Search for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker - Special Note

[Birdzilla]

The new search season for the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has started. Part of the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's search team has been on the ground in Arkansas for a month and the first of this year's volunteers start their training Dec. 5.

In addition to Birdzilla, I am the editor of the Lab's All About Birds Web site. I'll be in Arkansas Dec. 5 - 13th reporting on the efforts of the search team, and doing a little searching myself.

Visit the sites below to keep up with the latest news, and check back to this posting for special reports to Dirt Doctor members.

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/programs/AllAboutBirds/

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory

[Tony M]

thanks for the update, I'll be watching and waiting.
Tony M

[Birdzilla]

My first visit to the Big Woods of eastern Arkansas in search of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker was a big success in every way but one, I did not find the bird. I met some really great birders who volunteered to give up 2 weeks of their own time, and at their own expense, to help in the search.

Notes from my visit can be found on the Cornell Lab of Ornithology's ivory-bill web site:

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory/field/from_field_html/sc1

http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory/field/from_field_html/report2

If any birders are thinking about making the trip to Arkanses to look for the bird, here are a few quick tips.

Where to stay: Mallard Point Lodge in Brinkley, Arkansas (lots of other hotels in the area, including the Ivory-bill Inn.)

Where to eat: Get the Ivory-bill cheeseburger at Gene's Bar-B-Que.

Where to look: Canoe or kayak, if you can, the area above and below Bayou de View, about 10 minutes outside of Brinkley. Otherwise hike in to a wide point in the stream and sit quitely. The leaves make it too noisy to walk in this area, at least until later in the year.

When to go: Now until the leaves come out in the spring.

The birding in the area is great. You can get 8 species of woodpeckers in the Big Woods, the only tough one is the ivory-bill.