Join us on April 12th-14th for the Crane Symposium, celebrating Door County’s crane populations! Wisconsin cranes have made a comeback after decades of declining populations. Discover why populations declined and why they are resurging, learn about current threats to crane populations, and participate in the Midwest Crane Count! Below are Crane Symposium events for which you can register online!

Keynote Presentation with Stanley Temple

Friday, April 12th, 6:00pm-7:30pm

Stanley Temple, professor forest and wildlife ecology and environmental studies at UW Madison will join us virtually for his presentation, “The Migratory Bird Treaty Act, Then and Now: Is It Still Working?”

Location: Virtual via Zoom

Fee: None, pre-registration is required. Click HERE to register.

Crane Nest Site Hike with Jane Whitney

Saturday, April 13th, and Sunday, April 14th from 10:00am-11:45am

Join Naturalist Jane Whitney and Julie Knox on a hike to a potential crane nesting site to learn more about what makes the wetlands of Door County the perfect crane nesting habitat.

Location: Meets at Cook-Fuller Nature Center, 8166 State Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor.

Fee: $15 Public | $12 Member | $5 16 & Under.

Click HERE to register for April 13th. Click HERE to register for April 14th. 

Crane Count Breakfast Social

Saturday, April 13th, 8:00am – 9:00am

Join us for a Breakfast Social after an early morning counting cranes at the Nature Center. Share sightings and connect with other crane count participants over coffee and treats.

Location: Meets at Cook-Fuller Nature Center
Fee: Free for Crane Count participants.

Artist Talks with Len Villano

Saturday, April 13th from1:30 pm – 2:30 pm

Join internationally published photographer Len Villano as he reflects on his journey photographing nature in Door County, with an emphasis on birds and sandhill cranes. Villano is a local artist specializing in fine art, nature & wildlife photography of Door County and beyond. After his presentation, Villano will show some of the equipment he uses to capture the stunning visuals we often see gracing the Peninsula Pulse, followed by a Q & A session. Some of his works will be on display during the Symposium.

Location: Cook-Fuller Nature Center, 8166 State Hwy 57, Baileys Harbor.

Fee: FREE, donations appreciated! Due to limited seating, preregistration is required.

Click HERE to register.

Chick Chats Story Hour

Sunday, April 14th from 9:00 AM – 10:00 AM

Bring your budding birders & naturalists to a Chick Chats Story Hour! Join Ridges staff at the Nature Center to read stories and learn about why Sandhill Cranes make the long journey north each spring, and how they do it. This program includes information about cranes and fun activities to excite kids about this special family of birds. At the end of the story, make a fun nature craft to take home or use on the Kids Birding 101 Hike. Suitable for families with young children.

Free, Family Friendly Crane Symposium event. No registration necessary.

Kids Birding 101 Hike

Sunday, April 14th from 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM

Want to try birding as a family? During this program, kids will have the opportunity to learn the basic skills of bird watching, including how to identify some common birds of Door County! We’ll meet at the Nature Center for a quick introduction then make our way down the Hidden Brook Boardwalk to see what birds we can spot!

Free, Family Friendly Crane Symposium event. No registration necessary.