Want to visit Midway Atoll?

Then examine the draft plan for a regularly scheduled, small-scale visitor program that would emphasize wildlife viewing, photography, environmental education and interpretation of the atoll’s historic and wildlife resources.

“We are very excited about the possibility of welcoming more visitors to Midway Atoll in the near future,” said Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge manager Barry Christenson. “As the only atoll currently open to the public, Midway serves as a ‘window’ to the new Northwestern Hawaiian Islands Marine National Monument.”

Counters mark Laysan Albatross nests.

Many birders find Midway of interest because it hosts the world’s largest populations of Laysan and Black-footed Albatrosses as well as breeding populations of White Terns, Black Noddies and Red-tailed Tropicbirds. More than 10 other seabird species nest on Midway, and more than 100 of the world’s rarest duck, Laysan Duck, live there.

The deadline for comments about the draft plan is Feb. 6, 2007.

Photo courtesy of U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service