Spring in in the air here in Phoenix, and with it warm, comfortable outside temperatures. We’ve often got the doors open to let in the outside air.
Monday, when I was home taking care of a sick James, it was rather windy, and I kept hearing this noise. It was a very familiar knocking noise and yet at the same time, I couldn’t quite place it. I was certain it was something rattling in the wind.
Today; however, it was dead calm, but the noise was still there.
It was then that I realized what it sounded like: A woodpecker. I’ve never seen, heard or even heard of a woodpecker in Phoenix, but they’re not uncommon up in the mountains.
I went out to the back yard and there in the pecan tree was a little red-headed woodpecker, knocking away at the tree. It also seemed to be paying a lot of attention to a hole in the tree I’ve never noticed before. A nest hole perhaps?
Despite my life-long fascination with extinct dinosaurs, I’ve never cared much for our modern, avian dinosaurs – save for a few of the larger, majestic (and terrifying) birds of prey.
Nonetheless, it was kind of cool to discover something other than those damned pigeons around the house.
Full disclosure, there is no Ivory-Billed Woodpecker in my backyard because they, like non-avian dinosaurs, are extinct.
It’s not yet established whether Ivory-billed Woodpeckers are or are not extinct.
It’s not yet established whether Ivory-billed Woodpeckers are or are not extinct.
By what standard of evidence could you be convinced of their extinction?
No verifiable sightings in decades, their last known stand cut down by loggers and that horrific fiasco with Cornell (and Dept. Of Interior, if I recall correctly) jumping the gun embarrassingly.
Sure, it’s impossible to prove a negative proposition, but the late, lamented ivory-billed woodpecker has little more chance of being still alive as the dodo.
A shame, but the most probable scenario.
By what standard of evidence could you be convinced of their extinction?
No verifiable sightings in decades, their last known stand cut down by loggers and that horrific fiasco with Cornell (and Dept. Of Interior, if I recall correctly) jumping the gun embarrassingly.
Sure, it’s impossible to prove a negative proposition, but the late, lamented ivory-billed woodpecker has little more chance of being still alive as the dodo.
A shame, but the most probable scenario.
Those photographs are absolutely stunning – fantastic!
Those photographs are absolutely stunning – fantastic!