[TN-Bird] Curious Ivory-billed Woodpecker controversy ?

TN-Birders:  The following is a very curious series of posts about a controvery 
over the Ivory-billed Woodpecker (IBWP) sightings in Arkansas.  Note that the 
messages are in oder by date and time as they were posted (earliest to latest). 
 The posts appared on the Arkansas birding listserv.  

Let's go birding.......

Wallace Coffey
Bristol, TN
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Subject: IBWP Doubt
From: aaron gwin 
Date: Thu, 14 Jul 2005 11:23:45 -0500

Got a call from New York this morning about the IBWP. A birding friend
wanted 
to know what I was hearing and reading here in Arkansas. He has just
returned 
from a birding trip to Newfoundland. He talked to a co-owner of a large
birding 
tour company that told him there was some doubt about the IBWP amoung some
of 
the professionals. None of them wanted to be the first go public with their

concerns. It is probably jealousy amoung the pro s. I havn't heard the name

Jerry Jackson having anything to do with this hunt. He kept the IBWP from
being 
declared offically Extinct a few years ago by not agreeing with the rest of
the 
panel. He is also surpose to have a book out about the IBWP. Told my friend
we 
were promoting the bird for all it is worth. Getting every dollar into
Arkansas 
we could. Told him I had not seen the recognizeable picture of the bird,
but 
sure would like to see it. There is probably more jealously amoung the big 
names than amoung kids. For them, it could mean dollars. Aaron Gwin 


Subject: Re: IBWP Doubt
From: Donald Catanzaro <dgcatanzaro AT HOTMAIL.COM>
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 06:23:33 +0000

Hi Aaron,

I have heard some similar rumblings but my understanding from a friend that

worked on the project is that most of the skeptics have been swayed not 
reviewing high resolution photographic evidence but by listening to the 
sound recordings.  As far as doubts go, I don't have any, I trust the
people 
involved, their scientific reputations, and their intentions.  Although I 
have wondered for quite a while who did the peer review for the Science 
article ... Any one else wonder ?

I know that publically, it has been stated by USFWS and others that 
conservation concerns delayed the intial annoucement for a year (to allow 
for land purchases).  However, I suspect that some amount of the decision
to 
delay the announcement had to be related to the absence of photographic 
evidence - evidence that our eye candy culture craves (I doubt most 
non-birders believe that birds can be ID'd by sound alone).  How can you 
have a big media splash with CNN etc if all you have is IBWP calls dubbed
on 
top of stock footage of a cypress swamp (which are  beautiful to Arkansans 
but not to to many other people).  Perhaps David can shed some light on my 
theory.

By the way, if you have not seen it there is additional, supporting online 
materials which are quite a bit more detailed than the rather short paper
in 
Science.  You can find them at the links below.

Original Paper - http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/reprint/308/5727/1460
Supplemental Materials - 
http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/full/1114103/DC1

-Don Catanzaro, PhD
Lowell, Arkansas


Subject: Re: IBWP Doubt
From: "Jeff R. Wilson" <OLCOOT1 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 06:44:52 EDT


There has been a paper submitted for publication by three individuals with 

credentials, re-evaluating the Cache River report that states the bird in
the  
video is a Pileated and presenting their doubts of the sightings. So the  
rumblings are much deeper than just the recordings and by folks you will
see 
that carry some weight. Everything should be out in the open soon with some
 
discussion I'm sure at the ABA Convention starting July 18 in Tucson, where
 
Fitzpatrick I believe is doing a presentation. May be sour grapes or
collision 
of egos but time will sort it all out. Let us all hope the bird wins out.  

Good  Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA



Subject: Re: IBWP Doubt
From: "Jeff R. Wilson" <OLCOOT1 AT AOL.COM>
Date: Fri, 15 Jul 2005 13:34:27 EDT
 
In a message dated 7/15/2005 10:38:32 A.M. Central Standard Time,  
cinclodes AT yahoo.com writes:

  If the  paper that casts doubt on the ivory-bill
  rediscovery gets published, the  authors are going to
  have a similar place in history as the authors of  the
  paper on cold fusion. There is no doubt that the
  ivory-bill still  exists.


>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
 
The paper does not say the IBWP does not exist, it just concerns the AR  
sightings and photos. One of the authors is the or at least one of the top 

experts on the IBWP. Like I said sour grapes or egos, it will all come  
out...........
 
Good  Birding!!!

Jeff R. Wilson
OL'COOT / TLBA
Bartlett,  TN
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