The Lord God Bird

Sometimes the things we've lost come back to us. A favorite lipstick tucked away in a forgotten coat pocket; a family heirloom rescued from a pawn shop; a pet that, against all odds, traveled hundreds of miles to find its family. But what about something we've destroyed? Can those things...

By Michelle Mathews

September 9, 2010

Audio By Carbonatix

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Sometimes the things we've lost come back to us. A favorite lipstick tucked away in a forgotten coat pocket; a family heirloom rescued from a pawn shop; a pet that, against all odds, traveled hundreds of miles to find its family. But what about something we've destroyed? Can those things -- the things that humans have forced out of existence by our existence -- ever come back? Maybe it's that desire to recapture what's been lost that makes us wholly fascinated by the story of the ivory-billed woodpecker, a species thought be extinct for at least 40 years. And, yet, supposed sightings and tantalizing images have transformed the bird into an almost cryptozoological creature, debated by scientists and eagerly sought by birdwatchers. But with few photos, and no tangible evidence yet located, maybe the ivory-billed woodpecker has truly become a ghost. Explore the riveting story and its effect on a small Arkansas town in the award-winning documentary Ghost Bird, followed by a Q&A session with wildlife biologist Roger Sanderson and a night hike through the Heard Wildlife Sanctuary, 1 Nature Place in McKinney. Doors open at 6 p.m. for the 6:15 p.m. movie, and admission to the complete program is $15. Tickets are limited. Call 972-562-5566, extension 237, or visit heardmuseum.org for the event schedule.
Sat., Sept. 11, 6 p.m., 2010

Michelle Mathews

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