Ivorybill Searcher's Forum: Insights and current reports (1 Viewer)

[Goatnose]

If Ivory-bills were definately KNOWN to be in a certain area, there may be harassment issues surrounding aerial searches, but for searches designed to FIND ivory-bills I don't believe it's that big an issue.

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Gosh, I think this is a great idea. The searcher never has to concern about getting mud on his boots and is back in time for dinner of course he does were the boots, appropriate searcher attire. Get off the pavement searchers, my goodness! Also, while on a roll, the IBWO did not leave Arkansas due to harassment, he left due to drought conditions and when the water trickles back in, he will return, just my opinion but swamps need water to support the niches that inhabit southern swamps e.g. IBWO.

 

[fangsheath]

Pedaling is superior to paddling I think, but my understanding is that you still have to steer by hand. On the other hand there are foot-controlled trolling motors that will completely free up your hands. I might mention that in prime areas at prime times, the water is often moving along at a considerable speed, and you may have great difficulty even maintaining position without a motor. There is a very real danger of getting swept against something and capsizing in any case. In my opinion a canoe/kayak hybrid is a better choice than a kayak. Money, money, money.

 

[Jesse Gilsdorf]

Gosh, I think this is a great idea. The searcher never has to concern about getting mud on his boots and is back in time for dinner of course he does were the boots, appropriate searcher attire.

We have enough Marlin Perkins folks now. "While Jim wrestles the 40 foot anaconda and fights off the 20 alligators nipping at his backside, I'll sit here in the helicopter taking pictures. Hurry up, Jim, get that picture of the ivory bill. Is breathing really that important? " Old joke. Marlin Perkins did a heck of a lot for zoology.

However, for all of those that sit back and snipe all day long, boy this sure does fit the bill.

 

[fishcrow]

There has been a lot of discussion of foraging sign here but not so much on cavities. I was excited about the cavity that we found in the Pearl last week, but then I noticed that it might be associated with a knot or a broken branch. I just spent some time studying the cavities that have been found in Florida and noticed that some of them appear to be associated with knots or broken branches. I'm not sure what to make of such cavities. How can you tell if they were created by a woodpecker or if they formed when a branch broke off and exposed a hollow interior? When looking for cavities, I have always ignored everything except regularly shaped holes on flat parts of the trunk. Have I been too restrictive?

 

[fangsheath]

I have also noted such knot cavities, Mike, particularly in old cypresses. If there are indications of fresh gouge marks around the entrance I would tend to give them more emphasis, but if not I tend to ignore them. Often they are only a subset of all the large cavities on a given tree, so in terms of monitoring cavities the problem often takes care of itself.

 

[gws]

There has been a lot of discussion of foraging sign here but not so much on cavities. I was excited about the cavity that we found in the Pearl last week, but then I noticed that it might be associated with a knot or a broken branch. I just spent some time studying the cavities that have been found in Florida and noticed that some of them appear to be associated with knots or broken branches. I'm not sure what to make of such cavities. How can you tell if they were created by a woodpecker or if they formed when a branch broke off and exposed a hollow interior? When looking for cavities, I have always ignored everything except regularly shaped holes on flat parts of the trunk. Have I been too restrictive?

Probably best off being restrictive in the interest of maximizing your study time, would be my thought.

FWIW, I can say quite a few of those old baldcypress are quite often hollow way up in the tree due to the pecky cypress fungus. I'm not positive, but I think that fungus usually starts up in the tree and works its way down. As branches break off all kinds of holes can develop. Quite often you can have a huge tree supported by only 4 inches of sapwood exterior with a large portion of the heartwood interior mostly gone. (which is what saved some of these magnificient old trees from the loggers in the first place)

 

[fishcrow]

We found some interesting foraging sign to the east of the Pearl, where we had the sighting a few days ago. I have never seen anything like this before.

 

[Jesse Gilsdorf]

Just a guess, but mightn't there be less insects in the swamps when there are lower water levels? And an insectivore mightn't find as much food under those conditions, even one that is a bit more omnivoric than first thought?


I also wonder about the amount of water this bird needs given scalings and sightings close to the water line. Also, as was pointed out earlier as water rises insects move up the tree to avoid drowning, but in so doing become easier prey.

 

[Jesse Gilsdorf]

We found some interesting foraging sign to the east of the Pearl, where we had the sighting a few days ago. I have never seen anything like this before.

Mike:

Any chance of obtaining:

A. Tree type

B. depth of scaling, any wood removed or just bark?

C. A closer photo. I can't blow it up enough to get good detail. Any gouges in the wood?

D. any beetle trails;

E. any sign of fungus, rust, or other disease that might cause peelings;


I know, the bird probably scaled 20 feet up in the air just to make it easy.

Thanks if you consider any of it.

