SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Saturday, March 15,
2008
LIFTOFF 9:00 a.m. to
10:30
a.m. (approximate Mt Daylight Savings Time)
One
mile east of
Eckert (Highway 65) on North
Road
at Fruitgrowers Reservoir.
Black Canyon Audubon Society
(www.blackcanyonaudubon.org)
will host a Sandhill Crane “Liftoff”.
Please
meet on the east side of the Fruitgrowers Reservoir from 8:00
a.m. to
10:00 a.m. to observe Sandhill cranes and other Water
birds. BCAS
members and others will share their knowledge and scopes with those who
come
for the experience. If you do not want to miss the takeoff,
we
strongly
recommend that you arrive at the Reservoir before 9
a.m.
MORNING
PRESENTATION 11:00
a.m.
A
New Colorado
Birding Trail for Southwest Colorado.
Jennifer Kleffner is
Colorado Division of Wildlife Watchable Coordinator for the
Southwest Region. The Colorado Birding Trail is a major
ecotourism initiative to promote wildlife recreation, conservation of
natural resources by private landowners and a diversified income for
rural economies. The Birding Trail links outdoor recreation sites, both
public and private, into a network of loops where visitors can observe
birds and other wildlife, often in addition to archaeological and
paleontological treasures.
Jennifer is CDOW coordinator for a new Birding Trail in the South
Region. There are currently 229 public sites in 18 counties
nominated for the Southwest region.
Rocky Mountain Bird
Observatory
and Colorado Field Ornithologists will evaluate these and other sites
to identify what will be included on the Southwest portion of The
Birding Trail.
(The
program will start at 11:00 a.m. (or
later, if the Cranes are late taking off) at Surface
Creek Winery
& Gallery, 12983 Highway 65, Eckert, Colorado. )
AFTERNOON PRESENTATION
2:00 p.m.
Cranes of Colorado,
Cranes of the World
Evelyn Horn, a
Colorado
native and retired elementary teacher, has lived in Eckert with her
husband,
Allen, for over fifteen years. Their home is about half a mile from
Fruitgrowers Reservoir or Hart's Basin.
Since first
experiencing the cranes' migration, she has been enamored with these
majestic
birds, and has been their volunteer monitor since 1995. Her love of
cranes lead
her to make a two-week trip to the International Crane Foundation (ICF)
in
Baraboo,
Wisconsin
to see all fifteen species of the world's cranes. Evelyn will share
some of
those experiences during her presentation at Eckert Crane Days.
She has
conducted numerous seminars on Cranes, native plants and wildflowers;
prepared
brochures and led interpretive walks for various agencies and civic
groups.
Her columns appear in the
Delta County Independent and
in
The Fence
Post in conjunction with the photographer Ellie Tunget.
.
Her first
book,
Following the Sandhill Cranes in Colorado; Enticed into
Birding is
available at bookstores and at the Surface Creek Winery &
Gallery. Her
second book is
Still
Following the
Feathered and the Flowered; Quiet Adventures in the Realm of Birds and
Flowers.
Both will be available on Eckert Crane Days, March
15th
and 22nd.
(The
afternoon program will start at 2:00 p.m. at Surface Creek Winery
& Gallery, 12983 Highway 65, Eckert, Colorado.)
AFTERNOON
LANDING OF CRANES AT FRUITGROWERS RESERVOIR 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
until Dusk
The
next wave of
migrating Sandhill Crane typically land at the Reservoir from 3.30 to
dusk.
Watching the Cranes land is a much different experience than watching
them take
off in the morning! (Black
Canyon Audubon
Society
members will be available the next morning (Sunday) 8:30-10:00 a.m., if
a
sufficient number of cranes land Saturday afternoon.)
* * * * * * * * * * *
* * * *
Saturday,
March 22, 2008
LIFTOFF 9:00 a.m. to
10:30
a.m. (approximate Mt Daylight Savings Time)
One
mile east of
Eckert (Highway 65) on North
Road
at Fruitgrowers Reservoir.
Black Canyon Audubon Society
(www.blackcanyonaudubon.org)
will host a Sandhill Crane “Liftoff”.
Please
meet on the east side of the Fruitgrowers Reservoir from 8:00AM to
10:00AM to
observe Sandhill cranes and other Water birds. BCAS members
and others
will share their knowledge and scopes with those who come for the
experience.
If you do not want to miss the takeoff, we strongly recommend that you
arrive
at the Reservoir before 9:30 AM Mt Daylight Time .
Today we are offering a special theme -
The GUNNISON GROUSE
The Gunison
Grouse, long thought a variety or subspecies of the Sage Grouse, was
determined to be a distinct species only a few years ago. The
grouse, who's historic range included the area around Surface Creek, is
now in a much diminished status.
MORNING
PRESENTATION 11:00
a.m
Gunnison Grouse Biology and Behavior
Dr Jessica Young will introduce the biology and behavior of the Gunnison Grouse and how it compares with the "real" Sage Grouse. Dr. Young is Professor of Biology; Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs
at Western State College, and one of the top experts on the Gunnison
Grouse. She was one of the lead biologists who provided the
research that recognized the Gunnison Grouse as a distinct species in
2000.
(The
program will start at 11:00 a.m. (or
later, if the Cranes are late taking off) at Surface
Creek Winery
& Gallery, 12983 Highway 65, Eckert, Colorado.)
AFTERNOON PRESENTATION
2:00 p.m.
Panel Discussion: Gunnison Grouse: Science, Society and Species Conservation
This panel discussion will feature a historical and current
consideration of the social dynamics leading to the recognition
of the bird uniqueness.. The panel would include
Jessica Young,
Tom Henry retired Division of Wildlife biologist,
Joe Capodice retired BLM biologist, and
Dr.Pat McGee,
Biology professor at Western State. Tom and Joe held
key positions with the two primary governmental agencies involved
with Gunnison Grouse research and management. Pat
formed
Sisk-a-dee a non-profit organization for the conservation of the Gunnison Grouse.
You will have an unique opportunity to hear how biologists went through
the process of determining and proving a bird thought to be a variant
of one species was actually a separate species of its own..
(The
afternoon program will start at 2:00 p.m., at Surface Creek Winery
& Gallery, 12983 Highway 65, Eckert, Colorado.)
AFTERNOON
LANDING OF CRANES AT FRUITGROWERS RESERVOIR 4:30 – 5:00 p.m.
until Dusk
The
next wave of
migrating Sandhill Crane typically land at the Reservoir from 3.30 to
dusk.
Watching the Cranes land is a much different experience than watching
them take
off in the morning! (Black
Canyon Audubon
Society
members will be available the next morning (Sunday) 8:30-10:00 a.m., if
a
sufficient number of cranes land Saturday afternoon.)
ECKERT CRANE
DAYS CONCERT
featuring
SWEET SUNNY
SOUTH
Saturday,
March 22, 2008, 8:00
p.m.
Grand Mesa Distillery
(located in the old Eckert Creamery Building)
Highway 65, Eckert, Colorado
Tickets are $20.00 each and are available at
Surface Creek Winery & Gallery
12983 Highway 65
Eckert, Colorado
970-835-9463
SEE
OUR LODGING PAGE FOR OVERNIGHT ACCOMODATIONS IN THE AREA.
