although the beach itself is actually closed to the public, you can find a nice place to sit just before you reach the signs marking the off-limits area that affords a great view of the western sky. Watch for the green flash just after the last drop of sun disappears below the horizon.

Sunset from Cargo Pier

 ( 9 )  8 P.M. Ø PARTY LIKE THERE’S NO YESTERDAY

Captain Brooks, the one and only pub on the island, makes up for its small size with its large reputation as a great place to cut loose and have a good time on a Saturday night. Be sure to arrange for the pub to be opened in advance ($30 / hour minimum purchase) and spread the word to ensure a good turnout. Only beer, wine, and soft-drinks are served so if you are hankering for the hard stuff, be sure to BYOB. Pizza, popcorn and other snacks are also available. In addition to foosball, darts, and board games, the pub’s ring game often draws a small crowd (watch out, it’s addicting!). Dancing is encouraged, just put in your musical request with the bartender and he’ll likely be able to oblige you.  Don’t be surprised if you find yourself at the Aree House instead of at your hotel room after last call as the heat generated at parties on the island takes a while to dissipate!

Sunday

 ( 10 )  10 A.M. Ø BEACH WALK AND BRUNCH

Sleep in, enjoying the sounds of albatross courtship through the open window as you slowly awake to your third and final day on the atoll. The Clipper House doesn’t open until 9 am on Sundays and stays open through the morning giving you the opportunity to take a leisurely walk on North Beach before enjoying a leisurely brunch. From the Clipper House walk west towards Rusty Bucket watching for glass fishing floats among all the other flotsam washed up on the beach. Or maybe you will find some other treasure among the toothbrushes, lighters, fishing gear and other random trash? This might also be a good time to evaluate the impact that you are having on the environment and to think about how you might reduce the amount of trash you generate. As refuge regulations don’t allow for the collection of anything living or dead, small plastic figures or interesting bottles can make for pretty nice keepsakes of your visit to the atoll. North Beach is also a favored hauling out spot for endangered Hawaiian Monk Seals. Seals need their beauty sleep too so if you see one remember keep your distance (at least 150 feet) so as not to disturb its slumber!

The Old Generator Building is one of over a dozen notable historic sites at Midway Atoll.

( 11 ) 1 P.M. Ø WWII REMEMBRANCES AND COLD WAR RELICS

Before Midway became famous for its abundant wildlife, its renown stemmed primarily from its role in defeating the Japanese Navy during World War II and paving the way for a US victory.  Official recognition came in 2000 when Midway Atoll was designated as the Battle of Midway National Memorial. For history enthusiasts, Midway offers not only a wealth of wartime artifacts but also important relics from both before and after. Start your tour at the memorials across from the Visitors Center. Each of the three stone slabs is inscribed with dedications to the various fighting forces that shaped the war’s outcome. Next, head towards the Ship’s Store veering right at the intersection to visit the Navy Memorial (also known as the Gooney Memorial for the large wooden albatross statue that once stood there). The Navy Memorial is located adjacent to the Midway Mall which was, during the Cold War years, the hub of social activity for the thousands of folks (Navy personnel, contractors, and families) once stationed at Midway. Although most of the facilities have been closed for some time, some – bowling alley, library, barber shop – are still in use. Check out the now defunct Midway Theater where Bob Hope once entertained the troops. Continue towards the harbor and check out the Seaplane Hangar. This giant building was actually once twice its current size but had to be refashioned after Japanese fighter planes bombed it during the war. Next stop is the Old Generator Building where the valiant Marine Lieutenant George H. Cannon sacrificed his life when he refused to give up his post despite severe injuries incurred during the Japanese bombing of Midway on their way to Pearl Harbor in 1941.  Now head back towards town and check out the Midway House just across from the hotel. This elegant structure, designed by famed Detroit architect Albert Kahn, was once the home of the Naval Officer in Charge of the Naval Station. Heading back towards the Clipper House check out the sole remaining Cable Company Building.  Built in 1903 this, along with several other structures of identical design housed the workforce of the Pacific Commercial Cable Company which selected Midway as a hub for the communications cable they stretched from San Francisco to the Phillipines. Your historic tour would not be complete without taking a moment to reflect on the effect the war had on the Japanese people. Just west of the Clipper House you will find a small clearing with a black granite stone resting on a tree stump dedicated in 1999. The inscription, written in Kanji can be roughly translated as “Rest, the deep blue”, perhaps expressing hope that peace will reign over this remote outpost into the future. The flight back to Honolulu is a long one so some point it would be wise head back to the Clipper House for one final, hearty, and no-doubt eclectic, meal.

