I was not cognizant of the controversy.

www.nytimes.com

copyrighted by the ny times 2005

http://groups-beta.google.com/group/rec.birds/post?hl=en&_done=%2Fgro...

3 Biologists Question Evidence in Sighting of Rare Woodpecker

By ANDREW C. REVKIN

Published: July 21, 2005

Three biologists are questioning the evidence used by a team of bird
experts who made the electrifying claim in April that they had sighted
an ivory-billed woodpecker, a bird presumed to have vanished from the
United States more than 60 years ago, in the swampy forests of
southeast Arkansas.

A sketch from 2004 of what was believed to be an ivory-billed
woodpecker.

 Related Site: Video of the Claim If the challenge holds up, it would
undermine not only a scientific triumph - the rediscovery of a
resplendent bird that had been exhaustively sought for years - but also
significant new conservation expenditures in the region.

The paper questioning the discovery has been provisionally accepted by
a peer-reviewed journal, which could post the analysis online within a
few weeks. But the paper will be accompanied by a fierce rebuttal by
the team that announced the discovery, and a response to that rebuttal
by the challengers.

The expected publication of the paper and the rebuttal was confirmed in
interviews and e-mail exchanges with two authors of the challenge,
Richard O. Prum and Mark B. Robbins, ornithologists at Yale and the
University of Kansas, as well as with two members of the team that
reported finding the woodpecker.

The third author of the new paper is Jerome A. Jackson, a zoologist at
Florida Gulf Coast University and the author of the book, "In Search of
the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker," published in 2004.

"In my opinion," Mr. Jackson wrote in an e-mail message on Wednesday,
"the data presented thus far do no more than suggest the possibility of
the presence of an ivory-billed woodpecker. I am most certainly not
saying that ivory-billed woodpeckers are not out there. I truly hope
that the birds do exist in Arkansas or elsewhere and have been
championing this idea for a long time."

Both groups of scientists declined to name the journal or to discuss
the details of the challenge and the response until they were
published.

But they made it clear that the debate revolves around four seconds of
fuzzy videotape that, by chance, captured a bird with sweeping
white-and-black wings as it darted from its perch on the far side of a
tupelo tree in April 2004 and flicked over swampy waters before
vanishing in the trees 11 wing beats later.

That video clip was just one piece in a pile of drawings, recordings
and other evidence collected in more than a year of searching and
deploying cameras and listening devices across the vast swampy reaches
of the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge.

Altogether, the original research team, led by scientists from Cornell
University and the Nature Conservancy, compiled seven sightings,
including the video, as well as recordings of a "double knock" sound
typical of the ivory-billed bird.

But only the video was potentially solid enough to confirm for the
wider ornithological community the existence of the bird, the authors
said in various statements at the time.

Everyone agrees that the bird that appears on the tape is either an
ivory-billed woodpecker or a pileated woodpecker, a slightly smaller
bird that is relatively common. Both species have a mix of white and
black plumage. However, the ivory-billed woodpecker has a white
trailing edge to its wings while the pileated woodpecker has a black
trailing edge.

The team that conducted the original search for the bird ran extensive
tests, including recreating the scene captured in video using flapping,
hand-held models of the two types of woodpecker. They concluded that
the plumage patterns seen in the grainy image could only be that of the
ivory-billed woodpecker.

The authors of the new paper disagree.

Only extended scientific discussion - or new pictures of the bird from
additional searches - will determine whose view will prevail. Another
intensive scientific search of the region is scheduled to begin in
November, Cornell officials said.

"The people who originally announced this thoroughly believe they got
an ivory-billed woodpecker," Dr. Robbins said in an interview.
Determining if a species has crossed the threshold of extinction often
requires decades of observation to ensure that no stray individuals
have found a reclusive hideaway.

Supposedly extinct species have been rediscovered with some frequency
over the last century. One famed example is the coelacanth, a huge fish
known only from fossils for generations but then caught by African
anglers.

In the case of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a magnificent bird with a
30-inch wingspan and a red crest, determining that it has not become
extinct has proved equally daunting. Individual birds were widely
dispersed, and the woodpecker shared habits and habitat with the
pileated woodpecker.

Van Remsen of Louisiana State University, an expert on the woodpecker
and a member of the team that reported finding the ivory-billed
species, said he remained confident of the discovery.

"We can counter everything," he said. "We stick to our guns."

The announcement of the bird's apparent discovery came on April 28,
when the scientists' findings were published in the online version of
the journal Science.

The announcement thrilled conservationists, who saw the bird as the
perfect symbol around which to build an invigorated protection plan for
woodland habitat in the Southeast, which harbors a rich array of
wildlife and plants.

The Bush administration used the reported sightings in Arkansas to
promote its "cooperative conservation" philosophy. The day the
rediscovery was publicized, the administration announced a variety of
initiatives, including a plan to pay more than $13 million to
landowners within the region's floodplains who plant and maintain
forests.

John W. Fitzpatrick, the co-leader of the search for the bird and
director of the Cornell University Laboratory of Ornithology, said it
was normal for scientists to disagree about evidence of this sort,
especially because in this case the video in question was "pretty
crummy."

