>Tweeters,
>
>I realize that this is a bit far-afield for most of us, but thought that
>Stuart MacKay would like a bit of news from "home".
>
>Jon. Anderson
>Olympia, WA
>anderjda at dfw.wa.gov
>
>---------- Forwarded message ----------
>******** Swinhoe's Storm-petrel breeding in the North Atlantic? *********
>My personal bias is that Swinhoe's Petrel must be breeding somewhere in the
>North Atlantic, presumably in small numbers. The reasons for this opinion
>are given below. Have I missed anything for or against?

I can't contribute anything to a discussion of this species, about which I
know little, but I can point out that there are a fair number of records of
vagrant tube-noses (Procellariiformes) in the "wrong" oceans. Buller's
Shearwater in the North Atlantic, several records of Greater Shearwater in
the North Pacific, and surprising numbers of Manx Shearwaters in the North
Pacific, yet absolutely no indication they breed anywhere but the North
Atlantic. They are common in the nonbreeding season way down south in the
land of penguins and must slip into the wrong ocean from time to time, then
make the "normal" flight northward in spring. Will a Manx Shearwater off
Grays Harbor ever get back to the Isle of Man? You got me.

We should get Terry Wahl on the net for things pelagic! But he's probably
too busy doing serious things to join in our frivolous chatter.;-)

Dennis Paulson, Director phone: (206) 756-3798
Slater Museum of Natural History fax: (206) 756-3352
University of Puget Sound e-mail: dpaulson at ups.edu
Tacoma, WA 98416