-- Science At The Edge (OT) --

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Sorry, not IBWO, nor birds, nor nature today, but feel like I oughta post something pre-weekend (in case we all get sucked into a Black Hole from CERN's Large Hadron Collider by then --- not that THAT would be a BAD thing) --- so this clip of one of Jill Bolte Taylor's talks about the experience of her own brain stroke at age 37 (18 mins. long, but worth reaching the end). She's the neuroanatomist author of the bestselling "My Stroke of Insight" that describes what she learned about the left and right brain hemispsheres, and herself, from that personal experience. (And actually, truth be known, I'm not so sure that there isn't a smidgen of applicability submerged in all this, to the whole IBWO debate.) Enjoy....





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-- Whatever --

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Summary of recent new species discoveries here.


A couple of folks emailed me last week asking if I knew any more about Bill Smith's purported Florida Ivorybill book... I certainly have no special knowledge of the book Mr. Bill has dangled before folks for 2 years (...and I prefer not to be emailed about it or his claims). I do know that he continues to post regularly on at least one aquarium group website (a subject about which he actually appears to have at least some first-hand knowledge, and puts aside plenty of time for... the IBWO, uhhhh, nnnot so much).
Some folks believe the supposed IBWO volume will NEVER appear, and some think it will eventually appear, and easily be categorized, like many other monthly releases, as fiction (ought we dare say 'science' fiction?).
I'm guessin' that given the miniscule interest he has generated, Bill must be insanely jealous of the Georgia yahoos who received weeks of international attention for their inane Bigfoot hoax. Some folks have all the luck...
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Request For Volunteer

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The following not-terribly-cryptic message/request for a volunteer appeared on a bird listserv today in case any reader has particular interest:

"Permitted research project on Picidae [woodpeckers] in prime habitat in SC is looking for one volunteer to complete a 6 man team for 6 days starting Monday, Sept. 15 and ending Sat. the 20th. Should know all field marks, calls and knocks/drums of E. Picidae, be able to camp and meet others in SC if possible. Project being done in cooperation with non-profit and govt. entities. Send contact info to NBP@comcast.net"

-- Whazzup? Not Much --

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Sorry for lapse of posting, but warned earlier on that I wasn't expecting much to report on through the summer months, prior to USF&W issuing a final summary report from last season, or the next winter search season getting underway. For the moment, am occupied with other things as well, but to keep folks entertained in the interim go ahead and play with this film clip if you like, or have only seen it 922 times before:



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-- More Notes --

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Duly noted... I only recently discovered (though it's been around for almost a year) Scott Weidensaul has his own blog going at:

http://ofafeather.blogspot.com

Hmmm, David Sibley was blogging for awhile; now we just need to get Pete Dunne blogging (I mean the guy writes about 10 hours a day anyway, doesn't he?).
Speaking of Pete, he will be the keynote speaker at the Georgia Colonial Coast Birding and Nature Festival coming up in October. The times they are a changin': this, and other yearly birding festivals are no longer including Ivory-bill themes or presentations as was almost obligatory a couple years back. Let's hope the upcoming search season changes all that, but then again don't be holdin' your breath.

Last year USF&W released their summary of the prior search season before the end of Sept. Given a slightly more restricted search this past season and less to report maybe the release date this year could be a tad earlier...
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-- Side Notes --

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I've previously mentioned the newly-revised Peterson Guide to Birds of North America, but only this weekend saw and held it in my hands. Very handsome, wonderful volume. Call me old-fashioned, nostalgic, or clinging to the past, but I still find Peterson's artwork unmatched in field guide circles (and these are of course mostly the same old depictions already published numerous times) --- simple yet alive; not too minimal, and not too detailed; just right. The text is, as always, succinct but instructive. The images are enlarged (for us ol' codgers I guess ;-) I still think this is potentially the best guide for beginning and intermediate birders. (For those who don't know, this new version combines the earlier Eastern and Western editions into one volume, and is almost as large as the original Sibley guide, but not quite as unwieldy.) The cover is fittingly a beautiful portrayal of yellow-shafted flickers, the bird that started it all for Roger. With all the new bird field guides flooding the market in the last few years, nice to see this old friend still holding its own.

