--------------------------
Planning your next IBWO search?: here's a link to a nice range map from Birder's World Magazine listing 21 of the most notable Ivorybill sightings since 1944 (out of 100's of reports that have been made over that time -- there have, for example, been many more rumors of IBWOs in Texas, South Carolina, and Louisiana than herein indicated). Map does illustrate how IBWO sightings have been distributed across a large chunk of the species' old range, and certainly not confined to any one state or area.
--------------------------
Wednesday, August 17, 2005
-- Symposium Planned --
-------------------------------
There will be a symposium on the "Ecology of Large Woodpeckers" (focusing on guess-who) at the Convention Center in Brinkley, AR., Oct. 31 - Nov. 3. ($100 registration fee includes lunches, banquet, and field trip). If interested, download brochure from:
http://nature.org/ivorybill/files/ibw_brochure.pdf
or, call the Brinkley Chamber of Commerce for further info, ph. 870-734-2262.
-------------------------------
There will be a symposium on the "Ecology of Large Woodpeckers" (focusing on guess-who) at the Convention Center in Brinkley, AR., Oct. 31 - Nov. 3. ($100 registration fee includes lunches, banquet, and field trip). If interested, download brochure from:
http://nature.org/ivorybill/files/ibw_brochure.pdf
or, call the Brinkley Chamber of Commerce for further info, ph. 870-734-2262.
-------------------------------
Tuesday, August 16, 2005
-- Wha-a-at Are Blue Jays Thinkin' ? --
--------------------------------
One of the intriguing mystery tidbits of the IBWO literature is the fact that Blue Jays on rare occasions do a spot-on imitation of the Ivory-bill 'kent' or 'henk' call. Blue Jays of course are known as excellent MIMICS, so the obvious question is, "what THE HEY are they mimicking!?" Some believe it is a matter of pure coincidence -- Blue Jays make a great variety of sounds and by sheer chance one of those sounds ends up being the same as the IBWO call (...how realistic is that?). Another explanation is that Blue Jays did indeed learn to make the call centuries ago in the presence of IBWOs and simply continue to pass it along across the generations (although with less frequency), despite no longer hearing it or being reinforced for making it (again, how realistic is THAAAT??). The fact that even Blue Jays residing in regions where IBWOs NEVER EVER existed, have been heard to make the call on occasion indicates to many that this behavior is pure coincidence or otherwise meaningless. Yet the very rarity with which the sound is made (...I've only heard it once in my life) is itself an intriguing piece of data, especially given that so much of their repertoire is repeated frequently.
Just one more thing to think... or wonder, about. . . . .
---------------------------------
One of the intriguing mystery tidbits of the IBWO literature is the fact that Blue Jays on rare occasions do a spot-on imitation of the Ivory-bill 'kent' or 'henk' call. Blue Jays of course are known as excellent MIMICS, so the obvious question is, "what THE HEY are they mimicking!?" Some believe it is a matter of pure coincidence -- Blue Jays make a great variety of sounds and by sheer chance one of those sounds ends up being the same as the IBWO call (...how realistic is that?). Another explanation is that Blue Jays did indeed learn to make the call centuries ago in the presence of IBWOs and simply continue to pass it along across the generations (although with less frequency), despite no longer hearing it or being reinforced for making it (again, how realistic is THAAAT??). The fact that even Blue Jays residing in regions where IBWOs NEVER EVER existed, have been heard to make the call on occasion indicates to many that this behavior is pure coincidence or otherwise meaningless. Yet the very rarity with which the sound is made (...I've only heard it once in my life) is itself an intriguing piece of data, especially given that so much of their repertoire is repeated frequently.
Just one more thing to think... or wonder, about. . . . .
---------------------------------
Monday, August 15, 2005
-- IBWO Conservation Stamp --
------------------------------------
If you wish to donate money toward the Ivory-bill research effort, AND... get something in return, Ivory-bill conservation stamps (artwork by Larry Chandler) are on sale at:
http://www.ivory-bill-woodpecker.com
Other items, t-shirts, ballcaps, prints, books, are also available there.
