SATURDAY
FESTIVAL OF THE CRANES
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge
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SATURDAY |
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SATURDAY, November 22, 2008
Walk out to Fly out
Tour
5:30 am to 7:30 am Sa83 - $5
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 2A sunrise spectacular! Countless birds rising into the sky! Take a short bus ride and then walk out to watch the incredible flight of thousands of geese and cranes leaving their roosts. Warm shoes and clothing recommended. Offered Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot.
Mountain Birding Tour
Tour
8:00 am to 11:00 am Sa84 - $5
Macey Center, Water CanyonJoin members of the New Mexico Ornithological Society on this 1-to-2 mile bird walk/hike at 7000 feet. Water Canyon's bird life in the winter months may include: Acorn and Hairy Woodpeckers; Steller's, Scrub, and Piñon Jays; Western and Mountain Bluebirds; Bushtits; White-breasted and Pygmy Nuthatches; Ruby-crowned Kinglets; and Dark-eyed Juncos. Sturdy shoes and layered clothing recommended. We will car pool from Macey Center parking lot. Offered Saturday and Sunday. Limit 30.
All About Cranes
Lecture
9:00 am to 10:30 am Sa85 - $5
Macey Center, GalenaCranes are fascinating birds to watch once you understand their actions and calls. This 1.5 hour seminar will lead you through basic crane biology and what to look for when crane-watching on the Refuge. You'll also receive a booklet explaining different crane actions so you can recognize them in the field. Your instructor, Paul Tebbel, has spent part of his last 30 years visiting various places in North America to shoot video of crane nests, crane behavior and other things involving his favorite birds.
Beginning Birding
Lecture
9:00 am to 10:30 am Sa86 - $5
Macey Center, GalenaThe Festival is a great place for beginners to learn about the tools and techniques of birding from experienced birders. Celestyn Brozek has studied birds since he was a child in Poland, sharing his passion with others by teaching college ornithology classes as well as leading workshops for the general public. He will present, discuss and answer questions on all aspects of birding, including choice of field guides, binoculars, birding locations, birding magazines, organizations etc. If you have any questions about birding, come to this program!
Refuge Tour
Tour
9:00 am to 11:00 am Sa87 - $5
11:30 am to 1:30 pm Sa96 - $5
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Sa104 - $5
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 1This is a rare opportunity to explore seldom-visited areas of the Refuge with knowledgeable tour guides. Your hosts will help identify birds and explain how the land and water you see are managed to benefit wildlife. See spectacular views of cranes, geese, ducks and raptors, and perhaps even turkeys. Tours are offered Saturday and Sunday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot. Limit 80.
Leave No Trace
Workshop
9:00 am to 11:00 am Sa88 - Free
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Sa105 - Free
Bosque del Apache NWR, Chupadera Peak TrailheadLeave No Trace is a cooperative educational program that helps public land visitors understand and practice minimum impact skills and ethics. 7 stations will be set up near the Chupadera Peak Trailhead to engage visitors in Leave No Trace's practices, with small groups rotating through each station at 20-minute intervals. With plenty of fun activities for old and young alike, this is a great opportunity to become a part of the Leave No Trace team with Mike Bilbo, Leave No
Trace Master Educator.Mike Bilbo
Outdoor Recreation Planner/
NM Leave No Trace & Treadlightly Coordinator
Socorro Field Office
901 S. Highway 85
Socorro, New Mexico 87801
Desk Phone 575-838-1278, Fax 575-835-0223
http://www.nm.blm.gov/recreation/socorro/socorro_rec_home.htm
Geocaching
Workshop
9:00 am to 11:00 am Sa89 - $5
Macey Center, Mezzanine
Bring the family and join intrepid Geocacher Christine Forbes as she describes the sport of geocaching: what it is, the various types of caches, how to get started. Then, crank up those GPS units and find a few caches within walking distance of the Macey Center. You may bring your own GPS if you'd like. Dress for the weather.