'Rip' Lyttle reports a couple of partially leucistic Pileated Woodpeckers in the part of South Carolina he is searching (additional white on wing/back area). He has posted a few pics on the Ivory-bill Researchers Forum site (you need to be a member to access pics I believe) -- nothing that would be readily mistaken for IBWO. Still awaiting for someone to capture on film one of these birds having symmetrical patterning across the wings that actually mimics an Ivory-bill's large patches (Noel Snyder claims to have seen one years ago, but no pic). Even statistics for the number of significantly leucistic Pileateds that are recorded across the southeast would be interesting to know. But for now this is just auxiliary information. [SEE comment/clarification below]
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-- N. Carolina Ivorybill Position --

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Audubon is advertising for a field technician to head up the search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in southeastern North Carolina (stationed in Wilmington):

"The North Carolina Ivory-billed Woodpecker Search Field Technician will be responsible for implementing standardized protocols developed for systematically searching for the presence of Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the swamp forests and associated woodlands of southeastern North Carolina. Simultaneously, the field technician will survey the study area to assist in research pertaining to the North Carolina Important Bird Areas program. The study locations include the Waccamaw River bottomlands and associated tributaries, selected areas along the Lumber River, and other site TBD. Search efforts will require long days in remote locations and will be physically demanding. After each search day, the field technician will be required to download and enter field data, and maintain all field equipment. Other duties will include: camping, use of canoe or motorized boat, organizing and training volunteers, use of audio and video recording equipment."

The position is currently funded for one year; more details given at the above link.
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-- Cody and Britney --

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For your weekend entertainment...

No rhyme or reason for this post whatsoever, except that I love shelties:





please adopt from your local shelter and rescue groups whenever possible...
(p.s. - for more info on shelties visit sheltienation.com)

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-- In Other News --

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Here's Bill Pulliam's take on a story that's been widely-reported recently about the latest population census for lowland gorillas.

Meanwhile Chuck Hagner, of Birder's World Magazine, reports that the Ivory-billed Woodpecker doesn't even appear as a topic on the program for the American Ornithologists' Union, at their annual meeting in Portland, Oregon this week.
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-- ? Imperial ? --

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Recently, an unusual number of hits to the blog have come from folks who've googled "imperial woodpecker" and been directed to my site (because of past posts on the Imperial here). Also, a couple of emailers have made inquiries to me about the Imperial. Don't know for sure why the subject is suddenly arising, though it may be in part due to a recent post (8-3-08) by Mike Collins which ran as follows:

"There exists footage of an Imperial Woodpecker, and the bird is in flight according to what I have heard. Why haven't the details been made public? The flap rate, flight speed, and flap style might shed light on the ivorybill."

I've occasionally heard/seen very loose vague glimmers about a possible Imperial sighting months ago, but nothing substantive or that I give any credence to at this point. I think Mike's reference may actually be to a supposed brief film of an Imperial in flight from the 1950's, which I believe is in the possession of Cornell. Whether they have utilized it in any way, or have any reason not to release it, I don't know.

May be worth pointing out that the Imperial Woodpecker was MUCH larger than the Ivory-billed. So even though the two species are from the same genus, the IBWO is probably actually closer to the Pileated in both size and mass (i.e. not sure if analysis of Imperial flight pattern would be all that helpful in drawing conclusions about IBWO flight pattern or not --- not to mention that it's difficult to generalize from a single short flight clip of any bird; but still, I understand Mike's interest in the clip if it exists).