Postscript: This post was inspired by the "36 Hours" feature of the New York Times, Sunday Travel Section.

The Rodent Situation (Not Your Grandfather’s Mouse)

Spawned from undersea volcanoes and thousands of miles from any continent, the Hawaiian Islands harbor very few indigenous land animals. Once in a while a bird or insect made its way here – perhaps blown in by a storm – and over the eons a few survived and were able survive. From these the entire Hawaiian terrestrial fauna evolved. Most mammals don’t do overseas travel very well, as evidenced by the fact that the only native mammal in the entire Hawaiian archipelago is the reclusive Hawaiian Hoary Bat (‘ope‘ape‘a). After human technology developed to the point where people could travel long distances by boat, the situation changed.  Some of the earliest Polynesian explorers that made their way the shores of these islands in seagoing canoes unwittingly carried with them the Polynesian rat (Rattus exulans). When Europeans began to visit the islands they brought along their own rat:  black rat (Rattus rattus; sometimes called the “ship rat”). Also onboard were mice (Mus musculus).

Non-native rodents often found on oceanic islands. Top: House mouse (Mus musculus). Photo courtesy of JN Stuart (Flickr / Non-commercial Creative commons license). Bottom: Black rat (Rattus rattus). Photo courtesy Hermann Falkner (Flickr / Non-commercial Creative commons license)

Rats and mice have followed humans around for millennia, inhabiting our homes, barns, fields, roaming the streets and back alleys of cities and towns. They are well known thieves of food and have a catholic diet. Sure, they like cheese and peanut butter, but contrary to Walt Disney, they are not vegetarians and are known to a variety of animal prey and will even resort to cannibalism when the situation demands. People have battled with rats and mice for centuries and the success of the otherwise ornery and not always appreciated house-cat can probably be better attributed to our distaste for rodents than for our love of felines.

The immediate effects of rodents are pretty obvious: spilled rice grains on the shelf of the pantry reveal, on closer inspection, a hole chewed through the bag; small brown droppings foul the silverware drawer. Rats and mice are also notorious for their role in spreading diseases such as hantavirus,rabies, and bubonic plague. But because of their sheer number, rodents affect the world in ways that can be difficult to fully appreciate. In the 1980s James Brown (the ecologist, not the soul singer) of the University of Arizona conducted a series of experiments which showed that certain seed-eating rodents could transform a grassland into to a shrubland. Once Polynesian rats established themselves in Hawaii, they took to eating the seeds of native fan palms eventually wiping out forests in places like Ewa Beach on Oahu.

The uninhabited Northwestern Hawaiian Islands remained rodent-free until fairly recently.  Lisianski Island may have been the first to have been colonized when in 1844 a ship visiting from Honolulu deposited some mice onshore. Lacking natural predators, introduced rodents can increase in number at astonishing rates. Five decades after their first introduction, John Cameron, captain of the ship Ebon, made shore at Lisianski and found the island overrun.

We settled ourselves in for an appetizing supper of fresh food when myriads of mice attacked our meal ravenously and utterly without fear. Drive them away we could not; we slaughtered them by the hundreds, yet they would not be denied (quote taken from M Rauzon, Isles of Refuge)

Rodents didn’t find their way to Midway until decades later. Despite the establishment of the Pacific Commercial Cable Company Station on Sand Island in 1903 and the frequent supply ships that brought provisions to its residents, it was not until after WWII that rats and mice arrived, more or less at the same time, presumably on a Navy ship. By 1943 the black rat and the house mouse were noted as present. While the black rat eventually become established on all three of the atoll’s islands, mice were limited to just one, Sand Island.

