Birders, Here is an update on the Ivory Bill WoodPecker from the Cornell Lab of Ornithology Shane Adams East of Hamblen County Morristown, TN. 37813 Greetings Lab members and friends, We hope your new year is off to a wonderful start. Here's our latest report on the ivory-bill search and the upcoming Great Backyard Bird Count. As the Crowe Flies Sam Crowe, editor of the Lab's "All About Birds" web site, is just back from his first venture into ivory-bill territory. He has posted some great up-close-and-personal details about what's happening in Arkansas. It's called the "Ivory-bill RAP rap" in reference to the woodpecker's distinctive double-rap. Sam's rap includes details of his trip, photos, a discussion of the technology used in the search, and a chance to match names and faces of search leaders. (Scroll over the group shot and see what happens!) Sam will be making other trips to the bayou, so stay tuned for more RAP rapping in the future! Volunteers in the Spotlight As you may recall, more than 100 volunteers from all over the country are spending two weeks at a time assisting in the search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker. These are accomplished birders and biologists, giving up their own time to take part in the search. Check out the story about Bill Eddleman in the Southeast Missourian. Making the Count "Great" As we gear up for the ninth annual Great Backyard Bird Count, we're looking for people to help us top last year's level of participation in every community. You can help spread the word by putting up posters in your neighborhood. A PDF of this year's GBBC poster is now available for downloading from the GBBC web site. You can encourage your local media to pick up the story by sending them the URL to the press release http://www.birds.cornell.edu/pr/count_birds_06_pr.html. If you would like to share the Great Backyard Bird Count with school children, visit the web site for ideas and classroom materials. We're also looking for people who can help take it further by contacting local media to provide interviews about the event, or to set up bird walks and bird ID seminars ahead of time to get their community primed to take part in the count. If you have participated in the GBBC and this is something you'd like to do, please contact Jennifer Smith at jls39@xxxxxxxxxxxx Write "GBBC" in the subject line. In the body of the message, send the following information: --Write "ambassador packet" if you would like to receive an ambassador packet in the mail, with tips and ideas about how to get involved. --Write "media contact" if it would be all right to put you in touch with a reporter from your area who would like to talk to someone who has participated in the GBBC. Full name Address Phone number Email County or province Here's to another successful Great Backyard Bird Count! As always, thank you for the many ways you support the Lab and its projects. Your friends at the Cornell Lab of Ornithology -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.375 / Virus Database: 267.14.19/231 - Release Date: 01/16/2006