Notes from lectures given by Mary Scott in 2002

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Excerpts:

I got a call on my answering machine in late summer, Cheryl had “found the birds”. Needless to say I was stunned and beyond excited. When I talked to Bob I learned that Cheryl, a government wildlife professional, had contacted an “animal communicator” and asked for help. The woman she contacted was the horse whisperer for the British and US Olympic equestrian teams. She had made an effort, and had “made contact” with a group of ivorybills. She would do so several times over the next 6 months. And, dealing with an expedition team that was a collection of believers and skeptics, it was interesting that most took her advice to heart. The birds didn’t like a lot of bug spray. They despised hunters and didn’t like camo clothing. They were in an area with Great Blue Herons and hanging moss. This bit of the story would continue to develop.
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My greatest contribution to the groups’ preparations was the promise of the expedition t-shirt. “I Want to Believe”, which I made up for each member of the group. Yep, I’d been an early X-Files follower, and the saying was borrowed. But it was accurate. I did want to believe. But I didn’t believe. I just thought the whole thing was a fabulous lark. Searching for an extinct bird in the backyard of my Pearl River hut. I had left corporate America in June of 1999 with enough money to go birding America for a couple of years. This was a welcome adventure.