------------------------------------
If you wish to donate money toward the Ivory-bill research effort, AND... get something in return, Ivory-bill conservation stamps (artwork by Larry Chandler) are on sale at:
http://www.ivory-bill-woodpecker.com
Other items, t-shirts, ballcaps, prints, books, are also available there.
------------------------------------
Sunday, August 14, 2005
- Location, Location... another 'outside-the-box' thought --
---------------------------------------------------------------
'Deep swamp, bottomland hardwood forest' -- this is the description most folks, including experts, voice for ideal Ivory-bill habitat; the sort of place we've long been told to search for the species.
Yet, in the late 80's after locating the species in Cuba in UPLAND PINE FOREST, Les Short (a premier Ivory-bill expert), concluded that the NATURAL HABITAT for Ivory-bills was indeed PINES (as the bird had ALWAYS inhabited in Cuba and so too it's close cousin, the Imperial Woodpecker, inhabited in Mexico). Short hypothesized that centuries ago in N. America the Ivory-bill would have been found routinely in pine forest, and only after early white settlers decimated the pines did the species move to the bottomland swamp hardwoods with which it is now associated (and where it competes more directly with Pileateds), but this was never it's ideal.
One can't help but wonder if by now there might be some 2nd or 3rd growth pine expanses adequate to attract a few IBWO individuals if Short was right about their innate preference. Yet any birder who wandered out of pines in the last 5 decades and informed local 'experts' that he/she had just seen an Ivory-billed Woodpecker would've been summarily dismissed as crazed and un-credible.
In short, searching out only bottomland hardwood forest for remnants of this species may prove overly-limiting. That this bird needs large tree tracts and remoteness from humans seems clear, but beyond that I'm not convinced it is nearly as 'specialized' as the standard literature would have one believe. Ju-u-u-ust possibly, there is much MORE habitat out there in need of searching than even most wide-eyed optimists imagine!... The only thing certain about the Ivory-bill, is that we are still largely ignorant of its ways, and especially of exactly what the heck it's been up to for lo the last 60 years!! (Tim Barksdale, a search team member, makes some of these same points and more in an interesting, old, May post at another blog.)
----------------------------------------------------------
'Deep swamp, bottomland hardwood forest' -- this is the description most folks, including experts, voice for ideal Ivory-bill habitat; the sort of place we've long been told to search for the species.
Yet, in the late 80's after locating the species in Cuba in UPLAND PINE FOREST, Les Short (a premier Ivory-bill expert), concluded that the NATURAL HABITAT for Ivory-bills was indeed PINES (as the bird had ALWAYS inhabited in Cuba and so too it's close cousin, the Imperial Woodpecker, inhabited in Mexico). Short hypothesized that centuries ago in N. America the Ivory-bill would have been found routinely in pine forest, and only after early white settlers decimated the pines did the species move to the bottomland swamp hardwoods with which it is now associated (and where it competes more directly with Pileateds), but this was never it's ideal.
One can't help but wonder if by now there might be some 2nd or 3rd growth pine expanses adequate to attract a few IBWO individuals if Short was right about their innate preference. Yet any birder who wandered out of pines in the last 5 decades and informed local 'experts' that he/she had just seen an Ivory-billed Woodpecker would've been summarily dismissed as crazed and un-credible.
In short, searching out only bottomland hardwood forest for remnants of this species may prove overly-limiting. That this bird needs large tree tracts and remoteness from humans seems clear, but beyond that I'm not convinced it is nearly as 'specialized' as the standard literature would have one believe. Ju-u-u-ust possibly, there is much MORE habitat out there in need of searching than even most wide-eyed optimists imagine!... The only thing certain about the Ivory-bill, is that we are still largely ignorant of its ways, and especially of exactly what the heck it's been up to for lo the last 60 years!! (Tim Barksdale, a search team member, makes some of these same points and more in an interesting, old, May post at another blog.)