Jesse

 

[gws]

We found some interesting foraging sign to the east of the Pearl, where we had the sighting a few days ago. I have never seen anything like this before.

That tree might have been lightning struck, and the bark is all loosening as the tree starts the decaying process.

 

[Snowy1]

We found some interesting foraging sign to the east of the Pearl, where we had the sighting a few days ago. I have never seen anything like this before.

Mike,

Regarding the scaling: My initial thought was the same as gws's, that is something may have killed the tree and the bark is falling off; do you know if the remaining bark is tight? It's the pattern that seems too mechanical.

Regarding cavities: It can be difficult to tell if a broken branch is responsible. Take this example from the White River that had me fooled at first (so much so that I returned the following morning before daybreak to monitor). After reviewing with Martjan, the cavity was dismissed. He had this to say: "The cavity seems a ripped out branch with some woodpecker foraging work, or mammal cavity enlarging work, at the rim." I have attached the photos (same cavity in both shots)

You raise an important point though. It will always be difficult to be 100% certain.

 

[fishcrow]

Here's a joint reply to the questions above...

I will try to get better photos the next time I return to that area. It definitely appears to be scaling of relatively tight bark. There are beetle larva bore holes everywhere that the bark has been scaled. To me, this seems similar to the type of scaling that has been found in Florida. There are several trees in that area with similar scaling. Some of it appears to have been done very recently.

The cavity that we found seems to be of the right size, and the clean and symmetrical shape gives me the impression that it was formed by a woodpecker. I would expect a hole formed by a broken branch to appear jagged. On the other hand, parts of the tree broke off immediately above the cavity, and the surface doesn't appear to be perfectly flat near the cavity. Another factor is that the cavity is clearly old.

 

[olivacea]

Mike:

Any chance of obtaining:

A. Tree type

It would appear to be a Slash Pine to my eye, as are the other larger trees in the picture. It is interesting that no hardwood tree in the picture seems to be >12 inches DBH. Perfect IBWO habitat!

Later...

 

[fangsheath]

Apparently Dr. Hill and Dr. Mennill presented their results today at the AOU meeting. Other than noting that in the coming season they are striving for a short turn-around time on analyzing sound recordings, reportedly no info was presented that is not already on their web sites. I wish them all the best in their quest. Another presentation specifically on double-knocks is apparently scheduled but I don't know what day it will be.

Correction: It seems that there will be another presentation on the Florida research tomorrow at 12:45. I presume this is the talk about double-knocks.

http://www.birderblog.com/index.php

 

[olivacea]

Apparently Dr. Hill and Dr. Mennill presented their results today at the AOU meeting.]

=Nothing new, no irrufutable evidence.

And yes, Mike Collins, aka Cinclodes, has exposed me.

How about you drop the Cinclodes label?

Naw! Not holding my breath on that...

Noel Wamer
12151 Calais Street
Jacksonville, FL 32215

904-566-7514

 

[olivacea]

Just a guess, but mightn't there be less insects in the swamps when there are lower water levels? And an insectivore mightn't find as much food under those conditions, even one that is a bit more omnivoric than first thought?

Jesse,

This has to be some of the most tortuous prose I've ever read from an attorney.

Omnivoric? Yes. It eats everything. Bring in the dogs, cats, and insects...

Later...
NW

 

[curunir]

Query

=Nothing new, no irrufutable evidence.

And yes, Mike Collins, aka Cinclodes, has exposed me.

How about you drop the Cinclodes label?

Naw! Not holding my breath on that...

Noel Wamer
12151 Calais Street
Jacksonville, FL 32215

904-566-7514

Why does anybody care who you really are?

 

[olivacea]

True indentities

Why does anybody care who you really are?

curunir, curunir,

Is that you? I am unable to locate anyone with that name, first or last, in California...

Later...Bud!

Noel Wamer

 

[Snowy1]

With that many double-raps recorded, I'm very anxious to hear more commentary from the Auburn group. I have not seen/heard a reasonable alternative that would explain that many sounds other than IBWO. Good work guys - we're all waiting for more.

 

[Jesse Gilsdorf]

Apparently Dr. Hill and Dr. Mennill presented their results today at the AOU meeting. Other than noting that in the coming season they are striving for a short turn-around time on analyzing sound recordings, reportedly no info was presented that is not already on their web sites. I wish them all the best in their quest. Another presentation specifically on double-knocks is apparently scheduled but I don't know what day it will be.

Correction: It seems that there will be another presentation on the Florida research tomorrow at 12:45. I presume this is the talk about double-knocks.

http://www.birderblog.com/index.php

Thanks for the updates:

I still find nothing on the FWS recovery plan. Even emailed the black hole in Arkansas without results. Anybody else find out anything?

Jesse