IVORY-BILL SEARCH: ARKANSAS SOJOURN (part 3):

DAILY ROUTINE AND DRILLS.  

1.  Rise at 0500 or 0445, go through the prep dance ("The feet mechanical
go round a wooden way" - Emily Dickinson), make lunch, gobble breakfast,
unplug whatever is being charged, make certain it's all in the waterproof
packs.  Get your gear into the right vehicle be it Cornell's or someone's
POV.  Make sure you have the key for the canoe lock plus the paddles, PFDs,
and seats.  

2.  Take off in the AM half light and drive to the launch area.  Set up
gear in the canoe and launch.  Turn on GPS, have video camera ready, cell
phone within easy reach, binoculars handy.

3.  Do your track to the blind or river course, check with your partner on
rendezvous times.  Beth did a good job mixing up the crews so we had
different partners and went to a variety of sites.  I do regret not
spending a day sharing a canoe with Bonnie but got to go with all the
others.

4.  Do the assignments:  bird point count in early A.M. and late P.M.,
cavity watch, a paddle up or downstream, do a day-long watch from a blind. 

5.  Return to launch area at last light, lock up canoe, turn off &
disassemble gear, get it all into the vehicle.  As dusk gathers into the
bottomlands there is a certain dread that also comes, especially when faced
with a choice of which watercourse to take - not always evident even in
broad daylight - it's getting darker all the time, you're tired, cold, and
hungry, but there is also exhilaration and excitement, too.

6.  Leave big boots and other bulky or dirty gear in Robinson house garage,
take other stuff inside, begin battery or cell phone recharging, shower or
bathe, touch up and fine-tune the data sheets, do entry of your data from
the day, file the data sheets, eat supper, wash dishes, hob nob, attend
meeting to review the day's events and to receive assignments for the next
day.  Turn in, finally, but usually not until 10:30 or 11:00.  

the SKY.  Clearer and cleaner than many places back East.  Orion's dagger
and the Pleiades easy to see.  Ursa Major and Stella Polaris hanging low in
the North sky looking out from the front yard of Robinson House.  "But the
stars sing an anthem of glory that I cannot put into speech." - Robert
Service.  

SIGNS OF SPRING.  Big choruses of Spring Peepers and Southern Leopard Frogs
on evenings when it is warm, clear, and calm.  The last few days the Snows
and Greater White-fronted Geese begin their great run to their Arctic
breeding grounds.  Some patches of daffodils out.  Maples budding with bees
in attendance on some warm days.  Hawthorns blooming along roadsides. 
Extensive beds of dark purple flowers in the fields; don't know their name;
we have them back East.  Loads of turtles sunning.  Fish jumping.  No
snakes though.  A few butterflies.   

ON THE TREES.  The lower parts of swamp trees, especially Tupelos, have
rich growths of moss.  Lichens cover much of the rest.  Growing in random
clumps, rather sparsely distributed, are attractive batches of Resurrection
Fern, sometimes low near the ground, sometimes 80 or more feet up.

ARKANSAS NIGHT LIFE.  Not an oxymoron.  Robinson House, being near I-40,
attracts various visiting firepersons.  One evening, T. Lynn Scarlett, the
Assistant Secretary of the Interior, comes to the house; she is impressive
and sympatico.  So do various folk from The Nature Conservancy (national
headquarters), the Arkansas conservancy, and the Cornell Lab (in addition
to those already posted to this area).  Ron Rohrbaugh, Project Director,
and Elliott Swarthout, Field Supervisor, were both there.  We were treated
to their PowerPoint presentation and were able to introduce ourselves, say
a few words about ourselves in front of the distinguished visitors.  

Scarlett spoke at the festival on Friday.  As reported locally "President
Bush is pushing for another two million dollars in the 2007 budget to help
save the bird."   cf:  http://www.kthv.com/news/news.aspx?storyid=24248

One evening Gene Sparling, who made the original IBWO sighting, comes to
visit.  For a few days several of the White River N.W.R. crew stayed with
us, including Jeremy Russell, Sarah Warner, Jimmy McMorran et al.  These
young folks are all hard-working, enthusiastic, intelligent, attractive,
and sharp.  In addition, they are courteous and respectful; they act as if
WE have the stories to tell even though they've been on the ground in
Arkansas for several months already.  