Digiscoping: the art of photography through a spotting scope
Workshop
9:00 am to Noon Sa90 - $15
Bosque del Apache NWR, LannanJoin Jeff Bouton for an hour long classroom session reviewing the "nuts and bolts" of digiscoping, including: camera selection, coupling varying cameras and scopes for maximum effectiveness, comparisons between digiscoping and telephoto lens photography, adapter selection, and some field craft tips to maximize your equipment's potential. Learn how you can achieve incredible results at focal lengths reaching 6,000 mm equivalents through your spotting scope! Following the classroom session, we will take to the field for a couple hours of hands-on opportunities working with the equipment and the cooperative wildlife subjects. In the past four years, Jeff has shot from the hip as he travels and watches birds & wildlife. His digiscoped images have been published in various magazines (Outdoor Photographer, PC Photographer, WildBird, Birding Business Magazine, etc.) and he has over 1300 digiscoped wildlife images online as well. Join Jeff to learn more about this fun and exciting way to capture wildlife images through a spotting scope. To make the most of this session, bring whatever equipment you have.
Introduction to Digital Photography
9:00 am to 3:00 pm Sa91 - $30
Macey Center, CopperThis workshop is oriented to casual photographers using point and shoot cameras and consumer digital SLRs. The course will take place in and around Macey Center on the NMIMT campus and runs from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., giving you time to see the lift off and eat breakfast before class begins. Lunch will be provided on the mezzanine. The workshop will cover basic camera theory, composition, and techniques, and will be interspersed with hands-on practice sessions photographing birds at Turtle Bay behind Macey Center. The goal of the workshop is to give you the knowledge you need to choose appropriate camera settings to achieve the artistic effect you want from each photograph. This workshop will not cover any image editing tools or techniques beyond cropping and resizing. Participants should bring their digital camera (with fully charged batteries), media cards, and optionally their tripod, remote switch, laptops, and battery operated flashes.
Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex
Drop in tour
9:00 am to 3:00 pm Sa92 - Free
Sevilleta NWR, Ladd S. Gordon
The sandhill cranes and snow geese winter along the Rio Grande River. You are invited to view them at the Ladd S. Gordon Waterfowl Complex where volunteers at the complex's viewing decks will answer your questions about the birds and their habitat. The Complex is open year round.
Junior Duck Stamp
Drop in Workshop
10:00 am to 2:00 pm Sa93 - Free
Bosque del Apache NWR, Exhibit tentYoung people interested in contributing art work for this year's Junior Duck Stamp competition can take the opportunity to learn about the program, design their own stamp, and submit their work at this drop-in session in the Exhibitor's tent. Materials will be provided.
Night Shift
Lecture
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Sa94 - $5
Macey Center, AuditoriumCome see and learn about owls, one of nature's most mysterious raptors. Master falconer and wildlife rehabilitator 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. Limit 80.
Survival Tactics of Chihuahuan Desert Plants
Lecture
11:00 am to 12:30 pm Sa95 - $5
Macey Center, GalenaHeat, wind, and especially drought are harsh conditions for plant life. Yet, our desert is vibrant with a fascinating and beautiful array of shrubs and wildflowers. Author and lecturer Carolyn Dodson will illustrate the special adaptations of these plants, as well as their interactions with insect and avian pollinators. She will also discuss the riparian vegetation along the Rio Grande including the impact of exotic species on the native flora and fauna of the river. Her latest book, co-authored with Bill Dunmire and published by UNM Press, is "Mountain Wildflowers of the Southern Rockies."
Lunch on the Mezzanine
Noon to 1:00 pm Sa97 - $15
Macey Center, MezzanineWe 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 and Saturday.
The Way it Really Was
Lecture/Tour
Noon to 4:00 pm Sa98 - $15
Sevilleta NWR, Visitor CenterAlvino Contreras grew up herding sheep on the Sevilleta Grant. Each trail, spring and hill had a name that was important. The names were guides through the landscape or warnings of things that had happened in the past. Alvino is a popular presenter and offers a unique opportunity to gain insight into the way it really was. Following an introductory presentation at the Visitor Center, participants will tour some of the sites Alvino talks about including the sheep camp. Warm clothing and sturdy shoes recommended.
