This is not one of the several areas that Bill Smith indicated---his purported sites were all in the peninsula of Florida--Peace River, Hillsborough River, and up to the Suwanee River.
I find the information from Hill, et.al. compelling. Predictions: 1) Hill will do the basic research in the next few years clearly documenting a small population of IBWO in the area; 2) Birders will start showing up there in the next few months (including me)---the area is large and apparently has very little birding pressure, and is not very well-known even among canoeists--although it is one of the best long-distance canoe trips in the SE; 3) Photos will eventually be taken, most likely of IBWO in flight. 4) After the photos, MANY more birders will show up--even from UK. 5) Cries to preserve the nesting areas/exclude hunters will come from some...........hopefully this will not piss off the turkey hunters, deer/pig hunters and squirrel hunters, who have been using this public area for decades.
I hope someone in nw Florida makes the effort to start reaching out to the hunting community now, and to encourage them that the presence of these birds will not endanger their hunting priviledges on state land in the area. Apparently the Florida Commission of Game and Fish has refused to close even Hill's 2 sq. km. study area. This is, in my opinion, a good thing.
Meanwhile, following Hill's suggestion, somebody who lives down there should start getting out on the Escambia and the Yellow and, of course, the Apalachicola, and finding out where else these birds are persisting. Looking in tornado/hurricane areas (note Hill says these birds are hanging out around a tornado-damaged forest tract) within these bottomlands is intriguing (a la Choupique). See you in the swamp.