Friday, November 16, 2007
Walk out to Fly out Don't miss the opportunity to witness one of the great wildlife spectacles in the US! It's a Festival tradition (and one of our favorite things to do)! Take a short bus ride and then walk out to watch the incredible flight of thousands of geese and cranes leaving their nighttime roosts. Warm shoes and clothing recommended. Offered Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot. Black Belt Birding Join Julie Zickefoose, Bill Thompson and Cecile Kimberlin for a memorable birding experience. A tour for intermediate and expert birders. You will have the most experienced guides and birding assistants the Refuge has to offer for a morning of serious birding. Coffee and pastries and ammenities are provided but the focus is on BIRDING. This event is offered Thursday and Friday. Limit 12. Sandhill Crane Behavior This morning-long workshop will teach you many of the common vocalizations, body language and other characteristics of sandhill cranes. You’ll learn to recognize juveniles; tell the subspecies apart; understand the difference between dancing and aggression; and many other details that will help you better understand and appreciate sandhill cranes. At first light we will listen to the cranes on their roosting spots to identify vocalizations and other behaviors. We then move to the classroom for breakfast and viewing many behaviors on film before traveling to different locations on the refuge to watch and interpret cranes interactions. This is the most comprehensive training on cranes offered at any crane festival. Your instructors are Paul Tebbel and Keanna Leonard. Paul has worked with cranes for 30 years, including 11 years as the director of Audubon’s Rowe Sanctuary on the Platte River in Nebraska where more cranes gather every spring than any other location in the world. He is now the director of The Wildlife Center in Espanola, New Mexico. Keanna is the Director of Education at Rowe Sanctuary and helps over 7,000 students every year understand and appreciate cranes, wildlife habitat and the Platte River. Armendaris Ranch Our historic tour this year is to the Armendaris Ranch. The ranch is normally closed to the public but the management (it is a Turner ranch) has generously granted us access for this tour. Within it's 600 square miles the Armendaris Ranch has a mountain range, ghost towns, volcanoes, indian ruins, a civil war battle field, El Camino Real tracks and campsites, and the Jornada del Muerto. Our exact route will be based on the weather and the bison herd. We will investigate the inscriptions on Contadera Mesa, examine the route of El Camino Real as it enters the Jornada Del Muerto. It may be possible to enter the Val Verde town site and we will strive to get to the ruins at the bat caves (no bats in November). Wildlife is always unpredictable, but we have a chance to see Oryx, Antelope, Prairie Dogs, Aplomado Falcon and Bison. Steve West will be Naturalist/Biologist/Guide. Steve will give us some special insight on grass lands and Prairie Dogs. We will join up with ranch manager Tom Waddell to get the inside view of ranch operation.Those who have been on these trips know that we like surprises. But, this year, we will not be attacked by the Union or Confederates or irate ranchers. Still this is a living history trip and you don't know who we might meet along the way. Breakfast and lunch are included. Entry and exit will be from the north boundary of the ranch. There are no facilities on the ranch and it is not possible to leave the tour once we have started. Four wheel drive is best but not required. All About Raptors Join two experienced raptor handlers for this comprehensive course on the identification of birds of prey. Your instructors will combine live education birds, photographs and field observation to help you learn to recognize the plumage variations in red-tailed hawks to telling the age of an immature bald eagle. This workshop will focus on specific features of different species while also providing you with interesting information about their habitat needs and behavior. Your instructors are Dr. Kathleen Ramsay and Barbara Tebbel. Dr. Ramsay started The Wildlife Center in Espanola, NM over 20 years ago and provides veterinary care for hundreds of raptors every year. She is also one of the primary field veterinarians for the New Mexico Game and Fish Department. Barb Tebbel has been a full time wildlife rehabilitator for most of the last 15 years. She covered all of central and western Nebraska for Raptor Recovery Nebraska from 1996 – 2006. Bird Year Fifteen-year-old Malkolm Boothroyd and his parents Wendy Boothroyd and Ken Madsen will be nearing the halfway point of their 10,000 mile, fossil-fuel-free Big Year journey when they arrive for the 2007 Festival of the Cranes. Their presentation will focus on their adventures – from cycling through the northern boreal forest to hiking in the Olympic Mountains to sailing in Monterey Bay in search of pelagic seabirds. They will talk about the reasons they have chosen to do a “human-powered Big Year” and what they have learned about bird conservation along the way. Birds of NM Since New Mexico's wildlife habitats range from semi-arid desert to coniferous forests, it is no wonder that the bird life here is diverse. Mary Alice Root past president of the New Mexico Ornithological Society, will give a slide presentation on birding in New Mexico. She will include information on their natural history and behavior as well as hints on where to find them. Sevilleta Geology Tour Dr.Dave Johnson, geologist from New Mexico Tech, will lead a tour of the western part of the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge, taking you to isolated scenic areas where the complex geology is strikingly exposed. Sevilleta NWR has largely been closed to the public since its acquisition in 1973. This is a rare opportunity to visit the refuge's back country. This is a difficult driving