The NINTH ANNUAL
ECKERT CRANE DAYS
Saturday, March 20 and Saturday, March 27, 2010
Presented by Surface Creek Winery & Gallery
and Co-Sponsored by The Black Canyon Chapter
of the Audubon Society.
LIMITED
EDITION 9TH ANNUAL ECKERT CRANE DAYS POSTERS, SIGNED &
NUMBERED BY THE ARTIST, DALE RUSSELL SMITH, ARE NOW AVAILABLE AT SURFACE CREEK WINERY & GALLERY.
PLEASE NOTE:
THERE IS ALWAYS UNCERTAINTY WHEN PREDICTING WILDLIFE BEHAVIOR. IF THIS
SPRING'S WEATHER WARNS UP IN A HURRY, MANY CRANES MAY PASS THROUGH BEFORE OUR FIRST
OFFICIAL PROGRAMS ON MARCH 20th. PLEASE CHECK OUR CRANE COUNTS
PAGE TO SEE HOW THE MIGRATION IS ACTUALLY PROGRESSING.
SCHEDULE OF EVENTS
Friday, March 19, 2010
NEW THIS YEAR!!!
WINEMAKER DINNER
The Eckert Crane Days Winemaker Dinner is scheduled for 7:00 p.m., Friday, March 19, at Surface Creek Winery's Tasting Room. The four course meal, plus appetizers,
will feature the culinary skills of Chef Nancy Gore. The price is
$60.00 per person. Seating is limited and reservations are
required. Call 970-835-9463 for additional information and
reservations.
Eckert Crane Days
Winemaker Dinner
March 19, 2010
Menu
Appetizers
Assorted Surface
Creek Wines
Chilled Apple Soup
Surface Creek Dry
Reisling
Arugula with Pink
Grapefruit Slices
Surface Creek Dry
Gewurztraminer
Glazed Cornish Game
Hens with Wild & Brown Rice Pilaf
Surface Creek Non-Oaked
Merlot
Chocolate Truffles
with Mascarpone Quenelles & Cherry Wine Reduction
Surface Creek Cerise
Gourmet Coffee
Saturday, March 20, 2010
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
9:00
a.m.
MORNING PRESENTATION 11:00 a.m.
Jim Gammonley
Waterfowl, Habitat and Water Resources
Jim Gammonley is the Avian Research Program Leader for the Colorado Division of Wildlife.
He will put the water into waterfowl by exploring
important water issues affecting waterfowl and their habitat We
are very fortunate to have someone in Jim's position to talk with us today!
(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.
John Koshak
Birding Means Business
John Koshak, Watchable Wildlife
Coordinator for the Colorado Division of Wildlife, will present “Birding Means Business”, a program about
wildlife recreation in Colorado and the positive economic impacts to the state,
regional and local economy provided by these activities. Birdwatching,
wildlife viewing, wildlife festivals, scenic byways, hunting and fishing will
all be discussed, including information for those interested in attracting more
wildlife tourists to their businesses or communities. Additionally, the
new Southwest Colorado Birding Trail will be introduced and discussed.
AFTERNOON LANDING OF CRANES AT FRUITGROWERS RESERVOIR 4:30 – 5:00 p.m. until Dusk
The next wave of migrating Sandhill Cranes 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 27, 2010
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 -
TODAYS EVENTS ARE BROUGHT TO YOU BY
COLORADO ART RANCH
(www.coloradoartranch.org )
We are excited to partner with Colorado Art Ranch for the day's activities.
MORNING PRESENTATION 11:00 a.m
GEORGE SIBLEY
Still Craney After All These Years
George
has lived in Gunnison and the Upper Gunnison River valley for a few
decades, starting off as a "freelance oddjobber," with occasional
writing and editing jobs for publications ranging from the local newspapers
to Harper’s Magazine.
In 2007 he retired from his position for many years at Western State
College in Gunnison, where he taught half time and developed a series
of regional conferences at the college the rest of the time – exploring
the issues of sustainability, community and "intelligent life on earth"
that also infuse his writing. George has gone back to freelancing and
to participating more effectively in some community work.
AFTERNOON PRESENTATION 2:00 p.m.
COLORADO ART RANCH
Readings by local poets and prose writers
Colorado Art Ranch will coordinate a
collection of writers from near and far to share their works with you.
Writers Phil Ellsworth, Evelyn Horn, Karen Cline, Jeanne Durr, Scott Cameron and John Cooley have agreed to participate, and others will be added to
this notice as we go along.
If you
have an interest in reciting your prose or poetry about cranes, water, birds, wildlife
or something else that you think will fit, please contact Grant Pound at Colorado Art Ranch (grant.pound@coloradoartranch.org or 303.279.5198.)
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.)
EVENING RECEPTION 7:00 p.m.
COLORADO ART RANCH Will be Your Host
At Surface Creek Winery and Gallery
SEE OUR LODGING PAGE FOR OVERNIGHT ACCOMMODATIONS IN THE AREA.