----------------------------------------------------------
Friday, August 12, 2005
-- Book Reviews --
-------------------------------------------------
A few folks have inquired about book recommendations on the Ivory-bill. So here's 1-man's opinion:
There are at least 4 readily available volumes on the IBWO out right now: Jerome Jackson's "In Search of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker," Tim Gallagher's "The Grail Bird...," Phillip Hoose's "The Race to Save the Lord God Bird," and Dover's re-publication of James Tanner's 1942 dissertation "The Ivory-billed Woodpecker." I LIKE them ALL!
If I could only own one volume though, it would be Jackson's. In spite of his recently-expressed skepticism toward the Arkansas evidence, no high level academic has more persistently and convincingly voiced the arguments for the Ivory-bill's continued presence over the decades than Dr. Jackson. Indeed, he alone is responsible for keeping the bird off the Government's official extinct-species list. His book is the most comprehensive and complete in many ways... BUT DOES NOT include the most recent Arkansas findings. And the writing style may be too dry and academic for many tastes.
Phillip Hoose's volume is a more engaging, fun read than Jackson's; not as complete but still with much wonderful information, sidebars, and pictures. Again, it came out prior to the latest Arkansas news. I suspect both Jackson's and Hoose's volumes will be re-issued at some point with an additional chapter to cover the most recent events.
If you want to hear about the Arkansas findings, than Tim Gallagher's book is your only choice; it is a quick, adventurous read, not as historically comprehensive as Jackson and Hoose, but decent, if less objective, in it's coverage, and probably somewhat rushed into print.
Finally, even 60 years after it's original writing, I think James Tanner's dissertation work is one of the best pieces of natural history research and writing ever!... BUT it is what it is... a study of a handful of Ivory-bills at a given place in a given time, not a truly comprehensive exploration of the species across time and place (though he did travel across the South trying to gather information as possible). I always enjoy the tentative, hesitant, qualified manner in which Tanner's thesis is composed, with true grad-student humility. It was only years later, as he became the focus of so much adulation and attention, that the statements of he and his fellow Singer Tract sighters took on a more absolutist ring, and an almost obstructionist tone toward other searchers.
In short, if you want to learn the most, and even contemplate searching for the Ivory-bill yourself, get Jackson's book. If you want a good, inspiring home-read, still with solid historical info, get Hoose's. If you're primarily just interested in the most recent events pick up Gallagher's. And if you don't mind dissertation-style writing and want to see where today's hubbub over the IBWO really originates from, read Tanner.
Christopher Cokinos also included a fine chapter on the IBWO in his book of some years ago, "Hope Is the Thing With Feathers." And almost certainly there will be additional excellent volumes out in the next year or two on this bird. Julie Zickefoose has written wonderful articles in the past on the Ivory-bill and were she by any chance to do a book-length volume (I have no inside information) on the bird I would recommend it sight-unseen.
-----------------------------------------------------
A few folks have inquired about book recommendations on the Ivory-bill. So here's 1-man's opinion:
There are at least 4 readily available volumes on the IBWO out right now: Jerome Jackson's "In Search of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker," Tim Gallagher's "The Grail Bird...," Phillip Hoose's "The Race to Save the Lord God Bird," and Dover's re-publication of James Tanner's 1942 dissertation "The Ivory-billed Woodpecker." I LIKE them ALL!
If I could only own one volume though, it would be Jackson's. In spite of his recently-expressed skepticism toward the Arkansas evidence, no high level academic has more persistently and convincingly voiced the arguments for the Ivory-bill's continued presence over the decades than Dr. Jackson. Indeed, he alone is responsible for keeping the bird off the Government's official extinct-species list. His book is the most comprehensive and complete in many ways... BUT DOES NOT include the most recent Arkansas findings. And the writing style may be too dry and academic for many tastes.
Phillip Hoose's volume is a more engaging, fun read than Jackson's; not as complete but still with much wonderful information, sidebars, and pictures. Again, it came out prior to the latest Arkansas news. I suspect both Jackson's and Hoose's volumes will be re-issued at some point with an additional chapter to cover the most recent events.
