Tuesday, April 27, 2010
-- FWIW --
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I've been scanning over the various IBWO claims that people have sent me over the last 5 years, that haven't really been in the press/internet. A lot of them of course have little substantive detail, and the vast majority of those that do come from well-known, previously-rumored areas, the Apalachicola/Chipola, Big Thicket, Congaree/Santee, etc. But there are a tiny few leftover reports, that have just enough detail to be intriguing, and not enough detail to totally rule out, other than their unusual/unlikely locations in some cases. I'll just mention the general locales involved in case anyone should wish to look into the areas further; nothing to lose at this point (and most of these claims BTW, are not particularly recent, generally being from 5 to over 15 years ago):
a. southeast of Heflin, Alabama (Cleburne County, AL.)
b. north of Wright City, Missouri (Warren County, MO.)
c. near the Savannah River/Broad River Basin in either Elbert or Wilkes County, Georgia.
d. near the Deep River in Moore County, North Carolina, and similarly near Siler City and Deep River in Chatham County, N. Carolina.
I throw these out, for what it's worth, simply in the event that someone is near them and wants to explore the possibilities in a place that few may have spent much time looking, but I don't want to exaggerate what the likelihood is.
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5 comments:
Well, FWIW, I've been to Moore County a number of times over the past 20 years and haven't seen any IBWO. I don't think there are any historical records from the Sandhills, but hey, antyhing's possible.
I've been down on the Deep River in Chatham a number of times and I just can't see that as good habitat--Piedmon deciduous bottomland forest. I don't think there are any Baldcypress there, for instance.
I can walk to the northern part of Chatham County from my house. It is very inconsiderate of the IBWO not to fly up for a visit.
with the possible exception of the GA. locale I suspect none of these areas have much in the way of 'traditional' IBWO-rated habitat, but that was my point, that some oddball sightings come from areas which won't get taken too seriously.
Tanner even noted in his day that the habitat in S.C., Fla., and La. where the birds persisted, were all somewhat different (though all old growth), and others think that the IBWO original habitat of 400 yrs. ago was different still. In short, the species just might be more adaptable than credited.
(but, I may have opened a can of worms, since now I've already received a couple more claims/inquiries from areas that are hugely unlikely.)
Elbert and Wilkes counties in Georgia are in the Piedmont, not the Coastal Plain. The Savannah floodplain there was entirely inundated many decades ago by a large reservoir the current name of which I will not speak. You'll find loons and grebes there, not woodpeckers. The Broad River floodplain is narrow. There's no "traditional" Ivorybill habitat there.
Dear Bill : I have hunted / canoed / fished Hudson/tributaries that form the Broad River that runs into the " reservoir the current name of which I will not speak " and reservior issue we agree there.
"Traditional" habitat interesting. The Broad and its drainage to the reservoir have a flood plain and low areas like bogs and swamps for 50 to 100+++ yds from the river. Many areas of tree pocket land islands of 500+ acres where remote and people rarely go. Many tree areas with growth 70+ years with old pines / oaks and common to see old trees in various stages of dying or dead.
This area very healthy population of woodpeckers including PW. Counties such as Franklin-Elbert-Madison and others very lightly populated and even less populated close to this river corridor. Many canoe trips on Broad and see no one else.
I now carry a camera and aware if photo of IB done the non civil discord will start. Video is what is needed. Double taps and so call kent calls interesting are they not but agree mean little till we get photos. I believe IB exists and will be so call re-discovered. Never know do we.
My view. Regards to the board here.
cyberthrush, you forgot to mention Mars.
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