Photo of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker taken during our visit in 2006. It's near the bridge over Bayou De View, the place where Tim Gallagher and Bobbi Harrison reported seeing an Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Feb. 2004.There's a recent article from the Boston Globe on the continuing search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker, here.
Ivorybills had been thought extinct since the 1940's. A Cornell University team reported finding an Ivory-billed Woodpecker in the Cache and White Rivers, near Brinkley, AR in 2004. Geoff Hill and an Auburn Univ. team reported seeing Ivory-billed Woodpeckers in the Choctawhatchee River in the panhandle of FL in 2005. No one has yet gotten a clear, definitive photo of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker. There has been despite intensive searching during the past several years including helicopter searches of the Cache and White Rivers happening now. The controversey as to whether the Ivory-billed Woodpecker exists, continues.
4 comments:
I have a mild obsession with the IBW and I am running a poll on whether people think they still exist or not. I would appreciate it if you could visit my blog and cast your vote. Also feel free to leave a comment at:
http://owlbox.blogspot.com/2008/02/new-poll-ivory-billed-woodpecker-status.html
I have seen this bird in the central Fl swamps where I grew up since the late 1960's but never knew what he was (no body else did either) so we called them giant red headed woodpeckers.
I was watching TV tonight when I saw the clip from the fellow in AK. and the picture was of the same bird we had in FL.
The first time I saw one I was out in the swamps hunting (a daily zen thing) when I heard some one hitting a tree with a hammer.
a slow Whack, whack, whack, whack. Well I wanted to know who or what was making all the racket, so I slipped up to about 10 feet from the palm tree where all the noise was comming from when this huge woodpecker came hopping around to my side.
I froze, but it didn't matter. We were eye to eye for he was at head hight and looking right at me, then he went back to hammering the tree. I turned away and went back to chopping brush, and he continued to do what woodpeckers do.
over the years, many was the morning he would wake me beating on a pine tree outside my bedroom window.
Over the years I've seen them in a large area (20 miles)and doubt it was the same bird, over a period of 20 or more years, so there must be a flock in the area.
the beak is white and the eye yellow, and at first glance they make you think of an eagle with all the white. the flight is a glide or swoop, and slow or appears slow because their so big.
I'm in UT now but the next time I go home I'll look for one again
Have sword I would recommend hopping on a plane RIGHT NOW and getting a photo of your Ivory Billed Woodpecker! Scores of people have been searching for this bird with some of the most sophisticated technology around and no one has managed to take a conclusive photo of one yet. Most searchers haven’t even seen an Ivory Billed and those that have, have only had fleeting glimpses. You claim to have been literally eye to eye with one so imagine if you can snap a pic or two of this bird. It would literally be the BIGGEST discovery for the birding world in......a LONG time.
By your description the last time you saw one was in the 1980's. Do you personally know if anyone has seen them since? Do you know anyone in the area that could get a picture? Your story sounds intriguing, but until you have photographic evidence it will remain that - yet another story about how people have clearly seen what many scientists claim to be a super elusive bird.
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