If you want to hear about the Arkansas findings, than Tim Gallagher's book is your only choice; it is a quick, adventurous read, not as historically comprehensive as Jackson and Hoose, but decent, if less objective, in it's coverage, and probably somewhat rushed into print.
Finally, even 60 years after it's original writing, I think James Tanner's dissertation work is one of the best pieces of natural history research and writing ever!... BUT it is what it is... a study of a handful of Ivory-bills at a given place in a given time, not a truly comprehensive exploration of the species across time and place (though he did travel across the South trying to gather information as possible). I always enjoy the tentative, hesitant, qualified manner in which Tanner's thesis is composed, with true grad-student humility. It was only years later, as he became the focus of so much adulation and attention, that the statements of he and his fellow Singer Tract sighters took on a more absolutist ring, and an almost obstructionist tone toward other searchers.
In short, if you want to learn the most, and even contemplate searching for the Ivory-bill yourself, get Jackson's book. If you want a good, inspiring home-read, still with solid historical info, get Hoose's. If you're primarily just interested in the most recent events pick up Gallagher's. And if you don't mind dissertation-style writing and want to see where today's hubbub over the IBWO really originates from, read Tanner.
Christopher Cokinos also included a fine chapter on the IBWO in his book of some years ago, "Hope Is the Thing With Feathers." And almost certainly there will be additional excellent volumes out in the next year or two on this bird. Julie Zickefoose has written wonderful articles in the past on the Ivory-bill and were she by any chance to do a book-length volume (I have no inside information) on the bird I would recommend it sight-unseen.
-----------------------------------------------------
Thursday, August 11, 2005
-- Lull In Search Activity --
-----------------------------------------------------
In case you're wondering why there isn't more active IBWO searching going on right now in the Arkansas Big Woods area (...it will recommence in the winter) consider John James Audubon's picturesque description of Ivory-bill country during the hot, steamy months from almost two centuries past:
"I wish, kind reader, it were in my power to present to your mind’s eye the favourite resort of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Would I could describe the extent of those deep morasses, overshadowed by millions of gigantic dark cypresses, spreading their sturdy moss-covered branchses, as if to admonish intruding man to pause and reflect on the many difficulties which he must encounter, should he persist in venturing farther into their almost inaccessible recesses, extending for miles before him, where he should be interrupted by huge projecting branches, here and there the mossy trunk of a fallen and decaying tree, and thousands of creeping and twining plants of numberless species! Would that I could represent to you the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy, and miry disposition, although covered with a beautiful but treacheous carpeting, composed of the richest mosses, flags, and water lilies, no sooner receiving the pressure of the foot than it yields and endangers the very life of the adventurer, whilst here and there, as he approaches an opening, that proves merely a lake of black muddy water, his ear is assailed by the dismal croaking of innumerable frogs, the hissing of serpents, or the bellowing of alligators! Would that I could give you an idea of the sultry pestiferous atmosphere that nearly suffocates the intruder during the meridian heat of our dogdays, in those gloomy and horrible swamps! But the attempt to picture these scenes would be in vain. Nothing short of ocular demonstration can impress any adequate idea of them."
....'nuf said!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
In case you're wondering why there isn't more active IBWO searching going on right now in the Arkansas Big Woods area (...it will recommence in the winter) consider John James Audubon's picturesque description of Ivory-bill country during the hot, steamy months from almost two centuries past:
"I wish, kind reader, it were in my power to present to your mind’s eye the favourite resort of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. Would I could describe the extent of those deep morasses, overshadowed by millions of gigantic dark cypresses, spreading their sturdy moss-covered branchses, as if to admonish intruding man to pause and reflect on the many difficulties which he must encounter, should he persist in venturing farther into their almost inaccessible recesses, extending for miles before him, where he should be interrupted by huge projecting branches, here and there the mossy trunk of a fallen and decaying tree, and thousands of creeping and twining plants of numberless species! Would that I could represent to you the dangerous nature of the ground, its oozing, spongy, and miry disposition, although covered with a beautiful but treacheous carpeting, composed of the richest mosses, flags, and water lilies, no sooner receiving the pressure of the foot than it yields and endangers the very life of the adventurer, whilst here and there, as he approaches an opening, that proves merely a lake of black muddy water, his ear is assailed by the dismal croaking of innumerable frogs, the hissing of serpents, or the bellowing of alligators! Would that I could give you an idea of the sultry pestiferous atmosphere that nearly suffocates the intruder during the meridian heat of our dogdays, in those gloomy and horrible swamps! But the attempt to picture these scenes would be in vain. Nothing short of ocular demonstration can impress any adequate idea of them."