But he said that extensive analysis was done and redone to eliminate
the possibility that the bird was a pileated woodpecker.

Dr. Fitzpatrick added that there was "significant additional evidence
right now" that would be published in coming months.

He declined to comment on the challengers' assertions, saying any
discussion could jeopardize publication of the exchange of papers on
the video.

More Articles in Science > For a limited time, get The Times delivered
free for 2 weeks.

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I actually BOUGHT an actual New York Times or two this week <ring
celebratory bells>.

Meanwhile, I saw the woodpecker disputation article on the net at their
website.

Well, last night, in a real NY TIMES, I saw an article about favorite
places for bird-watching of which I thought of a certain n.g.

I would link or re-post it here should I find it at their wonderful
website, but if I don't--ya never know--these things have their own
way of ...flying bye.

Do you mean
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9E0CE6DD1330F936A25754...
? You need to sign up to read it, so here it is:

July 15, 2005
HAVENS: LIVING HERE; Where the Birds Are: Houses Near Sanctuaries
As told to Amy Gunderson

WHO -- Jon Horgan Kemp, 59, a freelance writer from New Orleans, and her
husband, John Reed, 60, a criminal defense lawyer
WHAT -- 3-bedroom house
WHERE -- Dauphin Island, Ala.

John: Dauphin Island has been called the birdiest coastal town in the
country. During the spring and fall migrations, birds will drop down out
of the sky. In the spring, it is the first land they cross after flying
over the Gulf of Mexico, so they stop here to rest up.

Jon: The Audubon Bird Sanctuary is just wonderful. It is a birding
paradise. In April, 188 different species were spotted on the island.
I've seen red-tailed hawks, egrets, red-winged blackbirds, all types of
warblers and songbirds like indigo buntings. But I've often found that I
can just do as well at the beach. It's not unusual for me to count 70 or
80 pelicans. You can see the shore birds change -- there are the babies,
the immatures, or what I call the teenagers, and then the full-grown
birds who at two or three years old get their plumage.

John: Our house is right on the beach and is about four miles from the
sanctuary. The sanctuary has beautiful dunes, and I enjoy the
tranquillity there and on the rest of the island. Dauphin Island is
completely different than the rest of the Gulf Coast. There is not a
single traffic light or a fast-food restaurant here. The island is 16
miles long -- 8 miles is developed and the rest is a privately owned
sand spit -- and it is a constant effort to beat back more development.
People are discovering this island, and there has been a huge escalation
in property values. Last year we had a hurricane, but property values
just skyrocketed.

Jon: This year Hurricane Dennis took half of our front yard, which is
the beach. We'll have to wait to see whether any of it comes back. The
beach is still great, of course, but for a change of scenery, it's nice
to go to the bird sanctuary. It's a green oasis with wonderful walking
trails and a fresh-water lake. We're nature people. As told to Amy Gunderson

ON THE MARKET
Information on properties was supplied by the listing companies.

WHERE -- Dauphin Island, Ala.
WHAT -- 3-bedroom condominium
HOW MUCH -- $389,000

This condo is a quarter-mile from the Audubon Bird Sanctuary, an
acclaimed spot for bird watching during the spring migration. There are
hundreds of species of birds in the 164-acre sanctuary, including
warblers, tanagers and fly catchers. The condo is 1,456 square feet and
has three bathrooms, a two-car carport and a deck overlooking the Gulf
of Mexico. Dauphin Island is 150 miles from New Orleans and 65 miles
from the casinos of the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Agent: Prissy Hawkins,
Island Realty Corporation, (877)219-7392; www.islandrealtycorp.com.

WHERE -- Weldon, Calif.
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $349,000

The 2,789-acre Kern River Preserve, about a mile from this
2,145-square-foot house, is frequented by turkey vultures, eagles,
killdeers and hummingbirds. The house was built in 1994 and has a wet
bar, a wood-burning stove, two bathrooms and a four-car attached garage.
Weldon is 170 miles north of Los Angeles. Agent: David Bacalis, Century
21 Lake Isabella Realty, (760)417-1746; www.century21lakeisabella.com.

WHERE -- Scarborough, Me.
WHAT -- 2-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $446,000

This 1,692-square-foot house has 200 feet of frontage on Scarborough
Marsh, home of the Scarborough Marsh Audubon Center. Egrets, herons and
glossy ibises are common throughout the 3,100 acres of the marsh, which
can be seen by canoe or kayak or from trails. The house has two
bathrooms, three wood-burning stoves, a walk-out basement with a
greenhouse addition and a two-car detached garage. Scarborough is 5
miles south of Portland. Agent: Deborah Coward, ReMax by the Bay,
(207)773-2345; www.trubritrealty.com.

