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Visit one of America’s most amazing wildlife spectacles at this incredible remote wildlife refuge during the height of the seabird nesting season. Photograph Laysan and black-footed albatrosses, white terns, black noddy terns, red-tailed tropicbirds, red-footed boobies and great frigatebirds. Encounter endangered Hawaiian monk seals, spinner dolphins and green sea turtles. Reflect on one of the decisive battles fought in WWII. One of Joe Van Os’ Top 10 must-do nature photography trips in the world!
• Photography Trips to Midway |
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The timeline of Midway Atoll—from its formation as a volcano on the Hawaiian "hot spot" through the realization of its military importance as a strategic mid-Pacific outpost. Includes its discovery by Westerners, historic shipwrecks and early commercial interests.
• Pre-World War II History of Midway |
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Following the surrender of Japan in WWII, Midway's history was still heavily influenced by the US Navy. The atoll continued to play a major role through several military conflicts in the 20th century until its transfer from the Navy to the US Department of the Interior and the jurisdiction of the US Fish and Wildlife Service.
• Post-World War II History of Midway |
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Read trip reports of Midway photography tours from recent years. Discover what it is like to enjoy one of the world’s greatest wildlife photography destinations where tourism, on the entire atoll, is limited to 16 travelers at a time! Extensive photos are posted in each report.
• 2012 Midway Trip Report, by Joe Van Os
• 2011 Midway Trip Report, by Joe Van Os
• 2010 Midway Trip Report, by Wayne Lynch
• 2010 Midway Trip Report, by Joe Van Os
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Prepare for your Midway Atoll photo tour by exploring these maps—both current and historic. Study the current Visitor Access map and detailed schematic of Midway during the “Cold War” years. Satellite views from space provide insight into the atoll’s placement on the Hawaiian-Emperor seamount chain of volcanoes, and allow detailed views of Midway’s fringing coral reef and central lagoon and the atoll’s strategic isolation in the northcentral Pacific.
• Midway Maps
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Discover what Midway’s breeding seabird species are doing during the time of your visit. See the nesting locations of the various species on the accompanying distribution maps. Approximate population estimates are also included. These estimates vary from year to year due to storms and other weather conditions (including the 2011 tsunami), food availability, human modification to Midway habitat i.e. removal of introduced plants like casuarina trees, plastic ingestion mortality and other factors. Most species numbers estimates and distribution maps come from Midway Atoll National Wildlife Refuge Wildlife Assessment For Henderson Field Airport Operations, 2004 by John Klavitter USFWS.
• The Breeding Birds of Midway—A Seabird’s Year
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