The effects of rats on Midway’s wildlife were noticed pretty quickly.  Harvey Fisher and Paul Baldwin of the University of Hawaii visited the atoll in 1945 to see how birds were faring after the war. They were especially interested in two species: the Laysan rail and Laysan finch. Not indigenous to Midway, these birds had been brought there decades earlier from their native Laysan Island, where an overpopulation of rabbits had transformed their lush habitat into a barren wasteland, in what must have been one of the earliest wildlife translocation efforts ever attempted. Fisher and Baldwin were extremely disappointed to find that neither the finch nor the rail, which had thrived after their introductions, had made it through the war. The cause of the bird’s demise, they concluded, wasn’t bombs or bullets, nor could it be attributed to the habitat that had been lost to buildings, roads, and runways but rather it was due to a major infestation of rats. Sadly for the Laysan rail – and for us – its disappearance from Midway was tantamount to extinction; if you want to see one you’ll have to settle for an old grainy photo or a stuffed specimen in a museum. Laysan finches were able to pull through the tough times; rabbits were exterminated on Laysan Island in 1923 after which populations rebounded.

The Laysan Rail (Porzana palmeri) was introduced to Midway in the late 1800s and thrived until rats were introduced in 1943 after which it quickly went extinct. Top:  Illustration by John Gerrard Keulemans. Bottom: 1913 photograph by Alfred M. Bailey.

Rats had taken their toll on other bird species as well especially burrow-nesting species such as Bonin petrel, Bulwer’s petrel, wedge-tailed shearwater which are especially vulnerable. Numbers of Bonin petrels had been estimated at about half a million prior to the arrival of rats on Midway; Fisher and Baldwin counted only about 25,000, a 95% reduction. Rats not only preyed on the birds’ eggs but also attacked chicks and adults. Capable climbers, rats also impacted tree-nesting like the brown noddy.

As rats were a nuisance to people as well as wildlife, the Navy made some efforts to control their populations, but impacts to many seabird species persisted. Albatrosses, may have been less affected by rats than were other species, perhaps because their chicks are large and are guarded by a parent for some time after hatching. Which is not to say that it was smooth sailing for them during those times. Roadbuilding, mowing of lawns, overhead power lines, collision with aircraft, harassment by people and dogs, and the deliberate destruction of nests in areas where they were not convenient resulted in steep declines in their numbers, especially for Laysan albatross which inhabits the central portions of the islands. Although no reports of rats killing albatrosses had been made on Midway, there were highly credible accounts of rat attacks on Laysan albatross similar islands.  While visiting Kure Atoll in the late 1960s, Cameron Kepler of Cornell University observed Polynesian rats attacking and sometimes killing adult Laysan albatross.

[We] frequently  encountered  injured  Laysan  Albatrosses  and  noticed  dying  and  dead  adults  with  large  gaping  wounds  in  their  backs;  12  such  birds  were  found  in  the  1963-64  breeding  season… The  open  wounds  were  always  found  on  the  birds'  backs,  either  slightly  anterior  to  the  uropygial  gland,  or  forward  between  the  scapulae.  Small  holes,  one  to  two  inches  in  diameter,  were  occasionally  found.  At  this  stage,  wounds  were  sometimes  obscured  by  feathers,  and  the  injury  did  not  cripple  the  bird …  More  often,  sores  five  to  seven  inches  in  diameter  were  seen.  The  thoracic  cavity  was  often  exposed,  and  ribs  and  scapulae,  or  even  lungs,  were  visible  through  the  gaping  hole.  The  wings  drooped  when  the  bird  stood  or  walked,  as  a  result  of  severed  muscles.  Birds  that  had  wounds  on  their  rumps  often  limped  or  were  unable  to  walk.  The  injuries  were  often  infested  with  the  eggs  of  flies,  and  occasionally  harbored  maggots.  The  feathers  surrounding  the  hole  were  caked  with  blood,  and  the  birds'  bills  were  stained  from  probing  into  the  wound.  Birds  in  these  advanced  stages  rarely  survived  the  night  following  their  discovery (Kempler, 1967)