....'nuf said!!
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Wednesday, August 10, 2005
-- Sibley IBWO Page Available --
-----------------------------------------
Not certain if David Sibley is yet fully convinced of the authenticity of the Arkansas sightings, but fans of his books/artwork, can download an Ivory-bill field guide page from the web (pdf form) for insertion in their guides as desired.
----------------------------------------
Not certain if David Sibley is yet fully convinced of the authenticity of the Arkansas sightings, but fans of his books/artwork, can download an Ivory-bill field guide page from the web (pdf form) for insertion in their guides as desired.
----------------------------------------
Tuesday, August 09, 2005
- The Ivory-bill Range...how far north??? -
--------------------------------------------------------------
Discovering Ivory-bills in Arkansas, at the north end of it's one-time range is especially exciting because of implications for other search areas to consider. Most Ivory-bill optimists expected the species to be found, if at all, near the southern end of its former range, somewhere closer to the Gulf Coast; but of course there was no good way to predict which direction birds might head having 60 years to wander (and adapt) in pursuit of adequate habitat, food, and protection. Given an Arkansas population, southern Missouri, southern Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia, are no longer out of the question for searches. Even southern Ohio has had previous hints of possible IBWOs, and more recently Steve Sheridan recounted a story of 70's sightings in southern Indiana. (Indeed, looking in remote places NOT-previously searched, in states not seriously considered before, just may make sense in the end.)
The official IBWO recovery team is planning organized IBWO searches through the southern tier of states this winter, and certainly with limited manpower they should focus on the highest probability areas first. But hopefully, able folks in other, less probable yet still possible, states will take the initiative to explore their own hinterlands as well. Who knows... the next Gene Sparling just might emerge from a state or area few would've predicted!
------------------------------------------------------------
Discovering Ivory-bills in Arkansas, at the north end of it's one-time range is especially exciting because of implications for other search areas to consider. Most Ivory-bill optimists expected the species to be found, if at all, near the southern end of its former range, somewhere closer to the Gulf Coast; but of course there was no good way to predict which direction birds might head having 60 years to wander (and adapt) in pursuit of adequate habitat, food, and protection. Given an Arkansas population, southern Missouri, southern Illinois, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Virginia, are no longer out of the question for searches. Even southern Ohio has had previous hints of possible IBWOs, and more recently Steve Sheridan recounted a story of 70's sightings in southern Indiana. (Indeed, looking in remote places NOT-previously searched, in states not seriously considered before, just may make sense in the end.)
The official IBWO recovery team is planning organized IBWO searches through the southern tier of states this winter, and certainly with limited manpower they should focus on the highest probability areas first. But hopefully, able folks in other, less probable yet still possible, states will take the initiative to explore their own hinterlands as well. Who knows... the next Gene Sparling just might emerge from a state or area few would've predicted!
------------------------------------------------------------
Monday, August 08, 2005
- Science: Good, Bad, and Ivory-bill - an essay (...rant)
-------------------------------------------------------------
In the midst of a paper critical of the Arkansas Ivory-bill claims first being much ballyhooed and then suddenly withdrawn just prior to actual publication, there has been much discussion across the internet about good and poor science. The question I have is...: WHERE THE HECK was all THIS discussion for the last 50 years when academics and writers were blindly regurgitating limited info/data to prematurely proclaim the species extinct!? When James Tanner's very tentative conclusions and small sample-size-based generalizations were hardened into standard truths in the IBWO literature where then were the keenly-honed scientific minds who should've been questioning, not following lockstep, those conclusions???
