Ok, I just demoed a Sony HD 730s, and it had a cache card.
I want one of those!
The cache card continuously records while the camera is on. When you hit the record button, it lays down the previous seven seconds to tape. No more burning minutes of tape to get that eagle leaving the nest.

Canon- can we put a cache card in the next gen of XL?
All your wildlife groupies out there would love it!

That is a great idea. A high-speed SD card should do it! Just wanted to point out that you do have a pre-record buffer with the FireStore hard disk recorders... the HDV version of the FireStore FS-4 will be compatible with the XL H1.

I also would love to have a cache card, its a must for wildlife videography