Could it be that the Polynesian rat is more likely to attack albatrosses than the black rat?  Or, perhaps, control of rats on Midway kept them numbers low enough such that they could subsist on other prey? I’m not sure we’ll ever know, but the rodent situation at Midway continued to harm seabird populations until the mid-1990s when, in anticipation of transfer of the atoll to the US Fish and Wildlife Service, rats were eradicated through a massive trapping and poisoning campaign. The last rat to be seen at Midway was in October of 1997.

The birds approved.  Bonin petrels, which had nearly been wiped out during the age of rats, returned to the atoll to nest once again.  While numbers are hard to come by, it is thought that over one million of these birds now breed on Sand Island alone. Rats on Midway may have been exerting strong effects on vegetation as well. After their eradication, the native shrub naupaka appeared to greatly increase in abundance. Rats, apparently, were eating more than just seabirds and as naupaka plays an important role in stabilizing dunes, rats may even, indirectly, have been accelerating coastal erosion on the atoll.

With rats out of the picture one might think Midway’s rodent problems had finally been solved. And so it seemed for a couple of decades. Though Sand Island still hosted a significant mouse population, they were thought to be primarily a nuisance to the human residents. During my first few days at Midway last spring, I was a bit surprised at how many mice scurried across my headlight beam as I rode my bike at night. It was also hard not notice the dozens of little black bait boxes placed outside of buildings. While there were certainly lots of conservation challenges to be addressed regarding the birds of Midway – ingestion of plastic, lead poisoning, invasive species, and entrapment hazards just to name a few – rodents weren’t high on the list.

During the fall and winter of 2015-6, exceptionally warm water in the Pacific created a particularly strong El Niño which, for this part of the world, means below average rainfall.  Black-footed and Laysan albatrosses arrived from the northern Pacific Ocean around Halloween to begin their long breeding cycle.  Things were going along pretty much as usual when the team of bird counters arrived in mid-December to do their annual albatross census. Then, two days before Christmas, several of the bird counters reported finding five adult Laysan albatrosses with bloody wounds on their necks and heads.  The cause of the wounds was a mystery. Albatross sometimes engage in fights that leave them bloodied and occasionally a peregrine falcon or other avian predator finds its way to the atoll and these possibilities were considered. Fish and Wildlife Service staff investigated the situation through a variety of avenues. On January 5^th, motion-sensing cameras set up alongside nests captured images that many had a hard time believing. Photos clearly showed mice crawling onto the heads and backs of albatrosses while they were sitting on their nests disappearing under their feathers. When those birds were examined, it was revealed that the mice were chewing through the feathers and skin and then eating their victim’s flesh. Both Laysan and black-footed albatross were affected though the former made up the vast majority of the casualties.

Some of the birds succumbed to infection while others abandoned their nests. Video footage revealed that albatross appeared to be annoyed by the presence of the mice but did not seem to know how to respond to the attacks. Perhaps this is not that surprising as animals such as albatrosses that have evolved for millions of years in the absence of mammalian predators may behavioral adaptations that would allow them to defend themselves. It is for this same reason that the island avifauna here and in places like the Galapagos Islands show little or no fear of humans. Watching the videos is painful. You want the albatross to do something, turn its head around and snap the mouse in half with its powerful, sharp bill. Instead the bird is agitated and confused and the mouse returns again and again, seemingly bolder each time, slowing chipping away at the life of a magnificent bird that might otherwise have thrived for decades in some of the harshest environments that our planet offers. It just seems so wrong.

Mouse attacks on albatrosses were first observed on Midway Atoll in 2015 during the early part of the nesting season.  Upper left: A motion-sensing camera captures a mouse crawling on the head of an albtross  sitting on its nest;. Lower left: An obvious and severe mouse-inflicted wound. Right: Sometimes wounds can be hard to detect; in this case wet, ruffled feathers hide a bite on the bird’s right shoulder. Photos  on left courtesy of US Fish and Wildlife Service. Right photo by RV Taylor.

