Invited speaker Dr. Blake Grisham will share a summary of research findings on sandhill cranes that he and his team have generated. According to Dr. Grisham, sandhill cranes (Antigone canadensis) are among the most recognizable and beloved birds in North America, given their size, stature and striking red crowns. The U. S. Fish and Wildlife Service recognizes 6 migratory populations of cranes, four of which occur in or west of the Rocky Mountains.

In 2013, Dr. Grisham and his colleagues initiated a series of research projects on the Lower Colorado River Valley cranes. Ten years later, his team expanded their research to include ALL migratory populations in the Western United States. The major findings from these combined projects are based on data captured by more than 120 global positioning system transmitters deployed on sandhill cranes in Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, California, and Oregon.

Doors to the meeting will open at 9:30 a.m. for social time and light refreshments. The business portion of the meeting will start at 10:00 a.m. and the invited speaker will begin immediately afterwards. Weather permitting, there will be a pre-meeting bird walk at Haley Nelson Park off Hwy. 29 in Burnet.