-- Chatter?... Not Much --

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Chatter to my email box has dwindled to a pittance in the last month-or-so giving me doubt that there will be any substantial Ivory-bill news (meaning photo or video) forthcoming in the final weeks of this search season. Even a photo arising from Big Woods, Choctawhatchee, or South Carolina, at this point, could be a tad anti-climactic (...for some of us anyway), so much focus has been expended there. What would truly be exciting would be a photo coming out of a less publicized area of interest (southern Fla., Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee, Illinois, N. Carolina) --- not likely happening this go-around.
It may be worth noting again that other than sheer luck from an automatic camera unit (and BTW, the next release of data from the ACONE automatic camera system deployed in Arkansas is scheduled for May 1st), the only likely way of attaining a clear, indisputable IBWO photo is to locate an active nesthole, not a simple task. In fact, FWIW, I often think it perplexing that in 40+ years of on-and-off birding, and living in various parts of the country, I've never even come across a Crow's nest, despite the fact that Crows are among the most common, noisy, large, and ubiquitous birds in every area I've resided; and I've certainly stumbled upon the nests of many far smaller, scarcer songbirds along the way; the nestsites of large birds can be surprisingly elusive however, let alone cavity-dwellers.

If no conclusive photographic documentation is impending, then final summaries this season from Cornell, Auburn, S.C., Texas, USF&W, and Cornell's Mobile Team, will be more important than ever in determining next winter's far more limited exploration. There remains plenty of time and habitat to search; funding though, is yet another matter... In the meantime, intrepid, independent individuals continue their own efforts in various locales as time and practicality permits.
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Grabbed off the Web:

Need caffeine?... well, take a shower:

http://scienceblogs.com/retrospectacle/2007/04/get_your_morning_started_right.php


Got kids?... now you just know they want to dissect owl pellets:

http://www.kidwings.com/index.htm
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