Ivory-bill Again 20
And so the Ivory-billed Woodpecker has a new sighting. The Birder’s World Twitter feed just broke the news with this press release that a Daniel Rainsong claims to have gotten a photo in the Southern Sabine River Basin in Texas. Many birders are ignoring it until the photos are actually released. The photos “are being sequestered to protect Mr. Rainsong’s right of claim in this discovery. After Mr. Rainsong’s rights in this discovery have been established and protected, the photographs will then be released to the public.”
So it seems suspicious to have a press release before you can release the photo, does it not? It also seems suspicious that if you google the name Daniel Rainsong, you get quite a few gambling references.
Perhaps we have another Fish Crow all over again?
This guy makes Fishcrow look perfectly reasonable. Not an easy feat.
If I had photos of an Ivory-billed Woodpecker, they would be on my blog the same day.
I agree with Nate that Fishcrow has more credibility than this guy (at least until he produces convincing documentation).
….oh, I hope it’s real, I really do.
A press release and no picture? I’m sure that any “right of discovery” would be established by the photo itsel.
I think that if I had pictures of an IBWO I would probably
send them to you first with a big, fat “WTF is wrong with this pileated? He’s wicked huge and what is up with his bill?”
I posted a Craigslist ad Rainsong posted to Craigslist last month on my blog. It took over an hour to re-construct it. Interesting. http://www.twincitiesnaturalist.com/2010/01/daniel-rainsongs-craiglist-ad-about.html
More digging on the Ivory-billed story produced this from the author of the press release…
http://www.joehepperle.com/Joe/Opinion/Ibw.htm
The story is a hoax and a poor one at that.
Don–lol! Who did those press releases a 17 year old? And who is “Name Removed To Stop Inbox Overfilling.”
hahahaha
This has to be some kind of new gambling scam.
And if you haven’t gone to Kirk’s link and read the Craig’s List ad, please do!
Wow, Joe also believes Global Warming is caused by HAARP, and that not enough conjugal visits in prisons (along with dog-leash laws) are responsible for the downfall of America. Anyhow, there are a lot of red flags that say hoax but I’ll wait and see.
I bet he also drinks non shade grown coffee and never ever buys a duck stamp!
and who would post a craiglist ad for an assistant in the search? I’ll bet half the Cornell lab would jump out of their skin to do that (if they thought it was in the least bit credible).
All considered, while it seems unlikely, damn would it be cool for it to be real.
I had found Kirk’s link after I had found the author’s website. And, uhh Project Indigo??? http://tardis.wikia.com/wiki/Project_Indigo
Holy cow! Then that comment on my Facebook page about him having a TARDIS is true! Why isn’t that being reported? A TARDIS is a much bigger deal.
I’m predicting the diagnosis from the photos will be inconclusive due to low light levels caused by the spectacular flock of Passenger Pigeons…um…passing over at the time. Why does the phrase “ballon-boy-family-like-attention-whore” come to mind? The Ivory-billed Woodpecker is functionally if not physically extinct. Let’s spend our energy on saving the birds that have a chance.
Chris W has a nice write up about this on his blog:
http://swallowtailedkite.blogspot.com/2010/01/ivory-billed-woodpecker-is-latest.html
Some background on Hepperle and Rainsong at my blog:
http://bbill.blogspot.com/2010/01/facts-on-hepperle-and-rainsong.html
Strong indications that Daniel Rainsong is actually Daniel Dean Hepperle, who has a less-than-stellar history with macaws.
More of the IBWO entertainment:
http://texascryptidhunter.blogspot.com/2010/01/ivory-billed-woodpecker-re-discovered.html
Maybe this is Rainsong’s scientific consultant????
Loren Coleman — http://www.cryptomundo.com/lorencoleman/
Didn’t see this update:
http://texascryptidhunter.blogspot.com/2010/01/ivory-billed-woodpecker-photos-likely.html
Having had both the pleasure to work as an LSU wildlife intern in Sabine, and to study ornithology with Dr. Remsen, I’m positive this is a hoax. However, all of you are invited to come birding in the Atchafalaya Basin with me, where the last REAL sighting of an Ivory Bill was!
Someone on another blog mentioned that a stuffed female ivory-bill went missing from Iowa State years back and this person is from/lived in the area. Hmm…