DECATUR-A free event featuring storytelling, photography workshops, music, live raptors, children activities, films, and of course thousands of Sandhill cranes and the endangered Whooping cranes, along with ducks, geese, bald eagles, and whatever other wildlife makes an appearance in the fields around the Visitor Center and Observation Building. The refuge is also home to 115 species of fish, 74 species of reptiles and amphibians, 47 species of mammals, 38 species of freshwater mussels, and 26 species of freshwater snails. Other animals such as the endangered Gray bat and benefit from the protection of the National Wildlife Refuge System, and the care of dedicated refuge staff and other friends of wildlife.
This year the Auburn University Southeastern Raptor presentations will take place at the historic Princess Theater in downtown Decatur. There will be children’s activities, the premier of the latest George Lee video of the cranes of Wheeler, birding walks, “Hope” the mascot of the International Crane Foundation, and the refuge mascot “Blue Goose” will be present.
Friday, January 14, 2022
Old State Bank – 925 Bank St NE, Decatur, AL 35601 –www.decaturparks.com
9:30 AM -3:00 PM High School Students Crane Art Show
Cook Museum of Natural Science – 133 4th Ave NE, Decatur, AL35601 – www.cookmuseum.org
Wild About Whoopers
The Cook Museum is wild about whoopers! Find out why whooping cranes are so amazing in the Cool Cranes! Science on the Spot presentations. Complete your set of 6 Wetlands collectable cards while visiting the exhibits. There will also be a coloring activity and a selfie station. Before you leave, stop by Nature’s Table for a Cool Crane Smoothie, available for a limited time. Free for Cook Museum Members or with General Admission.
All Day Wetlands Collectable Cards – All Day in the Exhibits
10:00 AM -3:00 PM Coloring Activity
10:00 AM -3:00 PM Whooping Crane Selfie Station
10:00, 11:00, 12:00 Cool Cranes! Science on the Spot
12:00, 1:00, 2:00
Princess Theatre – 112 2nd Ave NE, Decatur, AL 35601 –www.princesstheatre.org
7:00 PM John Paul White in concert
. White grew up in tiny Loretto, Tennessee, and now lives in Florence, Alabama, not far from Muscle Shoals. He has cultivated a music
career in Nashville for two decades, first as a songwriter for a major publisher, then half of The Civil Wars – a groundbreaking duo that won four Grammy Awards before disbanding in2012. Purchase tickets at www.princesstheatre.or
Saturday, January 15, 2022
Wheeler NWR Visitor Center – 3121 Visitor Center Rd, Decatur AL 35603 – www.fws.gov/wheeler
6:30 AM-Sunrise Breakfast at the Refuge. The early birders get the biscuits! Come out and enjoy a good breakfast with other hearty souls in the Visitor Center classroom before joining former Refuge Manager Dwight Cooley on an early morning birding walk. Watch the cranes and other waterfowl arriving in the fields to begin their day of feeding and loafing. The Wheeler Wildlife Refuge Association will be providing and serving sausage and/or chicken biscuit, breakfast pastry, coffee and orange juice. $5.00 per person donation and all proceeds benefit future refuge programs. (Classroom)
All Day-Visit the Observation Building to view thousands of Sandhill cranes along with several Whooping cranes, ducks, geese, raptors and perhaps a bald eagle from the comfort of the heated building. There are bleachers and spotting scopes available along with volunteers and staff standing by to answer allyour questions.
All Day-Stop by the Necedah NWR table to discover how the cranes spend their summers in Wisconsin and to take part in a hands-on family activity to learnmore about migration.
8:30 AM-Birding 101 with Christopher Joe
Join conservationist and owner of Connecting with Birds and Nature Tours for a beginner course in birding. Learn the basics of birding as you walk along the grounds of the Visitor Center. (Front Desk)
11:00 AM-President Theodore Roosevelt – Joe Wiegand
President Theodore Roosevelt as portrayed by Joe Wiegand entertains audiences nationwide with his reprisal of President Theodore Roosevelt. As a one-man theater show, Joe’s T.R. shares stories full of adventure, laughter, andinspiration. T.R. will be in character throughout the day. (Auditorium)
12:30 P- Richard Beilfuss – International Crane Foundation (Auditorium)
2:00 PM-Paul Bannick – 2-hour Photography Workshop – Limited seating
Paul focuses on teaching students how to photograph wildlife, particularly birds, in the field. He covers everything from how to find and approach your subject to how to capture the photos you imagine. He covers compositional guides, depth of field, shutter speed, exposure compensation, the use of flash, shooting modes, and even the selection of equipment, Paul will help bringeach student’s photography to the next level. The field portion will be limited to 10. A drawing will be held at the end of the classroom portion to determine
who will join Paul in the field. (Classroom/Trails)
Sunday, January 16, 2022
Wheeler NWR Visitor Center – 3121 Visitor Center Rd, Decatur AL 35603– www.fws.gov/wheeler
9:00 AM-Paul Bannick – 2-hour Photography Workshop – Limited seating (Refer to Saturday’s description) (Classroom/Trails)
10:00 AM-Christopher Joe – Connecting with Birds and Nature Christopher Joe, owner of a guided birding tour operation, deer and turkey
hunter, and fourth generation angus beef farmer from the state of Alabama. Christopher Joe talks about his interest in birding and setting up guided bird tours, how influential his own father was in his interest in agriculture, and he also walks us through his video creation process. Film clips This is Alabama from Southern Exposure’s Barriers to Bridges will be featured. (Auditorium)
1:00 PM President Theodore Roosevelt – Joe Wiegand (Refer to Saturday’s description) (Auditorium)
3:00 PM Lauren McGough – Falconer Refer to Saturday’s description) (Auditorium)
All Day-StoryWalk at Wheeler NWR presented by Decatur Public Library (December 27 – February 7)
(Refer to Saturday’s description) (Atkeson Cypress Trail)
Princess Theatre – 112 2nd Ave NE, Decatur, AL 35601 –www.princesstheatre.org
10:00 AM-President Theodore Roosevelt – Joe Wiegand (Refer to Saturday’s description)
11:30 AM-Lauren McGough – Falconer (Refer to Saturday’s description)
1:00 PM-Auburn University Southeastern Raptor Center Presentation (Refer to Saturday’s description)
3:00 PM-Paul Bannick – Owls and Woodpeckers of North America Paul’s presentations on owls and woodpeckers take audiences on a visual and auditory exploration of habits of North America through the owls and woodpeckers that most define these places. This photographic field report celebrates the ways the lives of these two iconic birds are intertwined with one another, and their role as keystone and indicator species environment. Audiences are immersed in the sights and sounds of forest, grassland, arctic, and desert, and in the entertaining and informative details of Paul’s narrative.
Media Release/Alabama Tourism Department
