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Many of us believe that the drone footage shared by Project Principalis awhile back (with USFWS) is the best recent evidence of an extant Ivory-billed Woodpecker to emerge recently. Chuck Hunter (one of the foremost experts on IBWOs, retired from USFWS) has now given his analysis of it on a Facebook group, and it is worth reading. It coincides closely with my own view of that footage. I'm less confident of some of his points (and he is appropriately cautious), but am in accord with the basic conclusion that the bird seems to be either an IBWO or some sort of leucistic PIWO — I expressed that view quite awhile back here on the blog, and also did so recently in private communication with another individual. Some will likely continue to try to argue the bird may be a Red-headed Woodpecker or possibly even a non-woodpecker species, all of which seem eliminated in my view.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/179784035376368/permalink/6088471191174260/
The post includes one of the enhanced/zoomed versions of the drone footage for viewing. Even in this form it is, as seems agonizingly always the case, difficult to feel completely certain about several details when so many variables are in play. Also, be sure to read Chuck's lengthy comment to his own post-comment -- it gets quite into the weeds of the old arguments that used to be more commonplace in this arena, and I would almost say have faded away since Bill Pulliam passed (like myself, Chuck gives Bill a lot of credit for earlier work done in this debate). He also mentions Louis Bevier who was a prestigious and active skeptic at the time, but who, for reasons I won't get into, left the whole debate and is unlikely to comment on any new evidence or information (not sure if he even follows it any longer).
...In other news, if you're not already aware of it, Matt Courtman holds another Monday evening Zoom meeting (free) this Monday at 8pm EST. He has also posted an update of his current search in the Tensas area. You can visit his Mission Ivorybill page for more details:
https://www.facebook.com/MissionIvorybill
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ADDENDUM 1/18/23
Handful of folks are dropping me notes/links lately about various matters that I’m already familiar with… most of which I won't spend time addressing, unless more precision, detail, consistency, credibility, accuracy, reliability, transparency, and rigor is added to the issues involved, and major problems relieved. Am glad to see Chuck Hunter weigh in elsewhere (maybe futilely ;) to add some sanity to a few of the matters (he has more patience than I do!). ...And I’ll simply add that people ought understand how eBird works/functions before making nonsensical/embarrassing submissions there. Shooting oneself in the foot is not usually a good look.
As we approach the time USFWS will make a determination I hope we don't enter an utter clownshow stage...