area. You must have four wheel drive and high clearance to join the caravan. All vehicles will be inspected prior to departure. Bring a bag lunch, drinks and water. Take 1-25 north to Exit 169 (Sevilleta NWR), turn west and go 3/4 mile to the Sevilleta Visitor Center. Limit 25. Quebradas Road Tour Tour the Quebradas Scenic Byway with staff from the Bureau of Land Management and New Mexico Tech. The tour covers 24 miles of dirt road through scenic areas with exposed geology. Stops will be made to look at specific geological features as well as the area's flora and fauna. Wear sturdy shoes; bring drinks and snacks if desired. Lunch will be provided. This is a primitive area with no facilities. Four wheel drive not required. Full clearance necessary. Meet in the Macey Center parking lot. Limit 12. Refuge Birding Tour Join one of the refuge's experienced birders for a tour of wetlands, farm fields, and forests. Look for cranes, waterfowl, light geese, raptors, and more. You don't need to be an expert - beginning birders are welcome. The exact tour route will depend on the distribution of birds on that day. Offered Thursday and Friday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot.Limit 40. Refuge Manager Tour Explore the refuge with some of the people who know it best - the managers, biologists, and other staff who work here daily. You'll travel behind-the-scenes and learn how and why of refuge management - from crops and wetland management to saltcedar removal. This is your chance to ask, and have answered, your questions about day to day life on a national wildilfe refuge. Offered Thursday and Friday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot. Limit 40. Ethnobotany - Paper or Plastic? It's hard to imagine a time without stores. What would you do if the Birders Guide to Duck Butts John Vradenburg is the Senior Wildlife Biologist at Bosque del Apache NWR and has extensive experience with wetlands and waterfowl. John will show you how to identify the dabbling and diving ducks that we find at the refuge in November. This event includes lunch and a field trip. It is offered on Thursday, and Friday. Be sure to mark a lunch choice on your reservation form. The Night Shift Come see and learn about owls, one of nature’s most mysterious raptors. Master falconer and wildlife rehabiltator Matthew Mitchell will speak on owl behavior, physiology, and mythology. A native New Mexican with a degree in biology, Matthew has over 30 years of experience with wildlife. From his first relationship with a Burrowing Owl at age 14, he has interacted with them almost daily ever since. His expertise will offer a unique insight into this fascinating bird of prey. Bird Brain It would take brains of more than 300 hummingbirds to weigh one ounce. Yet, each hummingbird with its tiny brain can remember from which of 2000 flowers visited daily the nectar was already taken, and can find the way along hundreds-miles-long migratory route. Other birds can make tools, use bite for fishing, cheat, learn by observation, and exhibit a superb intelligence surpassing many mammals. Celestyn Brozek will present numerous examples of amazing bird behavior. The program will change dramatically your opinion about “bird brain.”Celestyn has been passionate about birds from early childhood, obtained a doctorate in biology, and taught ornithology courses at the University of New Mexico, College of Santa Fe, and Central New Mexico Community College. Lunch on the Mezzanine We will be serving a hot buffet lunch on the mezzanine at Macey Center. This is an opportunity to meet other Festival attendees as well as Festival speakers. Seating is limited to 40 and is by prepaid reservation only. Available Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Rio Grande Cacti The cactus nursery is located south of Luis Lopez, New Mexico, in the Rio Grande Valley on the northern edge of the Chihuahuan Desert. This nursery has many of the cacti native to the southwest grown from seed. Many of these are adapted to colder conditions and can survive in outdoor plantings or can be grown indoors. The nursery also has some display gardens that are well established with specimen cacti. Cacti are symbols of the southwest. The nursery is only open by appointment so don't miss this opportunity to visit. You can get more information at www.riograndecacti.com (835-0687). VLA Tour The VLA (Very Large Array) sits on the Plains of San Agustin, 50 miles west of Socorro and is used by radio astronomers from all over the world. It consists of 27 230-ton dish antennas, which can be moved along three 13-mile legs of a Y-shaped array. A staff member will discuss the history, operation and mission of this "other-worldly" project. Take Highway 60 west to Magdalena. Continue west for 19 miles. Turn south on Route 52 and follow signs to the VLA Visitor Center. Allow one hour travel time from Socorro. Offered Thursday and Friday. Planting for Habitat Judith Phillips knows that water is precious. Every drop spent on landscaping should have several benefits. Trees that shade living spaces are also nesting places and seed or nectar sources. Shrubs that enclose gardens also provide cover and food for wildlife. Flowers and grasses that color the landscape offer open spaces for hunting , sunning and playing. Suggestions for combining beautiful habitat plants in xeric garden refuges will be presented. Living Fossils Charles Darwin was the first to use the term "living fossil' when he realized that some life forms were clearly primitive. The similarity between the living fossils and their ancient remains fascinates scientists. Living fossils are usually at the ends of very long branches in the tree of life, with no close relatives. They may be armored for protection (armadillo), or they may have chemical weapons (millipede), or slow metabolisms (tuatara and Gila monster), or live in an isolated deep-sea habitat (coelacanth), or in a highly saline environment where nothing