At the Call of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker Celebration (i.e., festival) in
Brinkley most of us went to the banquet on Sat., Feb. 25.  All of the main
people involved with the re-discovery gave presentations, including Martjan
Lammertink (Science Advisor), Jamie Hill (video team leader), Tim Gallagher
(author of the book that relates all the recent events, "the Grail bird", a
great read), Bobby Harrison, Gene Sparling (who made the original
sighting), and David Luneau (who secured the video), and we got to see
Elliott's presentation again and eat some unforgettable (read into that
anything you want to) chicken.   

BLACKBIRDS.  This is blackbird country.  Big flocks everywhere in yards,
fields, and woodlands.  Especially Red-winged Blackbirds and Common
Grackles.  Huge evening roost right in front of the Convention Center in
Brinkley.  Brewer's Blackbirds not uncommon.  Didn't see many cowbirds.  No
rusties.

COINCIDENCE.  It's frequent in the birding world.  Talking with Jimmy
McMorran, it turns out he knows our friend, Brian Sullivan well, from San
Clemente Island, and also my old Delaware Big Day colleague, Jesse
Grantham.  After the festival Sam Crowe, editor of the Cornell Lab's "All
about birds", gives Bob and me a lift back to Robinson House.  In the
passenger seat is Bob Lanier from NE Texas, who Carl Perry and I had shown
around Philadelphia and Brigantine N.W.R. over 20 years ago.  At my family
dinner on March 6, my son, George, revealed he had also shown Bob around
some of these areas, about 10 years ago.  

COMFORT.  On several days I became temporarily cold enough to shiver, but
only 1-3 times each of those days.  My new, expensive chest waders kept
everything from my waist on down snug and warm.  The few times I got cold
it was my upper body that was affected; usually if I have a problem in the
past its going to be my hands and/or feet.  However, on  Friday, March 3 I
underdress.  After several motionless hours on the stand then, I dismount
and lean against a huge oak on its sunny (and lee) side and am fine for the
rest of the day.  There was much talk before we went about how hard it is
to stay warm.  With this in mind I purchased various chemical foot and hand
heat packs but didn't use them.  If we had been there in December or
January perhaps I would have.  What I have heard is that, placed inside of
gloves and boots, they do not receive enough oxygen to work very well. 

ABERRANT PILEATED WOODPECKER.  We were treated to photographs of a striking
bird, almost entirely white (95%).  cf.: 
http://www.birds.cornell.edu/ivory/field/from_field_html/whitePIWO  
I have heard of there being other leucistic PIWOs but not seen any
documentary evidence for them.

8-HOLER.  Some of the big cypresses have multiple woodpecker cavities,
often within a few feet of each other.  These look like Red-bellied-sized
holes, seem old, with tree bark having started to grow around the holes
(healing process?).  One big cypress, which I photographed, had 8 holes
within 15 vertical feet.  

Some ARKANSAS DIFFERENCEs as opposed to the birds back home in the Middle
Atlantic region.  Loggerhead Shrikes are common.  So are Ross's & Greater
White-fronted Geese but Canada Geese are not.  Brewer's Blackbirds are easy
to find.  Hardly ever see longspurs back East but we had 40 or so of 2
species at the Stuttgart airport.  No American Black Ducks.  Red-tailed
Hawks are everywhere.  But most everything else is about the same. 
However, we had very limited time to bird except in the bottomlands.  It is
nice to be back in country where there are Phillips 66 stations.  It is
also nice to see an old friend, Baccharis halimifolia bushes.  I knew they
grew in Oklahoma but was surprised to see some in eastern Arkansas (on the
way in to Blue Hole, on the way to the Stuttgart airport, and a few other
places).  

DAILY BREAD.  My usual breakfast of Frosted Mini-wheats and Clusters with a
banana.  For lunch PB&J.  In between, variously, male Hershey bars,
raisins, Toast Chee crackers, Slim Jims, water, canned iced tea, an apple,
canned (ugh!) chicken (presumably), and pepperoni.  For din-dins Marty's
slow cookery (shrimp, rice, hot sausage, beef, various other entrees) plus,
always, a salad.  I avoided coffee except on days off.

