A Close Encounter With the Rarest Bird (Ivory-billed woodpecker)

[Donna]

http://www.smithsonianmag.com/science-nature/A-Close-Encounter-With-the-Rarest-Bird.html?c=y&page=1  New found negatives provide fresh views of the young ivory-billed woodpecker

The ivory-billed woodpecker is one of the most extraordinary birds ever to live in America’s forests: the biggest woodpecker in the United States, it seems to keep coming back from the dead. Once resident in swampy bottomlands from North Carolina to East Texas, it was believed to have gone extinct as early as the 1920s, but sightings, confirmed and otherwise, have been reported as recently as this year. (con't)

This is an amazing article.

[Bobbie Ireland]

Amazing indeed! When word came out of (possible) sightings a number of years back, the Irish birding community nearly lost its reason! And I think I heard the distinct sound of airline tickets being booked... alas, it was not to be... yet... Here's hoping! Truly it is the "Lord God" bird!

[Bird Crazy]

I remember when they announced that they had sited an Ivory Billed Woodpecker, I had gone to the Wilderness Center and was walking the trails. I came to a rest spot out in the middle of the woods and took a break. (I talk to God out in the woods.) But I said I may never see one God but Thank you for letting them not be extinct". The next thing I knew there was a Pileated woodpecker out of nowhere it was like God said "Your Welcome how about this one instead." Now up until this time I had only ever seen one close up. Since then I have seen them quite frequently. Strange but true. I always want to cry when I read about these guys. Years ago there was a show where they showed filmed footage from the 30's I think of an Ivory Billed then they showed two that were preserved in the Smithsonian I blubbered like a baby. There is just something about these guys that gets to me "the Lord God bird" very fitting.

So I think they are out there somewhere, I truly want to believe they are out there.

What I don't understand is in the article they had proof the bird was in those woods but they logged them anyway. Makes me want to go into the past and put a hurt on those fools.

[MAK]

    That was really nice BC. Thank you so much for sharing!   

[Bobbie Ireland]

Good one, BC. I too would accept the Pileated as a good one to have in the meantime..