On Fri, 12 Dec 1997, Michael Price wrote:
>
> So here's a two-cent's-worth series of interlocking speculations to account
> for this stuff: a) that Sabine's Gull are when migrating overland sometimes
> to often nocturnal migrants (apparently they're fairly closely related to
> Swallow-tailed Gulls Larus furcatus, which *are* nocturnal); b) both cuckoos
> are--no speculation here, we know--also nocturnal migrants as well as being
> fairly lousy fliers and c) that when it suits them, Peregrines are
> (partially) nocturnal hunters on those passing nocturnal migrants that would
> normally overfly otherwise.

The cuckoo in question was reportedly photographed in June, which seems a
tad late to be migrating (but with all due consideration to Michael
Price's frequent reminders that "late" is relative; I have no idea when
YBCs migrate). But, heavens, to where would it be migrating? The
Seattle-Vancouver area is a ways north of remaining known breeding
populations west of the Rockies. (Occassional breeders in eastern Oregon,
maybe still breeding along the Columbia west of the Cascades?)

Personally, I prefer to believe in some hidden cuckoo enclave in
Washington known only to 'grines. So you attach a miniature camcorder and
GPS unit to Stewart, plus a little jet pack to give him boost with all
that hardware....

Or, perhaps a more feasible plan would be a video camera aimed at the Beacon
Rock peregrine nest, where cuckoos seem more likely to turn up as prey.

Kelly Cassidy -- Washington Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit
Box 357980, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, 98195
kelly at u.washington.edu --- 206-685-4195 --- 206-368-8076