Anyway, that's as much (next to nothing) as I know, so no need to inquire further here. If someone does know more about such putative ;-) Imperial footage and wants to pass info along for posting here to enlighten others, feel free.
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-- Housekeeping --

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As many know by now there was a major problem accessing this and LOTS of other blogs over the weekend due to problems with Microsoft's Internet Explorer (surprise, surprise); actually, the problem related back to changes at "Sitemeter," a blog traffic tabulator, but seemed to only affect IE, and should now be remedied.
At any rate if you are STILL using IE as your main web browser, please get with the program and switch over to Firefox (or almost anything other than the Microsoft product).
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-- More On Virtual Ivory-bill --

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'nother tidbit (see prior posts for July 8 and 11) on Cornell's computer creation of a 'virtual' Ivory-bill here:

http://spie.org/x26125.xml

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-- Pileated Redux --

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For them there who never tire of such things, another Pileated Woodpecker (chased by a blackbird) video here:

( http://birdcinema.com/view_video.php?viewkey=95af115de1c414a1849c )

....And for those who never tire of such other things more old Steve Martin comedy here.
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-- Bedtime and Other Reading --

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Some bedtime reading perhaps: if you've never read them before here is the famous account of Agey and Heinzmann reporting Ivory-bills in central Florida back in the 1960s:

http://www.coastalgeorgiabirding.org/misc/agey_heinzmann1.pdf
http://www.coastalgeorgiabirding.org/misc/agey_heinzmann2.pdf
http://www.coastalgeorgiabirding.org/misc/agey_heinzmann3.pdf

Good news (for a change) for N. American birds here, about preserving Canada's boreal forest. Scott Weidensaul calls this "One of the biggest conservation stories ever" though it "received relatively little press here in the States." Scott notes the boreal forest is "the great bird factory of North America, producing billions of migratory songbirds, waterfowl, shorebirds and raptors; this is arguably the single biggest win in history for bird conservation." He recommends sending "a note of thank you to Premier McGuinty via BSI's website, http://www.borealbirds.org/ -- something every American birder who reaps the benefits of the boreal forest should take a moment to do."

In the 'Not-exactly-the-bluebird-of-happiness' Dept., this bit of bird humor from the press:

http://tinyurl.com/5mnsvt

Finally, this coming Monday marks the anniversary of Roger Tory Peterson's death. Twelve years ago upon that occasion the inimitable Pete Dunne wrote a wonderful tribute to Roger for "Birding Magazine." Below, the last paragraph from that eulogy:

"Roger was fond of saying that God, in all his wisdom, had crafted but two creatures with feathers: birds and angels. God, in his wisdom, gave us Roger Tory Peterson to interpret and instruct us. And although I do not wish to presume, and I cannot possibly be certain, I have a hunch that by the time I reach the hereafter, there will be a "Field Guide to the Angels" waiting for me. With luck, it might even be in its second or third edition."

--- at which point Pete can commence to writing a short text on how to pish for angels ;-)

(And here's another look at the newly-revised Peterson Field Guide to be released next month.)
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-- Saturday Entertainment --

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No Ivory-bill schtuff; just books, ducks, condors, storklets, and.... west coast news:

Another stop in a bookstore yesterday, and another wonderful find: Artist Charley Harper's "Birds and Words" (originally published in the 1970's) has been re-issued, full of Charley's uniquely minimalist and delightful bird art and short incisive verbal blurbs on each depicted bird. This book will bring a smile to most any birder, but also makes a fine introduction to birds for youngsters who can take delight in the artwork as well, while parents read and explain the wonderful short commentaries.

