Taking a pulse
In this article about Tim Gallagher's upcoming talk about the Ivory-billed Woodpecker rediscovery, he says:
Do you know someone who choked up at the news?
How do you feel and think about the IBWO search now?
Would you attend the IBWO festival in Brinkley, Ark., this winter?
"I knew that the ivory-bill had been the Holy Grail of bird-watching for more than half a century, but I had no idea how deeply other people would respond to the news," he said. "Apparently when National Public Radio broke the story of the rediscovery on April 25, 2005, hundreds of people across the United States who were on their morning commute had to pull over to the side of the road -- they were crying and couldn't see well enough through their tears to drive.Are you one of those birders who reacted emotionally 17 months ago?
"I can feel that intensity and passion from the audiences wherever I travel, and it makes me very hopeful about the future."
Do you know someone who choked up at the news?
How do you feel and think about the IBWO search now?
Would you attend the IBWO festival in Brinkley, Ark., this winter?
posted by Amy at 9:30 AM
3 Comments:
I was excited, but I didn't get choked up by it. Maybe I am too young both in age and in birding years for that to feel it that deeply. At the time I believed the reports even though the online video did not do much for me. I still believe the reports, on the basis of sightings by experienced and credible observers. However, I do realize that the data is flawed and needs much more research before we can say anything reliably about what sort of ivory-billed woodpecker population - if any - still lives in the southeastern U.S. Much of the debate since the announcement has centered around hypotheticals and insinuations.
I hate to say it, but I'm sick of the ivory-bill controversy. While the events so many months ago brought out the best in some parts of the birding community (if such a thing can be said to exist) it also brought out the worst.
One hopes that reporting those infamous sightings last year triggered interventions that make a more concrete discovery and successful recovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker possible. Otherwise, it would be fair to say that Gallagher, Harrison, Cornell, etc. jumped the gun and squandered serious credibility.
Of course, I hope for the former and not the latter. But while I would have bet on the optimists a year ago, I couldn't do it now.
I truly don't give a damn what anyone says about whether the IBWO is out there or not.
While I was watching the news, and that story came on, I got off the couch, sat down in front of the TV and cried.
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