else can live (stromatolites), or they may have a highly secretive life-style (mountain beaver and tailed frog), or maybe they are generalists that have successful life styles (Sandhill Crane), or maybe it's just plain good luck. Being in the right place at the right time probably helped, too. Hear Mary Alice Root of the New Mexico Museum of Natural History and Science discuss this fascinating subject. Longhorn Tour Enjoy a bit of nostalgia from the Old West. Walk among a herd of registered Texas Longhorn cattle. Learn about the breed's history and it's place in the modern world. A real "hands on" photo opportunity. Hands-On Cooking Class With this hands-on cooking class, people can learn how to cook traditional New Mexican foods. The various foods that will be introduced include; tamales, posole, tortillas, and red chile. You ll go home with a new recipe, guaranteed! San Miguel Tour In 1598 Don Juan de Onate led 400 colonists up the Rio Grande to settle New Mexico. After many difficulties they met their first friendly Native Americans at the pueblo of Pilabo. Fray Alonso, Benavidez and another Franciscan remained behind to proselytize the people of Pilabo. The pueblo was renamed Nuestra Senora de Socorro de Pilabo in remembrance of the succor (help) the colonists received when they needed it most. By 1600, a small church had been built and was replaced by the present one which was constructed between 1616 and 1626. You are invited to visit this witness to the history of our country. Tickets are required. Limit 12 each tour. Smith Museum The Smith House in Socorro is the former home of Joseph Edward Smith, territorial photographer. He and his wife Elizabeth Ann (Myscie) Driver were gifted the home as a wedding present by the bride’s parents in 1886. From cowboys to businessmen, Smith photographed the lives of working people to show the west as it was. Along with the photos, the museum holds an archive of his equipment, written material and artifacts from the period. The home itself has been restored to its 1880’s vintage. Seven generations of Smiths have now lived in the home on Central Street. Suzanne Smith, the current resident is the great granddaughter of J.E. and Myscie Smith. She will guide you through the past with a personal accounting of the home and the Smith family. Bank Photos First State Bank's historic photo collection is a visual history of early Socorro and surrounding areas. The collection highlights the architectural achievements as well as industrial accomplishment in our early community. More than 300 photos have been preserved and placed on display in First State Bank's historic building. The collection includes photos dating back to the late 1800's and includes highlights such as Garcia Opera House performances, the Hammel Museum, San Miguel Church and convent, early photos of New Mexico Tech, the billings smelter and the great floods of San Marcial. The collection is not only historically significant, but simply breathtaking. Socorro County Art Gallery One block north of Hwy. 60 on Center Street Art Gallery Fullingim Isenhour Leard Galleries will be hosting a special limited edition printing by Sharon Fullimgim of a commemorative etching for the 2005 Festival. Limited to 50 prints, signed and numbered and they can be handcolored, matted, framed and shipped. People will be able to meet Sharon Fullingim and watch her produce the prints. The galleries are located in the restored Juan Jose Baca house at 113C Abeyta. Open attendance. Iris Passcal IRIS PASSCAL supports the exploration of the Earth's crust, mantle and core to enhance fundamental understanding of earthquakes, volcanoes, crustal deformation, mantle convection, global geodynamics and the history of the continents. Learn about this fascinating area of research and watch earthquakes as they happen. Tickets are required. Social on the Plaza Visitors and locals alike are invited to the town plaza to for music and celebration of the Twentieth Annual Festival of the Cranes. There will be a City Sponsored "Spirits Tent" where you can sample wine and brew from New Mexico breweries and wineries, including a local favorite: Socorro Springs Brewing Company. The $5 fee (for those who can prove they are over 21) includes a commemorative 20th Festival of the Cranes glass. Walk in to Fly in An evening extravaganza! Watch as the evening sky fills with thousands of geese and cranes returning to the nighttime safety of the marshes. A bus ride and a short walk will take you to the roost area. Wear comfortable shoes and dress warmly. Offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot. Mineral Museum The Mineral Museum at the New Mexico Bureau of Mines on New Mexico Tech's campus invites you to an open house on Friday evening to view New Mexico's best collection of gems, fossils and minerals. At 6:30 pm, museum director Virgil Lueth will present a 30-minute slide show of New Mexico's collecting sites. Mineral specimens are available for purchase. Star Party Dr. Dan Klinglesmith and members of the New Mexico Tech Astronomy Club are hosting their annual Festival Star Party. View extraordinary wonders of the winter sky through the Observatory's sophisticated telescopes. Club members will assist you in using the instruments and answer your questions. Restrooms available. Dress warmly and remember the use of flashlights is forbidden. Chris Calloway - The Celebration of a Legacy! The jazz diva daughter of Cab Calloway, your "Main Queen," introduces herself as a singer and the torch bearer of the 60-year Calloway Legacy. Accompanied by a top-notch jazz trio, she plays her recordings and her father's recordings of the same Harold Arlen songs. She also plays her aunt Blanche Calloway singing her theme song "Growlin' Dan" and herself singing the same song 70 years later. "You can't make this stuff up!" says Chris. A true jazz diva!Friday, November 16th, 7:30pm, Macey Center.
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