WHERE -- Garrison, N.Y.
WHAT -- 3-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $1.44 million

This 1840's brick carriage house is 200 yards from the entrance to
Constitution Marsh Audubon Center and Sanctuary, a 270-acre preserve.
The marsh, on the east side of the Hudson River, is home to bald eagles,
Virginia rails and a hundred other kinds of birds. The house has three
bathrooms, a sunroom, an open living and dining area, exposed brick and
a swimming pool. Garrison is an hour north of New York City. Agent:
Patrick O'Sullivan, Limited Editions Realty, (845)265-3111;
www.limitededitionsrealty.com.

WHERE -- Rodanthe, N.C.
WHAT -- 6-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $880,000

This Outer Banks house borders the Pea Island National Wildlife Refuge,
which has more than 365 species of birds and provides nesting areas for
American black ducks and gadwalls. Built in 2004, the house is 3,164
square feet and has views of the ocean and of Pamlico Sound. It has a
wraparound deck, four bathrooms, a game room with a pool table, a
swimming pool and a hot tub. It has been used as a rental and is offered
furnished. Agents: Bette Gray and Tricia Midgett, Midgett Realty,
(252)986-6380; www.investinhatteras.com.

WHERE -- Middletown, R.I.
WHAT -- 3-bedroom house
HOW MUCH -- $729,000

This 1,668-square-foot cottage is a half-mile from the Norman Bird
Sanctuary, a 300-acre preserve that is home to 65 species of birds --
including red-bellied woodpeckers during the breeding season that
stretches into August. The sanctuary has seven miles of hiking trails.
The house was built in 1970 and has wood floors, two bathrooms and a
detached two-car garage. It is near the Sakonnet River and is a
10-minute drive from Newport. Agent: Art Weber, Prudential Prime
Properties, (800)368-8380; www.prudentialprime.com.

Copyright 2005 The New York Times Company

Jerry
--
Engineering is the art of making what you want from things you can get.
¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯¯

Thanks. I did search it at their website; but so typically and
brilliantly got nada. Take advantage of it, folks, because there's a
rumor it will be fee-based eventually if not sooner.

 If they only ask about $50 a year, then I'll definitely subscribe, and
so will hopefully enough potential subscribers for the thing to work
for all (win-win).

It is $400+ a year for the actual paper Sunday thru Saturday (on lawn
or in mailbox), and I've been there & done that too, as there is a NYT
regional printing plant south of Atlanta (LaGrange), and so I got it
in the early morning for a year or two.

The problem with subscribing to the real paper is: Who has the time to
read it all, or even most of it everyday.

Whereas on the internet, nobody should begrudge  $50 a year to have a
look when ya want to take it (or leave it).

The problem with the internet is that eventually if not sooner you'll
go blind; but they've said that about other stuff too, and, helle, i'm
only semi-blind (near-sighted).

Here is the NYT article, for free (mind the line break):
http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/21/science/21bird.html?ex=1279598400&a...
n=e7985f5792592c95&amp;ei=5090&amp;partner=rssuserland&amp;emc=rss

FWIW, here's a well-reasoned page that discusses the challenge to the
IBWO discovery:
http://nuthatch.typepad.com/ba/2005/07/upcoming_paper_.html

A key piece of info: the challenge is largely based on the web-quality
version of the Luneau video. The authors apparently refused to avail
themselves of the original video, which is much better quality, although
Cornell offered it to them. Perhaps they don't intend to be taken
seriously?

---
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, USA
http://www.hummingbirds.net/

On Sun, 24 Jul 2005 01:55:27 GMT, Lanny Chambers <la...@hummingbirds.net>
wrote:

Cornell recently hosted a conference in which all the material they had was
available.  I don't know everybody who attended, but  couple of my
colleagues were there and came to the conclusion that the video is just
another Pileated.  

However, from what I've heard, everybody on the project still thinks the
video is IBWO.  They think the doubters need to invent a completely new
flight style in which the underwing is visible on both the up and down
wing-strokes and the upperwing is never visible.

I think the controversy will continue until better photographs are
obtained.

In article <d4f7e1t7qgp9aulpn5msaqlqg42jioc...@4ax.com>,
 Tax Man <inva...@invalid.invalid> wrote:

I suspect you're right. Of course, this is properly the way science
works, but I'm afraid too many people--some in positions of
authority--will welcome the opportunity to scuttle conservation plans,
in what will amount to a self-fulfilling prophecy of certain doom for a
species that may still exist.

---
Lanny Chambers
St. Louis, USA
http://www.hummingbirds.net/

news:lanny-BAD789.14102924072005@news.kc.sbcglobal.net...

Here's the follow-up article:

http://www.nytimes.com/2005/07/24/science/24bird.html

dcr

Just for the record, because I presume
 most everyone here is aware:

The skeptics/questioners are now happily acknowledging the red head
sighting is for real. I meant to re-post a NYT editorial celebrating
the affirmation. A little good news in an ocean of ugliness, pessimism
& doom as I perceive things currently.

B-t-w: The NYT has a fee for articles beyond a couple of weeks old, and
I'm not complaining; but trying to communicate that their
terrific
free  daily
website will also eventually probably
not be so, but that many, many interneters
would subscribe if the NYT keeps the subscription below, say, $40 per
year, which i hope they can do and not lose money.