Devorah makes some good points. Craig's List Lost and Found columns should be checked periodically for several weeks to see if a post shows up for a missing mockingbird. I will take that on. I also checked the Port of Seattle web site and vesseltracker.com this morning to see if it is possible to know what ships have arrived lately from South American waters. I could not figure out how to get historical data, if they are even available. Looking to the future can offer some idea of the past. The Port's web site shows at least 20 ships leaving South America between July 1-5 with arrivals in Seattle between mid-August and early October. It suggests fairly regular freighter traffic between South America and Puget Sound. So a ship-assist arrival can not be ruled out at this time.

It would be great if someone in Seattle would check with Woodland Park Zoo as to whether Long-tailed Mockingbird is in its collection and then if one is missing. Could someone in Tacoma check with Point Defiance and report back in a Tweeters post?

I believe that the likelihood is that the Magnuson Park bird is an escape, but wouldn't we all feel better about reaching that conclusion by investigating all possibilities we can think of? I'll continue to monitor Craig's List. Thanks to others willing to check with both zoos.

Carol Riddell
Edmonds, Wa