Biologist Account: Heather:
"This was a sad trip. As soon as we pulled our kayaks on shore we could see the ant population had exploded. Everywhwere you looked ants swarmed. Every step you took sent hundreds scurrying. The population was at a record high and what a bad time for it - hatching week. This is when the chicks seem most vulnerable to ant attacks. They enter the eggs as they hatch, swarm the attending parents, and newly hatched chicks. We saw the carnage that resulted with dead or abandoned eggs and dead chicks throughout the islet. We found only one live adult and chick and they were in bad shape. The chick's eyes were swollen shut and it continued to shake in an effort to rid itself of ants. It looked weak from the effort. The adult showed the same behavior, but also appeared to be dazed. We left the islet with low spirits."