The world’s largest colony of Laysan Albatross was under attack the Fish and Wildlife Service worked diligently with wildlife experts from other agencies and organizations to formulate an appropriate response.  The plan eventually hatched (OK, I know that’s a blatant and not very clever pun but I thought you might need a little levity at this point) was to try to reduce the mouse population in the areas where the attacks were occurring using a combination of traps and rodenticide. The strategy appeared to work and mouse numbers declined in the treated areas and fewer new albatross casualties (birds bitten/injured, dead birds, and abandoned nests) were reported by the field surveyors. Would the mice attack the chicks once they hatched?  No one knew, so it was with great relief in late January when after checking hundreds of nests with newborn chicks that no evidence of mice predation was revealed. When all was said and done though, the impacts were significant: 480 albatross were injured, 57 abandoned their nests, and 52 died. In areas where albatross were seen attacking mice, nests failed at twice the normal rate.

Scientists were dumbfounded as nothing like this had ever been observed in any of the Pacific Islands. What had precipitated the sudden change in the relations between albatrosses and mice on Midway? Maybe the El Niño-caused drought had caused severe food limitations? Or maybe it was a consequence of successful efforts in reducing the invasive weed golden crownbeard, which produces abundant seeds? And most importantly of all, would the situation repeat itself the following winter? There were many questions but few answers.

It turns out, though, that there was some precedent for mice attacking albatrosses, but you had to go to the other side of the world to find it. Gough Island, in the South Atlantic Ocean, is a globally significant seabird colony and hosts the largest colony of Tristan albatross in the world.  During the nesting season of 2000/2001 a substantial portion of albatross chicks died of unknown causes.  Ross Wanless and colleagues from the University of Capetown and the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds set out to find the source of the nest failures. As islands go, Gough Island is unusual in never having had populations of rats, cats, goats, or sheep.  The only introduced mammal there is the house mouse but few believed that they might be the cause. How could a tiny mouse take down an albatross chick that weighs over 8 kg (17 lb)? Using a combination of field surveys and motion-sensing cameras they discovered the cause. Mice!  In this case, however, the rodents were not attacking the adult albatrosses but the chicks. Mice attacked Predation on chicks by mice reduced halved the breeding success rate of these albatross during that season. Subsequent monitoring of the Tristan albatross population on Gough Island painted an even bleaker picture as attacks of mice on albatross seemed to be increasing over time. A team led by Delia Davies from the University of Capetown conducted a follow up study during the 2013/2014 breeding season and found that only 5 of 20 chicks they monitored fledged and of the 15 failures, 14 were due to mice.

"All attacks happened at night and the initial attack was always by a single mouse, which repeatedly targeted the same site, usually on the chick’s rump, clinging to its down and biting until the skin was penetrated. When displaced by the irritated chick nuzzling its wound, or vigorously shaking its body, the mouse would return to the wound within seconds. Chicks were seldom attacked by more than 1-2 mice at a time, although one chick had up to 9 mice attacking at once (Table 1). The behavior of the mice suggested that this was a well-practiced technique, as they generally climbed directly onto the nest mound and the chick without hesitation (Davies et al. 2015)"

The situation on Midway remains unique. On Gough Island, mice never were observed attacking adult albatrosses, only chicks. And at Midway the reverse is true. Putting these two facts together probably makes everyone a little nervous as it suggests that the situation at both of these seabird colonies could probably substantially worse should mice at either location discover there might be yet another source of food.

