From the April press conference

I just watched all the videos from the April 28, 2005 Washington press conference where the "Ivory-bill rediscovery" was announced.

Jubilant, well-dressed VIPs are everywhere. The words "spectacular", "symbol", and "hero" are used many times. There's a lot of self-congratulation from many different parties, who speak at a podium in front of the American flag. (I was constantly reminded of the saying "Success has many fathers, but failure is an orphan").

Could this really all be a mistake?!

Unfortunately, yes.

I thought these videos were the most interesting:

John Fitzpatrick, Director of the Cornell Lab
He seems to relish pointing out that the Ivory-bill wasn't even included in the Sibley Guide.

Katrina Kelner, Editor at Science Magazine
Kelner mentions the peer review and stresses the video evidence, and says that the evidence "convinced even the most skeptical of experts". She says Cornell's paper is one "...we'll all remember for a long time". In this 2003 article, I found some criticism of peer review at Science.

Q-and-A session
Fitzpatrick says that the chances are "vanishingly small" that Gene Sparling's "ivory-bill" was the last one on earth.

Gale Norton, Secretary of the Interior
One of the first things she says is that "...Department of the Interior scientists have also looked at the information, and they are likewise enthusiastic that we have actually spotted an Ivory-billed Woodpecker".