Do I need to register to attend?

Yes. The event is free but registration is required—register through the event page to reserve your spot.

Please check in at the Welcome Desk at the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary on arrival.

Is the program accessible?

Yes. The auditorium is wheelchair accessible and additional accommodations are available upon request during registration.

Are children allowed?

Yes. Children ages eight and older are welcome, but all children must be accompanied by a parent or guardian.

How long is the event?

The program runs approximately one hour, including readings and brief discussion.

Can I view cranes after the talk?

Often yes—bring binoculars and step to nearby visitor vantage points to scan the Platte River for cranes and waterfowl.

Kettling to the Sky: Cranes, Poetry, and the Platte River | Events | Theater

At the Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary, just off Elm Island Road near Gibbon, Nebraska, an afternoon of crane-focused poetry and storytelling brings the region’s seasonal migration into focus. Prairie Poets & Writers Presents hosts Speaker Series: Kettling to the Sky: An Afternoon of Cranes in Poetry, pairing two local voices — Rick Brown and Sylvia Marchetti — whose pieces trace the Platte River’s braided channels, tallgrass wetlands, and the ragged silhouette of sandhill cranes lifting into thermals. The setting is as much part of the program as the words: the center sits alongside the Platte River corridor, a vital stopover for tens of thousands of cranes and waterfowl during spring migration.

This event is community-minded and accessible. It’s free with registration and aimed at an audience eight years and older; check in at the Welcome Desk when you arrive. The auditorium is wheelchair accessible and the staff welcome accommodation requests. Expect an hour of readings and short discussions that blend natural history with personal observation, punctuated by the occasional sound of wings or distant calls, a reminder that the landscape beyond the windows is alive with movement.

What makes this gathering special is the collision of craft and place. Rick Brown brings Midwestern life and fieldwise observation to his lines; Sylvia Marchetti draws a more ritual voice, listening for the relationship between earth and sky. That pairing reflects the sanctuary’s role: a conservation and education hub where poetry and wildlife intertwine. Visitors also gain an orientation to the Platte River’s sandhill crane phenomenon — the shallow braided stream channels, cottonwood gallery, and willow-lined marshes that form the cranes’ staging grounds.

Plan your visit to pair the talk with a walk to nearby vantage points on the property or a stop at the visitor displays that explain how the sanctuary manages habitat for migration. Bring binoculars if you want to scan the river after the program and dress for variable spring weather. Families should note that children must be accompanied by an adult.

Whether you’re drawn by contemporary poetry, bird migration, or a civil evening of local culture, this speaker series offers an efficient, place-rich way to connect with Nebraska’s Platte River corridor. It’s a low-effort, high-impact experience: brief, informative, and tethered to one of the most important bird migrations in North America.

Arrive ten to fifteen minutes early to register at the Welcome Desk; parking is available on site off Elm Island Road. The program runs about one hour and is scheduled seasonally around crane migration peaks, so check Prairie Poets & Writers Presents and Rowe Sanctuary event calendars. Cameras, quiet voices, and respect for wildlife go a long way toward keeping focused attention on the cranes.

About Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary

Iain Nicolson Audubon Center at Rowe Sanctuary in Gibbon, Nebraska, is a conservation and education site operated by Audubon dedicated to protecting the Platte River ecosystem and its migrating Sandhill Cranes. The center manages habitat restoration, scientific monitoring, and public programs that connect visitors with river, wetland, and prairie species.

Rowe Sanctuary hosts seasonal Crane Season events, offering guided crane viewing from accessible indoor and outdoor vantage points where thousands of Sandhill Cranes funnel along the Platte River at sunset. Programs include art workshops, accessible nature journaling, and special cultural events that blend storytelling, conservation, and hands-on learning.

Rowe Sanctuary partners with artists, researchers, and community leaders to present experiences such as the MONA Art Workshop: Dances of the Cranes with Susan Hart; Birdability Indoor Crane Viewing Experience; Birdability & Rowe: Accessible Nature Journaling Workshop; and Braided in Unison, a public event featuring author Amy Tan and conservation experts. Each offering emphasizes habitat preservation, visitor accessibility, and interpretive education about migratory birds and river dynamics.

Facilities at the center are designed to welcome diverse audiences, with accessible viewing areas and inclusive programming led by trained staff and volunteers. Education programs serve families, students, and conservation supporters, while fundraising events support ongoing land stewardship. Visitors can expect expert interpretation, panoramic river views, and opportunities to support the protection of the Platte River’s braided ecosystem.

The visitor center includes interpretive exhibits, educational displays, staff-led programs highlighting local ecology and research initiatives, volunteer opportunities, and ways for visitors to support ongoing conservation efforts.

Kettling to the Sky: Cranes, Poetry, and the Platte River

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