Ivory-Billed Woodpecker Refined Search Techniques for 2021 (1 Viewer)

[Deb Burhinus]

Just make sure that the sign says to get the money you have to lead a researcher to a living bird and it would probably be fine.

I was referring to the black market economy and money gained from illicit sources not someone trying to claim a reward for a dead bird obviously 🙄

 

[pileated canada bull]

I wonder whether, given the prevalence of hunters or generally gun totin’ individuals, in the search areas, plastering notices around swamp areas offering a reward is a good idea? Advertising a reward puts a monetary value on a bird species that could be interpreted as an opportunity for a bounty - we have a track record of hunting birds into extinction so I am not sure the last individuals of any species are protected from the risks that might be associated with it’s potential monetary value on the black market as a taxidermy cash cow. In the least, it could result in Pileated WO or other species being shot in mistaken identity.

Unfortunately I have to also add caution here with signs, etc. If many of the varied interests, including secretive land owners learn or perceive that the feds or state can impose this or that restriction on their asset, "complications" are inevitable.

 

[Patudo]

Still cameras with telephoto lenses are far more likely to record birds identifiably than wide area video that may well focus n the wrong thing. wide-angle video spray and pray doesn't cut it, as already evidenced.

For what it's worth, I agree with this. If the objective is to get what even the folks on ibwo.net call the "definitive photo", the most important tool for the job is going to be a serious lens (400mm at minimum, probably 500mm) paired with a weatherproof camera body with a fast frame rate, and in the hands of a user who has practiced shooting similar-sized birds until s/he can consistently get identifiable photos. One of the "believers" in the other thread likened searching for the ivory-bill to hunting, and I can agree with that - to nail it with a camera you need to have a good handle of the operating range of your gear and spend enough time shooting it so that aiming and firing it becomes second nature. That's the only way I can imagine the "definitive photo" will be taken, unless a nest is found and recording gear can be set up. Fortunately the ivory-bill isn't tiny and/or nocturnal/crepscular...

If of course you already believe, all you need is binoculars; but if the aim is to find the ivory-bill in the way that other birds thought to be extinct have been found, a photo or video showing the field marks in the original post is going to be necessary. I know for a fact that if I wanted to report a black woodpecker (the closest thing to the ivory-bill) in my area of the UK, I'd damn well need a solid photo to prove it, and that's a species that is definitely still in existence, can be found not all that far away in France, has no confusion species comparable to the pileated woodpecker. Back in 1956 a small team searching for the imperial woodpecker was able to get footage clearly showing the target species with the much less capable gear of the time. Can the same be done with today's gear? The answer has to be yes, surely, with good observers, and if the birds are there...

 

[Hauksen]

For what it's worth, I agree with this. If the objective is to get what even the folks on ibwo.net call the "definitive photo", the most important tool for the job is going to be a serious lens (400mm at minimum, probably 500mm) paired with a weatherproof camera body with a fast frame rate, and in the hands of a user who has practiced shooting similar-sized birds until s/he can consistently get identifiable photos. One of the "believers" in the other thread likened searching for the ivory-bill to hunting, and I can agree with that - to nail it with a camera you need to have a good handle of the operating range of your gear and spend enough time shooting it so that aiming and firing it becomes second nature.

I'd suggest fitting the camera with a reflex sight:

NATO/Picatinny Rail for Lens Collar by Bikecyclist

NATO/Picatinny Rail for Lens CollarAdds a NATO rail mount to your lens collar so you can mount a red dot sight to your tele lens.Fits accurately over the 38 mm wide tripod mount of the "Bigma" Sigma 50-500 mm (Sony mount). Snug fit ensures that the sight mounts with repeatable accuracy every...

www.thingiverse.com

That really helps to get the camera on target quickly.

My solution is a 3D-printed adapter combined with a target-shooting sight, but there are also dedicated camera sights available from Olympus and Nikon.

OM SYSTEM Cameras, Lenses, Audio & Binoculars

www.olympus.de

https://www.amazon.com/Nikon-VAB14201-DF-M1-Dot-Sight/dp/B07GZ97VMW

Regards,

Henning