Given that mice and albatross had seemingly coexisted for over half a century on Midway, no one was sure what the 2016/2017 nesting season would bring. After the albatrosses arrived in the fall and began nesting, we waited and watched anxiously, hoping that the events of the previous year would prove to be an anomaly. On December 4, while out checking birds in areas where mice had attacked the previous year, Fish and Wildlife Service biologist Meg Duhr-Schultz found several bitten birds, removing any possibility that the events of 2015/2016 were some kind of El Niño-driven anomaly. Staff and volunteers were deployed over the next few days to survey other parts of the island and more attacks were discovered. In less than a week the area impacted by mouse attacks had exceeded the total area affected during all of the previous year. And the fact that the mouse attacks were noticed several weeks earlier was of real concern.  Again, the Fish and Wildlife Service had to quickly figure out what to do and the decision was made to take steps to reduce the mice populations in the affected areas. The large area that had already been affected meant that staff and volunteers had to log a lot of extra hours and additional resources were sent from Honolulu. The bird counters pitched in too with some remaining an extra couple of weeks to assist with surveys and treatment. So far the actions that the Fish and Wildlife have taken seem to be having a positive effect. The abundance of mice in the impacted area dropped sharply in areas where rodenticide was applied.

My primary role has been information gathering and analysis, including mapping out the areas affected, and the design of treatments using geographic information systems. This latter part is critical as the rodenticide that is being needs to be broadcast by hand within a predefined grid and must be done in strict accordance with procedures.

Caption: A dead albatross found during the attacks of 2016/2017 next to an abandoned nest (Photo: RV Taylor).

As of today, 48 areas totaling 10.5 ha (26 acres) of mouse affected area has been mapped and over 1,200 bitten birds have been discovered, 211 of which have died. Nearly one thousand abandoned nests have been documented. Mice may also be having impacts on other seabirds here but it would be more difficult to detect, especially for the burrow-nesting species.  Sounds kind of depressing, huh?  It is, but at least we’re not just sitting back and letting it happen. And although the numbers may seem large they need to be put into context. This year, the bird counters tallied nearly a million breeding Laysan albatross across the atoll, so there are still hundreds of thousands of birds going about their business, more or less, as usual. Add to that all the non-breeders who liven up the atmosphere here nearly 24 hours a day with their crazy dancing and “singing” and a group of tight-knit community of good people who recognize how important it is to laugh in the face of adversity.

Map of areas where albatross have been attacked by mice on Sand Island, Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge as of 15 January 2017.Areas with green borders indicate areas where only abandoned nests found but no bitten or dead birds. Red triangles represent individual dead or bitten birds.

Another bright spot is that there are plans underway to address the underlying cause of the mouse problems here at Midway.  As the only atoll within the Papahānaumokuākea Marine National Monument that still harbors lingering populations of invasive rodents, there have been plans to eradicate mice from Midway Atoll for some time. The discovery that mice are harming the albatrosses should only strengthen the case for their removal and expedite the project’s implementation. First steps were, in fact, taken just last November when a team of biologists and invasive species experts from the Fish and Wildlife Service and the non-profit organization Island Conservation visited Midway begin a study of the project’s feasibility.  Although eradicating mice from a place as big and complicated as Midway is challenging, similar projects have been successfully completed on other, and in some cases even larger, islands. With the first-hand knowledge I’ve gained on how damaging mice can be to wildlife, I think it would be great to be able to play a role in the eradication effort here.  Who knows, maybe there will be an opportunity? What I am sure of is that after this experience I’ll never look at Mickey Mouse the same way again.

Further reading

Brown, JH, and EJ Heske. 1990. Control of a desert-grassland transition by a keystone rodent guild. Science 250:1705-1707.

Davies, D., B. J. Dilley, A. L. Bond, R. J. Cuthbert, and P. G. Ryan. 2015. Trends and tactics of mouse predation on Tristan Albatross Diomedea dabbenena chicks at Gough Island, South Atlantic Ocean. Avian Conservation and Ecology 10(1):5.

Fisher, HI and PH Baldwin. 1946. War and the birds of Midway Atoll. The Condor 48:3-15.

Hess, SC and J D Jacobi. 2011. The history of mammal eradications in Hawai ‘i and the United States associated islands of the central Pacific.  Pp. 67-73 in Veitch et al. Island invasives: eradication and management. IUCN, Gland, Switzerland.         

Kepler, CB. 1967. Polynesian rat predation on nesting Laysan Albatrosses and other Pacific seabirds. The Auk 84: 426-430.               

