On Fri, 12 Dec 1997, Dennis Paulson wrote:

> ... His slides show quite well a partially plucked YELLOW-BILLED CUCKOO,
> presumably just caught somewhere not too far from the nest.

Holy Moly (is that how you spell "Moly"?), what a fascinating anecdote.
I almost skipped it since the subject was something sort of ho hum like
"rare bird sighting". But, it was a Dennis Paulson message and it so
good to hear from Dennis.

I am fascinated by Yellow-billed Cuckoos, though I can't claim much knowledge
of them. I have read some journal notes (either Edson's or Brown's)
documenting the annual appearance of these birds in the Tacoma and
Bellingham areas from about 1904 to 1916. I believe the last pair
visited Brown's (or was it Edson's) back yard in the spring/summer of 1921.
Fascinating documentation of a species now virtually gone from many
areas of the Pacific Northwest. And who would have predicted a western
Washington reappearance as Peregrine Falcon food in downtown Seattle...
truly bizarre if you ask me.

I hope the slides of this bird become a permanent part of a photographic
voucher file at the Slater Museum of Natural History.

Kelly McAllister