Quite simply, there has never been a solid basis for assuming this species extinct (an extremely serious step), yet few academic ornithologists have been willing to say it out loud, cowed into silence by a naysaying, shortsighted majority. Field biology, by its nature, is a weak, imprecise science, but the rush to judgment on the Ivory-bill, and treatment of the likes of optimists John Dennis and George Lowery over the years (not to mention lesser figures), has been especially egregious and consequential.
Should whatever remaining IBWOs be found and well-studied, only to then die out forever, the blame for extinction will suddenly fall not just with the loggers and hunters/collectors of yesteryear, but with some of the most prominent names in modern ornithology, who 'fiddled while Rome burned' through prior decades, routinely scoffing when they could've/should've been pursuing thorough, open-minded scientific inquiry to find and save this species.
Oyyy veyyy!!!
------------------------------------------------------------------
Sunday, August 07, 2005
- Killing Trees at Big Woods??? -
------------------------------------------------------
Last week as part of the IBWO recovery effort team members began killing selected trees in Arkansas' Big Woods area by 'girdling', as well as with herbicide use, in hopes of creating more food (wood boring beetles that only utilize old dead trees) for any IBWOs present. Of course any remaining Ivory-bills have made it this far without any artificial human intervention, and one must wonder whether such intrusive (and no doubt noisy) human activity might be more deleterious (in 'spooking' the birds) than helpful. Hopefully, this is a venture that may help and won't harm but... I wonder???
------------------------------------------------------
Last week as part of the IBWO recovery effort team members began killing selected trees in Arkansas' Big Woods area by 'girdling', as well as with herbicide use, in hopes of creating more food (wood boring beetles that only utilize old dead trees) for any IBWOs present. Of course any remaining Ivory-bills have made it this far without any artificial human intervention, and one must wonder whether such intrusive (and no doubt noisy) human activity might be more deleterious (in 'spooking' the birds) than helpful. Hopefully, this is a venture that may help and won't harm but... I wonder???
------------------------------------------------------
Saturday, August 06, 2005
-- The Acoustic Evidence --
-------------------------------------------
The latest acoustic evidence (not yet available to the public) of Ivory-bill presence in AR. is creating it's own discordance, since it convinced critics to withdraw a planned skeptical article from publication, and establish their own belief in the presence of at least two birds. This will all likely be sorted out by the time of the AOU meeting at month's end, but for now:
1) Some are saying the recorded sounds are NOT necessarily in fact IBWOs; 2) others contend they are IBWO sounds, but not necessarily multiple birds. 3) Others believe clearly two separate birds are involved, and finally 4) some emphasize that the calls in question were recorded at the White River Refuge, SOUTH of the Cache River Refuge where the initial individual was spotted, implying the presence of at least THREE separate IBWOs for now. I'll opt for the latter conclusion, with likely more to come in time!
....In the words of Jerome Jackson (...and the writers of "The X Files"), "the truth is out there."
-------------------------------------------
The latest acoustic evidence (not yet available to the public) of Ivory-bill presence in AR. is creating it's own discordance, since it convinced critics to withdraw a planned skeptical article from publication, and establish their own belief in the presence of at least two birds. This will all likely be sorted out by the time of the AOU meeting at month's end, but for now:
1) Some are saying the recorded sounds are NOT necessarily in fact IBWOs; 2) others contend they are IBWO sounds, but not necessarily multiple birds. 3) Others believe clearly two separate birds are involved, and finally 4) some emphasize that the calls in question were recorded at the White River Refuge, SOUTH of the Cache River Refuge where the initial individual was spotted, implying the presence of at least THREE separate IBWOs for now. I'll opt for the latter conclusion, with likely more to come in time!
....In the words of Jerome Jackson (...and the writers of "The X Files"), "the truth is out there."
-------------------------------------------
-- David Luneau's DVD --
-----------------------------------------------------
Early 'reviews' I've seen of David Luneau's DVD of his Arkansas IBWO video clip have been very positive; includes an enhanced version of the original film clip with slow motion and zoomed-in versions; emphasis on specific revealing frames as well as comparative re-enactments using IBWO and Pileated models. All done in a 9-minute loop format. $20.
