My name is Joel Rogers. I'm currently working on a book on Puget Sound
titled "Watertrail". In it I paddle 440 miles of Puget Sound and the San
Juans following the new Cascadia Marine Trail. The month-long trip was a
grand excuse to get to know our own marine back-yard. To coincide with the
narrative I am using sidebars to get specific about what I encounter:
Steamboat routes, Coast Salish settle ment patterns etc. One of these
sidebars is on a belted kingfisher. I have a lot of basic info including
the N.Am. Bird #84. What really intrigues me is their flying ability. I
know speed but is their any other bird to compare it to for through forest
flight? Any physiological attributes that aid in their prowess? Also
interested in salt-water based (Puget Sound Georgia Str. would be nice)
kingfisher home ranges: the size and shape of it, the length of coast
considered home. Any actual mapping done? Lastly I've been collecting
birder's written description of the kingfisher's territorial call. I'll
take any published description so long as it does not use the word and its
derivitives: "rattle" Thanks, joel at oz.net