The staff at Maine Coastal Islands National Wildlife Refuge Complex collected Avian Influenza samples from 457 seabirds during the 2008 nesting season.  Samples were collected on five islands from 109 terns, 7 puffins, 200 common eiders, 113 laughing gulls, and 28 black guillemots.  Due to the logistical constraints of working in a seabird colony and the remote location of many of the islands, Refuge staff found it very difficult to meet the sampling and shipping requirements established by the Health Laboratory. We have taken several steps to insure that sampling efforts are more successful in 2009.