NEWS
RELEASE
March 6, 2013
Birds of Prey Take Center Stage This Saturday at
Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center
Wood River, Neb–Hawks,
falcons, vultures, and owls, oh, my! These amazing birds of prey that ply the
Nebraska skies will star in a special live presentation this Saturday, March 9,
at the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center. The presentation, titled “Nebraska
Raptors”, will start at 11:00 a.m. and wrap up around 12:30 p.m.
As part of the Crane
Trust’s month-long “Wild About Nebraska” speaker and event series, the raptor program
is open to the public, free of charge, and promises a rare, up-close experience
for adults, families, and children of all ages.
Blake Hatfield of Raptor Recovery Nebraska will lead the program and demonstrate with live birds how
these incredible hunters of the sky have adapted to become a vital part of the
Nebraska landscape. Each has it’s place in the environment, and Blake will
bring a live hawk, falcon vulture and owl from the program to demonstrate how
well equipped they are to take their place near the top of the food chain.
The month-long Wild
About Nebraska speaker and event series is a public celebration of Nebraska’s
Great Sandhill Crane Migration, according to Crane Trust spokesman Jeff Oates,
as more than 500,000 sandhill cranes descend on the Platte River in south
central Nebraska every spring to spend 3-4 weeks, before continuing on to their
breeding grounds in the north.
“We’re particularly
excited this year to host our greatest variety of outstanding speakers and
presentations yet for the month-long event,” says Oates. “When people talk
about the ‘arts and sciences’, they’ll find both in full bloom this March at
the Crane Trust Nature & Visitor Center.”
The complete line-up of events
and upcoming speakers, dates and times are outlined below:
Sat, March 9
·
Blake
Hatfield, Nebraska Raptor Recovery Program, “Nebraska Raptors”, live bird
presentation (11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
·
Wine Tasting
(Noon-4:00p.m.)
Sat, March 16
·
Bill Frakes,
Sports Illustrated & Outdoor Photographer, “Frakes Takes—My Life in
Photography” (11:00 – Noon)
·
Rick
Rasmussen, Wildlife Photographer, “Outdoor Adventures in Photography”
(1:00-2:00p.m.)
·
Wine Tasting
(Noon-4:00p.m.)
Sun, March 17
·
Dr. Will
Locke, Hastings College, “Rocky Mountain Headwaters of the Platte River”
(2:00-3:00p.m.)
·
Dr. Bill
Beachly, Hastings College, “A Crane’s Eye View of Central Nebraska”
(3:00-4:00p.m.)
·
Wine
Tasting, Noon-4:00 p.m.
Sat, March 23
·
Bill
Wallauer, The Jane Goodall Institute Videographer, “Chimpanzees and
Conservation” (11:00-Noon)
·
Jorn Olsen,
Jorn Olsen Photography, “Discovering the Uncommon Beauty of Nebraska’s Plains”
& book signing (Noon-3:00 p.m.)
·
Wine Tasting
(Noon-2:00 p.m.)
Sun, March 24 1:00-5:00p.m.
·
Dr. Wade
Harrell, newly appointed Whooping Crane Recovery Coordinator with the U.S. Fish
& Wildlife Service (12:00 p.m.)
·
Dr. Barry
Hartup, International Crane Foundation Veterinarian, “Whooping Cranes in the Wild and Captivity” (1:00 p.m.)
·
Dr. Mary
Harner/Greg Wright, Crane Trust, Update on Whooping Crane Research &
Overwintering Sandhill Cranes (2:00 p.m.)
·
Dr. George
Happ, Emeritus Professor, University of Alaska-Fairbanks and Co-author of the
Sandhill Crane Display Dictionary, “Primal Dancing and the Nurturing of Young
Cranes” (3:15 p.m.)
·
Dr. Aaron
Pearse, USGS on Sandhill Cranes (4:00 p.m.)
·
Rockbrook
Camera/Video Showcase (11:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m.)
Sat, March 30
·
Blake
Hatfield, Nebraska Raptor Recovery Program, “Nebraska Raptors”, live bird
presentation (11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m.)
·
Dr. Paul
Johnsgard, UNL professor, author, ornithologist, “Winter & Early Spring
Birds of Nebraska (1:00-2:00 p.m.)
All events and
presentations are open to the public and will be held at the Crane Trust Nature& Visitor Center near Wood River in south central Nebraska, I-80 Alda Exit
305. Visitors can also browse our fine art gallery and gift shop with
Nebraska-made goods while they’re here. Guided crane tours for the public can
also be reserved online at NebraskaNature.org or by calling (308)
382-1820.
Established in 1978, the
Crane Trust is a non-profit organization dedicated to the protection and maintenance
of critical habitat for cranes and other migratory birds along the Platte River
through science, habitat management, community outreach, and education.
Crane Trust Nature
& Visitor Center / 9325 S Alda Road / Wood River, NE 68883
www.NebraskaNature.org