Presentation at the Field Museum (Chicago) on the Ivory-billed Woodpecker featuring John Fitzpatrick and Gene Sparling!

Donnie Dann sent this very interesting announcement today about the IBWO:

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The Nature Conservancy and the Field Museum are co-sponsoring a program at the Field Museum to celebrate the rediscovery of the Ivory-billed Woodpecker in Arkansas last spring. It will be on the evening of Wednesday November 30at 7:00 PM at the Field Museum, 1400 S. Lake Shore Drive.

Featured participants are John Fitzpatrick, the former curator ofornithology at the Field and currently the Director of Cornell Lab, who ledthe discovery team effort, Scott Simon from TNC in Arkansas who was so instrumental in protecting the birds' habitat, and Gene Sparling, the volunteer who saw the bird first!

Participants from other institutions will talk about the project and the implications for conservation. A wine and cheese reception begins at 6 pm will feature other scientists who were part of the expedition including the Field's own Doug Stotz and DaveWillard. Some of the Museum's specimens will be on hand for observation and Audubon prints will be for sale.

Advance reservations are required with tickets available for $25 ($20 formembers of Field Museum or Nature Conservancy). To register call 312 665 7400. For any questions contact Laurel M. Ross, Conservation ImplementationRegional Director of Environmental and Conservation Programs at the FieldMuseum, 312 665 7432 (direct).

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I think this will be my first-ever wine-and-cheese birding event. Most birding events are whiney-and-cheesey. I wonder if anyone will have any interesting questions to welcome John back to his old stompin' grounds...