HEALTH.  Afterwards my legs, arms, back, and shoulders felt great from the
moderate exercise.  One day my right forearm, the side I favor while
canoe-hauling, felt strained and slightly uncomfortable, but on the morrow
was fine.  No need for pain killers for muscle or back discomfort.  My
sinuses were good; didn't take a single decongestant the way I do regularly
back East, but did use Ocean nasal saline spray.  Only one nose bleed.  GI
tract?: steady as she goes.  Only went in the woods once.  A metal coffee
can with plastic lid keeps your roll dry and well-formed until the big
moment arrives, also prevents lint from getting over whatever else is in
your sack of supplies.  At home I have to get up once or twice at night. 
Here that became once or not at all.  A couple of times each week I have
flashing lights in an arc at the top perpiphery of my vision.  For these
and general eye health my optometrist has suggested Bausch & Lomb's Ocuvite
PreserVision, essentially a big OTC vitamin pill with lots of A, C & E,
copper and zinc.  In Arkansas I did not have these flashes.  Normally
wearing big rubber boots all day lays me open to occasional muscle spasms
in my legs.  This only happens once here, perhaps the bananas helped, and
goes away immediately when I stretch my leg.   Lost some weight in spite of
eating a lot, able to take in the belt a notch to its smallest setting. 
Some of us develop very dry hands, to the point of the skin splitting,
probably due to exposure to the very muddy water.  Lack of sleep led to
occasional, fitful naps while on the stands, esp. if in the sun.  Advent of
new bird or animal or other noise always seemed to wake me up under such
circumstances. 

MISHAPS.  Not aware of any.  I didn't get wet or damage any of the
equipment to my knowledge.

FINAL THOUGHTS.  The routines for us volunteers could be simplified without
compromising the mission.  Faced with the data entry protocols one evening
one of us, a sophisticated person, said "Gosh, this seems awfully klunky." 
The checkout sheet lists 36 things to do before leaving.  As far as the
skeptics are concerned, many of their issues are valid ones, yet there is
an aspect of some of them that reminds me of Kenneth Starr or Javert.  The
search effort is impressive: a big crew at vast White River plus the field
work within a 20km radius in the Bayou de View area.  I hope an
unmistakable video or photograph is secured soon.  But otherwise I will
still believe the IBWOs are there.  There is something to be said for
"faith-based ornithology."  Two improvements that might be considered are
to have kayak type paddles, which would help for the frequent times when
someone is solo in a canoe, and to bang a few big nails in the trees
supporting the blinds from which to hang things.  

LIMITED LARGESSE.  I don't know about you but I'm going to mail some
contributions soon both to The Nature Conservancy and the Cornell
Laboratory of Ornithology.

THANKS to passengers Gordon & Bob for kicking in for gas, lodging, and
food.  Gordon laid on the wine and whiskey at Robinson House and also left
me his Walmart vest.  I actually made very little progress on the Jim Beam
but somehow it got to be low tide there fast.  Thanks to Marty for
providing a fresh fifth.  Terry left me his case of 100 some Slim Jims,
depleted by only 10 or so.  After getting home we got nice IBWO search team
T-shirts and free membership in the Cornell Lab.   

Some relevant WRITINGS by 2 of my favorite naturalists as annotated in my
personal library catalog:

JOHN DENNIS.:  The great cypress swamps.  Louisiana State U. Pr.  1988. 
142p.  photographs by Steve Maslowski.  hb.  Another copy a gift from the
author:  "To Liz & Harry, with best wishes.  John V. Dennis, Oct. 7, '01". 
ag.  the SOUTHEAST.  Dedicated to our mutual friend, Gary Williamson.  

M. BROOKE MEANLEY:  Blackbirds and the southern rice crop.  USDI, F&WS,
BSF&W (resource publication 100).  1971.  64p.  pb.  gift of the author. 
$0.35.  BLACKBIRDS. 

____.  Natural history of the King Rail.  USDI, BSFW(North American fauna
67).  1969.  108p.  pb.  inscribed: "Inscribed for my good friend Van, with
fond memories of east Arkansas days. Brooke Meanley."  2nd c. @ R.F. 
RAILS.

____.  Notes on southern marshes, swamps, and pineywoods.  pa.  2001.  84p.
 pb.  gift of the author.  the SOUTHEAST.

____.  Swamps, river bottoms and canebrakes.  Barre Publ.  1972.  142p. 
hb.  the SOUTHEAST.    

Best to all.-Harry Armistead, 523 E. Durham St., Philadelphia, PA
19119-1225.  215-248-4120.  Secondary address: 25124 W. Ferry Neck Rd.,
Royal Oak, MD 21662.  410-745-2764.