Talk about your helicopter parents

The Great IBWO Hunt is on. I'm as excited as the next amateur ornithologist over the fact that there might still be ivory-billed woodpeckers, especially since there might even be some right here in the Florida panhandle. I'm all for spending a handful of tax dollars helping them recover, and yes, I'd like to see pictures and videos. I'd like to know that they're still out there.

On the other hand, while I can sympathize with the zeal, flushing them out with helicopters seems counterproductive. Even sending all those biologists into the swamps in kayaks and wading boots seems too intrusive. How about we just pay to set aside and protect those areas that are likely habitat and just check back in 20 years?


update: more about the aerial survey