And for all the duck lovers out there, I have to pass this one along for heart-tugging enjoyment:

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2008/07/duck-darwin-awa.html

Hasn't been a lot of good news of late for endangered species, but somewhat positive outcome for the California Condor recovery efforts here:

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25724478/

To my surprise, stork youngsters are still hanging out in the nest here (German webcam), but probably not for much longer :

http://www.stadtpark-mannheim.de/webcam/cam33.htm


And finally, here's some satire(?) I could endorse:

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/07/17/BA7A11QU1S.DTL

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-- Into the Weekend --

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An Ivory-bill post from biologist Mark Bailey at his blog a couple months ago here:

http://hogfoot.blogspot.com/2008/05/of-ivory-bills-and-bigfoot.html


... and a bit of home-made humor for today here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOK9rdLJwAw&feature=related
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-- A Lil' Culture --

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For poetry aficionadoes:

An acquaintance recently sent me a poem by David Wagoner she found in the Jan. 1983 edition of "The Atlantic Monthly" which recounts, of all things, Alexander Wilson's famous encounter, 200 years ago, with an Ivory-billed Woodpecker near Wilmington, NC. The poem is available on the Web in a few places, including here.
Another blogger who posted the poem several years ago followed it with this sentiment, that I sorta like:

"... The poem deals with the impossibility of a mutual understanding between man and nature argues Czeslaw Milosz in his introduction. I think that's wrong. I think the poem shows what happens when man tries to learn too much, tries to compartmentalize and categorize nature in ways that nature shouldn't be confined. "

....but enough culture already; for humor today, and on behalf of all the 'believers' out there who feel they don't get any respect, here be the late Rodney Dangerfield:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9FPv2toi5og&feature=related

Ohhhh, and p.s., in case you've recently had any inclination to contact "The New Yorker Magazine" for any particular reason, contact info is here.
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-- More On Cornell's Digitized Evidence --

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A bit more info about the Ivory-bill computer graphic simulation carried out by Cornell which I referenced a few days ago (July 8 post). This work was done in part as the master's thesis of Cornell grad student Jeffrey Wang under the guidance of Dr. Don Greenberg, and is available here in pdf form (~200 pgs.):

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/pubs/2007/Wan07.pdf

Jeff's academic home page, BTW, is here:

http://www.graphics.cornell.edu/~jwang/

I'm slowly reading through the dissertation (and for a technical Master's Thesis it's a fairly lively read), but since computer graphics aren't "my thing" don't know how much I'll glean from it --- I assume some of my readers though will find it informative. And I presume a more formal journal publication is in the works.


....for another comedy moment, one of my favorite old posts from "Cute Overload" blog (be sure to read the 'comments' section below picture):

http://mfrost.typepad.com/cute_overload/2007/11/this-just-in--1.html


ADDENDUM --- just a few things I'll note, having now scanned Wang's thesis more:

In addition to flight mechanics and computer graphics, the paper is VERY HEAVY, for obvious reasons, on underlying bird anatomy. We live in an age of academic specialization, and clearly Wang's thesis delves into highly specialized areas (as a sidenote, found it interesting that out of the 100's of Ivory-bill specimens residing in museums, it turns out there is ONLY ONE 'pickled' in fluid, and thus well-preserved for detailed anatomical studies, at the Smithsonian Museum --- Cornell was able to obtain that single specimen on loan for these specific studies --- fascinating... where pursuit of the Luneau video leads us!).

Anyway, Wang's paper (submitted in Jan. 2007), ends prior to actual testing of the computer-generated Ivory-bill against the bird captured in the Luneau clip, which has since been done; i.e. the thesis describes in great detail the creation of a 'virtual' (computer-graphic) Ivory-bill (and seems very convincing), but not the actual running of that bird in a flight path and environment matching the Luneau bird --- and there's the rub! No matter how precise and accurate a created 'virtual' Ivory-bill is, the real crux of the matter comes when applying the flight mechanics and lighting (and the MULTITUDE of variables that arise therein) to the specifics of the Luneau bird's context, and gauging whether the result better matches a PIWO or IBWO (just using a Pileated as a flying 'surrogate' for an IBWO is grist for debate all by itself, but there are likely a myriad more issues skeptics may raise as well). It will be interesting to see how Cornell explicates all of this in a final paper, and I'll also be interested to see who the co-authors (and those cited for assistance/input) are on any such final paper. I hope such a paper is at least as persuasive as Wang's work is... but one suspects the debate is destined to continue.
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