Mark your calendar for Saturday, January 10, 2009 to discover, at last, “The True Story of Whooping Crane Recovery“. This 3:00 p.m. program will be held at Corpus Christi’s Northwest Branch Library, 3202 McKinzie Road featuring Larry Walkinshaw’s previously untold fifty-years (1940-1992) devoted to saving Whooping Cranes. He searched for their Canadian nesting grounds, was the first to study them nesting at Aransas National Refuge, furnished the first eggs to study incubation techniques, captured the first picture of an active Whooper nest in Wood Buffalo National Park, Canada, served on three national Whooping Crane committees, … and much, much more. His contributions will astound you revealing why professional cranes scientistists designate Walkinshaw, an amatuer birder, as the “Father of International Crane Research”.

Below is ‘Jo’, a member of the captive Whooper pairs nesting at Aransas in 1949 and 1950.

Walkinshaw's picture of 'Jo' at Aransas Refuge, 1950

The Corpus Christi Audubon Outdoor Club will sell copies of On the Wings of Cranes: Larry Walkinshaw’s Life Story. L. M. Schake, the author, will lead the discussion and sign copies honoring your special requests. Bring your family and friends… especially younger scholars of nature and ornithology. Plan to ask questions to benefit from Walkinshaw’s amazing life story.

Call 361-241-9392 for more details or click on NATURE CENTER (below) to visit Corpus Christi’s Northwest Branch Library devoted to birding. Its Cliff Moss Nature Education Center is devoted to encouraging youthful citizens to study there. The January 10th program will be held in Conference Room at the NATURE CENTER.