Please join us on Saturday, November 1, at 4:00 pm as George Archibald, founder of the International Crane Foundation, shares stories of his passion and life's work with cranes. The Columbus Audubon Programs Committee has a special addition to our monthly program schedule. Please note that the program below is on Saturday, November 1, at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. Doors open at 3:15 pm and this amazing presentation will begin at 4:00 and followed by a light reception. Tickets for this special event are $5 for Audubon members ($8 for non-members). Click <http://columbusaudubon.org/index.php/tickets-for-crane-program> here to <http://columbusaudubon.org/index.php/tickets-for-crane-program> purchase tickets right now. Remember, seating is limited. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ It's dawn. The morning light is just starting to peek over the horizon. The vast field in front of you appears still. It is eerily quiet this early in the morning - too early for most people. But you know every lost minute of sleep will be rewarded with one of the most beautiful, awe-inspiring phenomena that nature has to offer. In the distance, it begins - that familiar "karrr-ooo" that causes so many of us to raise our eyes to the sky or to scan the closest field. More rattling "karrr-ooos" join in as the rising sun reveals the scene in front of you. Bright red face-patches, white cheeks and pointy beaks sitting atop long, graceful necks start to appear - first, just a scattered few here and there. As the beautiful sunrise comes into full view however, so do the thousands of Sandhill Cranes that roosted in this field overnight. You hold your breath as small groups of these magnificent birds begin to take to the sky. You know what is about to take place. You keep still - ready and waiting. Minutes later, the previous stillness of the field is replaced by a thunderous flapping of thousands of huge wings and a symphonic clamor of that familiar call. Lift-off! As much as one tries to describe this experience, no words will ever do it justice. There is nothing else like it in nature. Please join us on Saturday, November 1, at 4:00 pm as George Archibald, founder of the International Crane Foundation, shares stories of his passion and life's work with cranes. Although the Sandhill Crane population is relatively stable and lift-offs as described above will continue to amaze outdoor enthusiasts, the future of many other crane species are as fragile as the delicate and graceful birds themselves. This is where the efforts of just one man have made a huge difference. For the past 41 years, George Archibald's inspirational leadership in international conservation efforts has given flight to crane conservation worldwide. In 1973, when cranes were in a perilous situation and many were on the brink of extinction, Archibald, along with Cornell University colleague, Ronald Sauey, Ph.D., established the International Crane Foundation (ICF) in Baraboo, Wisconsin as the world center for the study and preservation of cranes. Archibald is a true conservation ambassador who uses his unique brand of crane diplomacy to work in just about every corner of the world - from North America to Russia to Mongolia to Africa. He leverages the charisma of cranes to unite people from diverse cultures and countries to work together to preserve the landscapes necessary for the survival of both cranes and people. The Columbus Audubon Programs Committee has a special addition to our monthly program schedule. Please note that the program is on Saturday, November 1, at the Grange Insurance Audubon Center. Doors open at 3:15 pm and this amazing presentation will begin at 4:00. Tickets for this special event are $5 for Audubon members ($8 for non-members). Click <http://columbusaudubon.org/index.php/tickets-for-crane-program> here to <http://columbusaudubon.org/index.php/tickets-for-crane-program> purchase tickets right now. Remember, seating is limited. http://columbusaudubon.org/index.php/tickets-for-crane-program We look forward to seeing you Saturday November 1 at 4pmET. Nadya Bennett and Darlene Sillick Columbus Audubon, co-program chairs ______________________________________________________________________ Ohio-birds mailing list, a service of the Ohio Ornithological Society. Please consider joining our Society, at www.ohiobirds.org/site/membership.php. Our thanks to Miami University for hosting this mailing list. You can join or leave the list, or change your options, at: listserv.miamioh.edu/scripts/wa.exe?LIST=OHIO-BIRDS Send questions or comments about the list to: [log in to unmask]