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Posted by Bill Pranty on 12:18:51 01/23/07
In Reply to: Re: Ivory billed woodpecker photographed posted by Paul-the-other
Good afternoon,
I don't respond to rumors (MSN is now asking whether Drew Barrymore recently hooked up with Bruce Willis: I really don't want to know that one; it's a disturbing mental image, to be sure) so I won't respond to the original claim (but note my revision of the title).
But PTO does ask a good question, and I do have part of an answer, so I will respond.
I am in occasional contact with Geoff Hill of Auburn University, who is leading the IBWO search along the Choctawhatchee River (and they're in their third calendar year of work, not fifth).
Geoff is aware of all the controversy surrounding the Arkansas reports, made before the identification could be confirmed independently, resulting in all sorts of professional (and other) disputes between those who published the original paper claiming the continued persistence of IBWOs and others who have independently analyzed the purported evidence.
Should the IBWO still persist in Florida, and should Geoff's crew obtain evidence of its persistence, then Geoff will share the evidence with members of the state and national bird records committees (e.g., Florida Ornithological Society Records Committee and ABA Checklist Committee).
Only after members of these committees agree unanimously or nearly so that the evidence confirms the continued persistence of IBWOs in Florida, would Geoff and is crew go public with a press conference. I presume that Geoff would keep secret the precise location to avoid thousands of birders from descending on the site; up to ths point, Geoff has refused to publicize the location of his study site.
Since I am a member of both the FOSRC and the ABA CLC, I can state that as of this morning, no recent (i.e., since the Auburn crew's online publication in 2006) claims of IBWO persistence in Florida has been submitted to the committees.
Thus, I would suggest that rumors of the existence of such photos be considered dubious at best.
Unless of course, that these photos were taken by somebody not associated with the Auburn search along the Choctawhatchee. In whivh case, this entire post may be moot.
Best regards,
Bill Pranty
Bayonet Point, Florida
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