February banner

Conservation Heroes

 
 
Save the Date
 
 

February 22-23
Wisconsin Wetlands Conference: Urban Wetlands
Lake Geneva, WI

 

February 23-26  Whooping Crane Festival
Port Aransas, TX

 

March 3

ICF Whooping Crane Presentation
Eagle Bluff Environmental Learning Ctr
Lanesboro, MN

 

March 9-11
Monte Vista Crane Festival
Monte Vista, CO

 

March 15-18
Rivers & Wildlife Celebration
Kearney, NE

 

March 24
ICF Volunteer Naturalist Training

 

March 26
ICF Volunteer Naturalist K-12 Training

 

April 1 - June 30

 

April 14
Annual Midwest Crane Count

 

April 15
ICF opens for 2012 visitor season

 

June 23
An Evening with
the Cranes

 

 August 11
Cranes of the World Festival

 

September 15
Annual Member Appreciation Day

 

Unless otherwise noted all events will be held at ICF's headquarters in Baraboo, WI


 
 
Quick Links

Seven Rivers Campaign 
Seven Rivers: Vision, Science
& Action
 
 Donate Now
 
  
Find us on FacebookFollow us on TwitterView our videos on YouTube
 
Follow ICF
like us, tweet us, watch us!
 
Discover Wisconsin 2012 Choice Destination

Whooping Crane Festival Port AransasConservation Story:
Whooping Crane Festival
 

 

Beginning this Thursday, Port Aransas, Texas will host their annual Whooping Crane Festival - a four-day celebration of the cranes and other wildlife of the coastal marshes of southeastern Texas. Festival highlights include keynote speaker Dr. George Archibald, who will speak on Saturday afternoon, ICF's Bird of Peace children's international art exhibit, and boat tours to view the wintering cranes. 

Texas OutreachICF is committed to the survival of both Whooping Cranes and their coastal wetlands in Texas. View photos from our public outreach activities this winter, and learn more about our research in the Guadalupe River basin

 

Conservation HeroesConservation Heroes:
Crane Count Coordinators

 

The first returning Sandhill Cranes have been sighted along the Wisconsin River in southern Wisconsin...a sign that the Annual Midwest Crane Count is coming soon (this year's count is Saturday, April 14th)! Each year, over 100 dedicated volunteer county coordinators spend countless hours recruiting and organizing the over 3,000 participants in the spring survey. We couldn't do it without you!

We are still searching for coordinators for the following counties. Please email [email protected] if you are interesting in becoming a county coordinator Wisconsin: Florence, Lafayette, Racine and Taylor Counties; Minnesota: Ramsey County
 

Black-crowned CranesHow You Can Help:
ICF Bird-a-thon!

 

Have you signed up for the ICF Bird-a-thon? The Bird-a-thon is a simple way to support the things that matter to you - cranes, nature and the environment - and it's a perfect way to involve others in ICF's conservation work. With your help, ICF receives a pledge for each bird species your team spots. Teams must conduct their birding between April 1 and June 30, 2012, and can bird anywhere in the world.

Contact Merith Orlowski at 608-356-9462 ext. 149 to register your team and request an information packet. Grab your binoculars and get birding! 
 

Shop for a CauseShop For A Cause

 

What happens when 15 of the world's most charismatic birds meet the memory game Concentration?
 

Crane Duet happens! Play level one of this fun family game to match pairs, and for a real challenge name the species. The person with the most cards at the end of the game wins! 

The game includes 24 pairs of picture cards. English and German language booklet is included with information on each photo and instructions for playing both levels of
Crane Duet. For 2 to 6 players; ages 3-99. Price: $19.99

100% of the sales from each Crane Duet directly benefit ICF's global conservation efforts

 

In the News

 

A Wing and Some Software
Good NUz, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Alumni Association, Spring 2012
Report on ICF-UNL partnership to develop a new
transmitter for tracking cranes. View photos from the testing of the units at ICF this summer.

 

Whooping Crane Banding at Wheeler NWR, Alabama
February 8, 2012

 

Lawmaker Proposes Hunting Season for Sandhill Cranes
WISC-TV/Channel 3 (Madison, Wis.), February 3, 2012

Learn more about the proposed Sandhill Crane hunt in Wis. and how you can get involved in the discussion.

 

Crane TracksCrane Tracks:
Update on ICF Blue Cranes
 

 

"Don't forget to knock two times before entering Kito's pen." A polite reminder taped to the outside door of a crane's enclosure, but what does it mean? This month, ICF Aviculturists share their update on Kito, our new Blue Crane, and their behavior modification work with the young crane. Read the full update and learn why good manners go a long way - even in the care of our cranes! We also share an update on Veld, our female Blue Crane (hint: she has airline reservations for a move to a sunny clime!).