Rauzon, MJ. 2001. Isles of Refuge: Wildlife and history of the Northwestern Hawaiian Islands. University of Hawaii Press. Honolulu, HI.

Wanless, R. M., A. Angel, R. J. Cuthbert, G. M. Hilton, and P. G. Ryan. 2007. Can predation by invasive mice drive seabird extinctions? Biology Letters 3:241-244.

               

Savage Love (“Midway Style”)

After a couple of months of relative quiet, the albatrosses started arriving in the middle of October. The first sighting, a lone black-footed albatross in a field behind the “Fuel Farm” spotted by Chugach employee Suriya Hemphumee on October was met with much excitement, not just by the geeky biologists with the Fish and Wildlife Service, but also by other island residents. After going to check out the birds, I remember telling “Jack” (Phosri Kriengsak), one of the power plant operators, that the albatross were back and he replied with a big smile “Really???”. Most everyone I spoke to seemed to think the albatross were a little early this year.The first Laysan albatross arrived about a week later (typical, as black-footed albatross always constitute the vanguard); a single individual that appeared one sunny, breezy day near the old water tower. Slowly but steadily more birds arrived until eventually – over the course of a week or so – it seemed like there were birds nearly everywhere. 

Arrival of the albatross as illustrated by repeat photography in a field north of Charlie Barracks on Sand Island, Midway Atoll (one photo taken each day during the period of November 3-22, 2016).

This being my first time experiencing “albatross welcome week” I was not sure what to expect but will admit that I was not prepared for what I would witness. Postcards of snuggling albatross couples with captions touting their long lifespan and monogamous lifestyle had led me astray. Imagine if your only knowledge of organized crime was a Broadway production of West Side Story prior to finding yourself in the middle of gang shootout in Compton?

The first albatrosses appeared lonely, tired, and somewhat disoriented. Given that many of these birds had been out in the ocean for months and had travelled thousands of miles to get here, perhaps, that is to be expected. It didn’t take them long, though, to recoup their energy. As more birds arrived, disputes over spacing and territory quickly arose. Albatross don’t require a lot of space on their breeding grounds but do have preferences as to where to build their nests and do try to maintain a little space from neighbors (according to a study by Earl Meseth conducted on midway in the early 1960s, nests are always separated by at least 32 inches). As it is males that arrive first, it is among them that disputes over nesting locations seem most common. These can range from, in their mildest form, two birds sitting low and thrusting their bills out towards one another while holding their ground, to full-on brawls that occur when a bird “trespasses” into an area where others have already settled into their territories. As tensions escalate, one bird often locks down on the bill of the other and shake it violently, leaving one or both bloodied. It is also common for the aggressor in one of these encounters to wrap its neck around another bird and attempt to wrestle it to the ground. Fights are accompanied by loud screams that you would think signal mortal wounding, though, it seems, they rarely lead to serious injury.

Squabbles erupt among Laysan albatross as they attempt to claim potential nest sites. 

If the bro’ fights weren’t bad enough there is the raping. Is the, perhaps, anthropomorphic term “raping” really the right word? I don’t know, but honestly, I can’t think of a reasonable alternative. Although authoritative sources state that the “male rarely copulates with female other than his mate"² what one observes on the breeding grounds strongly suggests otherwise, unless there are a lot of single dudes out there. During the first few weeks, as females are returning to the atoll, they seem to be constantly harassed by males (you can tell the difference as males have larger bills relative to the size of their heads). When a female lands, it is instantly recognized by nearby males which begin chasing her and trying to climb on top of her. The female often senses danger and tries to escape with its wings held high but what often ensues are ridiculous pile-ups consisting of three or more males with a terrified female crushed underneath. Whether or not, given the anatomy of these birds the male attackers can actually affect insemination during these non-consensual encounters isn’t clear as males don’t have a penis but instead just an opening (a "cloaca" in technical jargon) very similar to that of the females. After watching albatross have sex several times it would seem to me that the female would have to cooperate for sperm to enter, however scientific studies that might shed light on this question, apparently, have yet to be conducted. Females typically try to defend themselves by biting the attacker but what often ends up saving them are the males themselves, as sexual assault devolves into a testosterone-fueled brawl among the aggressors giving the female the opportunity to escape.

