h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

As most of my friends know, I wake up to NPR in the morning. Usually, I don't get up until I hear some good news, which these days takes a while.

This morning, I shot out of bed after this story:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4622633

I put my dressing gown on backwards, and pulled my bird book off of the disorganized bookshelf. I pawed through the extinct birds section, frantically trying to find the Ivory Billed Woodpecker entry. I found the page, and circled Arkansas with a black pen, and crossed out the last line in the entry, beccause extinction had nod claimed these birds.

I replaced it with the word "Alive."

How exciting! And what a wonderful-looking bird!

David

I thought you'd have been mad about the book!

Woohoo

*Dances*

Woohoo

Traveller in Time wading through the mud
"Any chance they are going to expand their habitat ? "

It wouldn't surprise me if there was a push to, this little guy has gotten quite a posthumous following. It would take years of concerted effort to expand their habitat, but a good program could do it.

I urge everyone reading this to donate to the Nature Conservancy, on whose land this was found!

This is such great news! Even I'm excited, and I have a bird phobia!

Woohooo and huzzar


theres life in old woody yet

hey ya'all I'm-ah wonder'in if the dan'g bird ain't gone and got himself a mate!

My brother and sister in laws here in toldo are heavy in to birds and their salvation. I will see they get a copy of this. They are part of a team working the Oak Openings region in trying to resecutate (sp?)BlueBirds.

Thanks for sharing this wonderful piece of news.

Hi, Scan,

What wonderful news. Thanks so much for the link. A photograph of a live bird would be the icing on the cake, but I am sure that will come.

Let's hope there is more than one, and of the right genders. There have been one or two discoveries of previously believed extinct animals over the past few years which is good news.

There is so much work going on to try and re-establish highly endangered birds like the Whooping Crane that it is very encouraging.

Take a look at this link to find out more good news:

http://www.operationmigration.org/Field_Journal.html

Operation Migration has introduced 45 captive bred birds to their age old migration route in the last four years, and another 24 birds are hoped for this year. You will see that four new chicks have already hatched. These are the first to use this migration route for 100 years, the migrating flock having died out about then.

Websailor

It is so promising when you see reversals of man's distruction. It seems I remember a story on the Puffins being re-established on the cliffs of Eastern United States. I'll try to see if I can find it tonight. Gotta

Websailor: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/7669922/

I've heard about the cranes, also on NPR! I love NPR!

Scandrea,

There are some situations where writing in a book (as long as it's yours, and not the library copy ) is absolutely justified, and perhaps even to be encouraged.

D

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/4493825.stm

the story made it to the front page of BBC News online

I got jolted awake with that one, too*! It's great news, particularly when you hear about former endangered species which are now going to be culled again, because they made a too good a comeback (some reward, huh?). Dare I hope that there's a shy Dodo bird, or savvy Passenger Pigeon, lurking the forest, too smart to be spotted?

*I could not get by without NPR, because no where else do you hear this stuff!

Ohio, huh? I came from NE of Detroit MI originally -- sounds like your ski resorts are made of the same stuff the MI ones are! Stand on the curb, and you're on the high spot in town....

SC

It certainly made a believer out of me!

They were discussing the topic again this morning (on Day to Day, I think?), in terms of the influx of birders they are expecting, never mind that it took over a year of intensive observation by trained ornithologists to get a second sighting...

The commentator said the birders would be more likely to get a sighting of the research team!

SC

yay it's brilliant news

I live in the UK and often listen to the radio into the small hours. They have loads of stuff about the US and last night they were speaking on the phone to one of the wildlife guys in Arkansas and he was telling the story about it's discovery. I got really gripped by it and his wonderful description of a bird I'd never heard of before. Now I've seen the pic thanks to your link, it really is beautiful. The guy was quite upbeat as well, saying how they've got more and more land conserved for its habitat.

It's really heart warming to hear stories like this.

Just goes to show what can happen if we leave well enough alone.
(referring to our intrusion, not conservationism)