BigBendFishing.Net

While kayaking in the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge on Feb. 11, 2004, Gene Sparling of Hot Springs, Ark., saw an unusually large, red-crested woodpecker fly toward him and land on a nearby tree. He noticed several field marks suggesting the bird was an ivory-billed woodpecker.

If you are a professional biologist (as I am), or an amateur biologist, naturalist, or outdoorsperson of any stripe, I hope you are at least a little bit thrilled about the discovery of the ivory-billed woodpecker in Arkansas. And the discovery was made originally by a kayaker! This is one of those once-in-a-lifetime events for biologists and naturalists that gives me new hope that our efforts in habitat preservation and conservation around the U.S. (and the world) are paying off. There is even the possibility (although extremely remote) that the birds may still be in our area based on a sighting by my late colleague Henry Stevenson and Richard West back in 1950 on the Chipola. There have also been some recent sightings in Louisiana, although they have not been confirmed with photographic evidence.

Hope the many thousands of birders from around the world who are making airline reservations to fly to Arkansas as we speak watch their step and mind their manners...