A female Laysan albatross is forcibly mounted by two competing males.

As the sex-ratio on the atoll becomes more balanced things calm down a bit and more socially-acceptable (to humans, that is), oxytocin-inspired, pair-bond behaviors gradually supplant the testosterone frenzy. Once mates arrive, male birds spend more time cuddling with their long-departed lovers and less attacking their neighbors. Preening each other seems to be a very popular form of love amongst the paired birds with attention paid especially to the neck and head (makes sense since these are parts of the body that are not easily reached by an individual). Albatross also just have a way of assuming very cute postures. Consensual sex is also observed in all of its clumsy, web-footed seabird glory as males clamber atop willing females to get the essential business done. This is often followed by dancing and other courtship behaviors. During this early stage of the breeding season an amazingly rich collection of behaviors unfolds. In Meseth’s study of Laysan albatross he detailed at least 26 behavioral elements including the air snap, headshake and whine, head flick, rapid bill clapper, eh-eh bow, scapular action, sky moo, stare and whinny, bob-strut, bill touch, bow clapper, nest threat, bill thrust, charge, glare, victory cry, escape run, and mutual preen. Even though, after six months here at Midway, I have seen these things hundreds of times, I am still fascinated by them and in my reading about the history of Midway it seems that I am not unique in this regard. Beginning in 1904 when employees of the Pacific Commercial Cable Company came to Midway and continuing through the Navy years and into the present, watching the albatross has always been an important form of entertainment for island residents.

Albatross courtship and mating. Clockwise from upper left: A pair of Laysan albatross dance on the breeding grounds; mutual preening; a pair of black-footed albatross enjoy each other's company; Laysan albatross copulating (consensual).

Before you know it there are eggs! The first egg seen on the atoll this year was on November 9^th which just happened to be my birthday. Quite the gift! Before laying an egg the female builds a nest, often with the help of her mate. Some of the nests seem fairly minimal while others are are much more substantial and well-constructed. Nests are built using just the bill and have a foundation of sand or soil sometimes lined with dried leaves or grass. Excavation of material surrounding the nest often results in their being a kind of moat around it. I have only seen one bird actually lay and egg but it seemed like an arduous and uncomfortable. Not surprising since they are quite large, averaging 11 x 7 cm (4.2 x 2.7 inches) in size and constitute nearly 10% of the females body mass!

Laysan albatross female with brand new egg.

As I write this post the albatrosses seem to be incredibly busy. Fights are few as most birds are either courting and mating or have already settled onto their nests and begun the marathon that is reproduction for these species. If all goes well, male and female, in nearly equal turns, will incubate the egg for just over 2 months and then care for and feed their chick for about five months before it is big enough to fly off on its own. For some birds things already have not gone well. Heavy rain fell on the atoll this week which resulted in the inundation of some nests and more storms are sure to come. The waves that overwashed the atoll during the tsunami of March 10, 2011 killed an estimated 110,000 albatross chicks (Laysan and black-footed combined). Albatross will stick tight to their nests with the most incredible tenacity but if the egg is lost they have no choice but to put off breeding until the next year as they lack sufficient reserves to lay a second egg. Knowing that many of the nests will not succeed can be a bit saddening, but the energy and enthusiasm that albatross possess imbue the atoll with a feeling of vitality and inspiration.

Postscript

The title of this blog post was inspired by the refreshingly candid and honest newspaper column Savage Love by Dan Savage. If you have never read it, check it out!

References

1 - Meseth, E. H. (1975). The dance of the Laysan Albatross, Diomedea immutabilis. Behaviour 54(3): 217-257.

2 - Awkerman, Jill A., David J. Anderson and G. Causey Whittow. (2009). Laysan Albatross (Phoebastria immutabilis), The Birds of North America (P. G. Rodewald, Ed.). Ithaca: Cornell Lab of Ornithology; Retrieved from the Birds of North America: DOI: 10.2173/bna.66