At same site (www.ibwo.org), Terri Luneau's (David's wife) children's book, "Big Woods Bird" is also available ($9) if you have young ones in the house (...and hey, we're ALL young-at-heart!). Book is also available through Amazon.com.
...Hope this post doesn't seem overly-commercial -- I have no financial tie to the aforementioned items, just think they should be of interest to many of you out there (and I have no fear of David and Terri quickly retiring to live a Carribean life of luxury off their revenue! ...indeed, it probably won't even cover David's IBWO search expenses over the years!!)
----------------------------------------------------
Early 'reviews' I've seen of David Luneau's DVD of his Arkansas IBWO video clip have been very positive; includes an enhanced version of the original film clip with slow motion and zoomed-in versions; emphasis on specific revealing frames as well as comparative re-enactments using IBWO and Pileated models. All done in a 9-minute loop format. $20.
At same site (www.ibwo.org), Terri Luneau's (David's wife) children's book, "Big Woods Bird" is also available ($9) if you have young ones in the house (...and hey, we're ALL young-at-heart!). Book is also available through Amazon.com.
...Hope this post doesn't seem overly-commercial -- I have no financial tie to the aforementioned items, just think they should be of interest to many of you out there (and I have no fear of David and Terri quickly retiring to live a Carribean life of luxury off their revenue! ...indeed, it probably won't even cover David's IBWO search expenses over the years!!)
----------------------------------------------------
Thursday, August 04, 2005
Interlude #1 ...a bedtime story : - )
-------------------------------------------------
Once upon a time, long ago, there was a 2-foot tall, colorful, flightless bird species called the Takahe that lived only on the island of New Zealand (smaller than the state of Texas). Sadly, their ground-dwelling habitat was destroyed and they were hunted and preyed upon. From 1800 to 1900 only 4 were ever seen, and soon they were no more. By the 1930's Takahes were clearly extinct (...or SO-O-O-O people THOUGHT). Then in 1948, a few individuals were discovered living out their lives in remote mountain valleys. And upon closer scrutiny about 250 Takahes were located in those mountains! Initially, the numbers dropped significantly until adequate conservation measures were finally put in place. Now the population is once again past 250 and growing.
....Sleep well.
(And for your next assignment, look up the story of the Coelecanthe...)
--------------------------------------------------
Once upon a time, long ago, there was a 2-foot tall, colorful, flightless bird species called the Takahe that lived only on the island of New Zealand (smaller than the state of Texas). Sadly, their ground-dwelling habitat was destroyed and they were hunted and preyed upon. From 1800 to 1900 only 4 were ever seen, and soon they were no more. By the 1930's Takahes were clearly extinct (...or SO-O-O-O people THOUGHT). Then in 1948, a few individuals were discovered living out their lives in remote mountain valleys. And upon closer scrutiny about 250 Takahes were located in those mountains! Initially, the numbers dropped significantly until adequate conservation measures were finally put in place. Now the population is once again past 250 and growing.
....Sleep well.
(And for your next assignment, look up the story of the Coelecanthe...)
--------------------------------------------------
Tuesday, August 02, 2005
....and still the plot thickens
--------------------------------------------------------
Even as the recent skeptics are swinging to the 'believer' side, no less than David Luneau (Arkansas searcher who took the controversial brief IBWO video clip) posted the following cautionary note to the AR. bird listserv today:
-- "The sound recordings that have been referred to in recent news reports are still being analyzed. It is premature to assume that they are recordings of IBWOs as reported in the press, as that conclusion has not been reached by everyone involved.
There will be a presentation on the results (to date) of the acoustic data given by Russ Charif of Cornell at the AOU meeting in late August.
As of now, none of the recordings are available to the public." --
This does seem oddly at variance with both the reported statements of certain Cornell-associated individuals as well as the expressed certitude of former skeptics R. Prum and M. Collins... but David usually knows whereof he speaks!
