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I found a graph on the Web that seems to depict how over and over again excitement for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker seems to grow and grow, only to always fall off in the end.
As I tried to warn early on, the submissions to the USFWS were largely, as is becoming routine, over-hyped/promoted/anticipated, and thus hard to tell how much impact they will ultimately have. But mixed in with the weak, ambiguous, and outright bonkers “evidence” was, to be sure, some intriguing data, and perhaps more will come before USFW makes any final decision early next year (…or, is it even conceivable that they could extend the comment period yet again!?; I doubt it). Methinks there's a bit of a David (‘true believers’) versus Goliath (most of the birding community) battle going on putting pressure on USFWS. One can both imagine them reviewing comments with belly laughs, but also imagine them being intrigued by specific elements. The public comment period I s’pose is intended in part to give the appearance of openness and transparency… and yet there’s a lot about the whole process that is not very open or transparent.
IBWO interest and enthusiasm seems to run in cycles that are almost getting predictable, and tiresome to experience. Even some of the recent Facebook activity and discussion is beginning to stall and implode on itself… and yet, experienced, knowledgeable observers still claim sightings in multiple states… and if just one of them is right, well, then the species exists. Personally, I guess I still like the probabilities of at least one of them being right versus all of them being looneybins! ;))
[p.s…. OK, the actual labels being used for the graph above (of human sexual response) that I’ve blocked out, read as follows: desire, excitement, plateau, orgasm, resolution] ;)
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