-----------------------------------------------------
Even as the recent skeptics are swinging to the 'believer' side, no less than David Luneau (Arkansas searcher who took the controversial brief IBWO video clip) posted the following cautionary note to the AR. bird listserv today:
-- "The sound recordings that have been referred to in recent news reports are still being analyzed. It is premature to assume that they are recordings of IBWOs as reported in the press, as that conclusion has not been reached by everyone involved.
There will be a presentation on the results (to date) of the acoustic data given by Russ Charif of Cornell at the AOU meeting in late August.
As of now, none of the recordings are available to the public." --
This does seem oddly at variance with both the reported statements of certain Cornell-associated individuals as well as the expressed certitude of former skeptics R. Prum and M. Collins... but David usually knows whereof he speaks!
-----------------------------------------------------
-- More details on retraction --
---------------------------------------------
Once again "bootstrap analysis" weblog has nice additional details on IBWO critics' change-of-view, if you are unable to get to NY Times story of same day (may require free registration?):
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/science/earth/01cnd-bird.html?hp&ex=
1122955200&en=a8794456c9d77392&ei=5094&partner=homepage
--------------------------------------------
Once again "bootstrap analysis" weblog has nice additional details on IBWO critics' change-of-view, if you are unable to get to NY Times story of same day (may require free registration?):
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/01/science/earth/01cnd-bird.html?hp&ex=
1122955200&en=a8794456c9d77392&ei=5094&partner=homepage
--------------------------------------------
Monday, August 01, 2005
-- Critics Retract! --
--------------------------------------------------
Three prominent critics of the Arkansas IBWO evidence are now retracting the paper originally planned for internet publication at end of July. Further acoustic evidence (recordings of both the "kent" call and the distinctive 'double-rap') from the Cornell group of the bird's existence have convinced the skeptics not only of an Ivory-bill's presence, but of at least an active pair! ....duhhhhh!!
With this rather embarrassing episode behind us hopefully a thorough southern search can continue with the full effort and seriousness that will be needed, without distraction (...as SHOULD'VE been done in the 50's... or 60's... or 70's... or.....)
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Three prominent critics of the Arkansas IBWO evidence are now retracting the paper originally planned for internet publication at end of July. Further acoustic evidence (recordings of both the "kent" call and the distinctive 'double-rap') from the Cornell group of the bird's existence have convinced the skeptics not only of an Ivory-bill's presence, but of at least an active pair! ....duhhhhh!!
With this rather embarrassing episode behind us hopefully a thorough southern search can continue with the full effort and seriousness that will be needed, without distraction (...as SHOULD'VE been done in the 50's... or 60's... or 70's... or.....)
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AOU Meeting This Month
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The American Ornithological Union holds its annual meeting later this month in Santa Barbara, Ca. with various expected updates to the Arkansas IBWO sightings including further evidenciary material to be presented. Possibly, any remaining controversy will already be resolved by then (in the IBWO's favor!), or the skeptics/detractors and believers can thrash it out face-to-face there. So far still no sign of the critical paper at the Public Library of Science website where it is s'posed to appear.
IBWO searcher David Luneau now has a DVD version of his Ivory-bill film clip (in varying formats) from Cache River available for purchase at his www.ibwo.org website.
....Ohhhh, and if you want a cooo-oool Ivory-bill ballcap visit Mary Scott's website (www.birdingamerica.com) to order!
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The American Ornithological Union holds its annual meeting later this month in Santa Barbara, Ca. with various expected updates to the Arkansas IBWO sightings including further evidenciary material to be presented. Possibly, any remaining controversy will already be resolved by then (in the IBWO's favor!), or the skeptics/detractors and believers can thrash it out face-to-face there. So far still no sign of the critical paper at the Public Library of Science website where it is s'posed to appear.
IBWO searcher David Luneau now has a DVD version of his Ivory-bill film clip (in varying formats) from Cache River available for purchase at his www.ibwo.org website.
....Ohhhh, and if you want a cooo-oool Ivory-bill ballcap visit Mary Scott's website (www.birdingamerica.com) to order!
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