Trinity Tour
Tour
Noon to 5:30 pm Sa99 - $45
San Antonio, Owl Bar
PHOTO ID REQUIRED
Fred Hollis, retired employee of the White Sands Missile Range and Trinity Site history buff, will be your guide on this tour of the site of the first atomic detonation. The tour begins at the Owl Bar, where the Los Alamos scientists stayed during the blast. The Bar was the community meeting place and had the only phone in town. It is also famous for its green chile cheeseburgers! A coach (with rest room) will take you to the Trinity Site as well as to the McDonald Ranch House. Wear walking shoes and layered clothing and bring a photo ID. This tour is offered on Wednesday and Saturday. Meet in the Owl Bar Meeting Room for lunch (included) at noon. Leave for White Sands at 1:00 pm. Limit 40.
Chupadera Arroyo Hike
Hike
12:30 pm to 4:00 pm Sa100 - $5
San Antonio Historical Marker, Chupadera ArroyoA "moderate" (about 4 miles round trip) hike across the desert to the Chupadera Arroyo. This place was a hangout for Native American hunters long before the Spanish "entrada" into New Mexico. Participants will find a hiking stick (2 styles available at the Bosque Nature Store - or bring your own) very helpful. Led by local naturalist Bob Merkel, it is a neat followup to his Friday evening talk (FR73). Meet at the San Antonio historic marker on US 380 just east of I-25. High clearance vehicles recommended.
Meet the Authors: Book Signing at the Bosque
1:00 pm to 4:00 pm
Atrium, Bosque del Apache NWR
Many of the Festival's presenters are published authors. We'll have their books available at the Bosque Nature Store and some of the authors themselves (along with a local author or two) will be on hand outside the Nature Store to talk about their work. Drop by and visit, purchase a book (or several!), and get it autographed!
Junior Naturalist Tour
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Sa101 - $1
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 1Children ages 5 to 12 are invited to join one of the Bosque del Apache's naturalists for a special tour of the Refuge. Children may take a short hike, may use nets to catch critters in the marsh, and see pack rat nests and beaver activity. Parents are welcome and must accompany their children (no charge). Offered Saturday and Sunday. Meet in the Visitor Center parking lot.
Early Ornithologists of the Chihuahuan Desert
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Sa102 - $5
Macey Center, GalenaFor millennia natives lived with (and on) the exceptional desert birds, naming them and understanding their habits and life histories. The first written accounts came from 16th century Spaniards, who as they passed through "Nuevo Mexico" on their search for El Dorado recorded their impressions of the unusual bird life they saw during their tedious journey. Not until three hundred years later did professional ornithologists begin to describe scientifically the desert avian fauna, beginning with the official survey of the Mexican-United States Border following the Mexican War.
Birding by Ear
1:30 pm to 3:00 pm Sa103 - $5
Macey Center, AuditoriumIt is often easier to hear them than to see them! Enhance your birding skills by learning to identify birds by song. Christopher Rustay will use recordings to compare and contrast the songs of New Mexican birds.
Snow Goose Ecology
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Sa106 - $5
Macey Center, GalenaFounded in 1937 for the protection of migrating and wintering sandhill cranes, Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge has become one of the most important wetland complexes in the southwestern United States. Although the original purpose was for sandhill cranes, the Refuge benefits myriad migratory and resident wildlife species. During the wintering period one of the most spectacular visiting species is the light geese. However, the light geese are a relative new comer to Bosque del Apache NWR and with changes in their populations come new and challenging population management issues. In this presentation Land Management Research and Demonstration Biologist John Vradenburg will discuss the life history of the light geese that migrate through and winter in the Middle Rio Grande Valley of New Mexico. Topics will include breeding areas of this population, migration routes, foraging tactics, population dynamics, and management actions implemented for this population.
Tai Chi Chuan: White Crane Spreads its Wings
3:30 pm to 5:00 pm Sa107 - $5
Macey Center, MezzanineLegend says that in 12th-century China , Chang San-Feng observed a crane and a snake engaged in battle. The grace and flexibility of these two opponents are the basis of what eventually evolved as a series of 13 martial art movements. Members of the New Mexico Tech Martial Arts Club will demonstrate the fluid motion of the Tai Chi sequence and teach workshop participants some of the basic moves. Meet at the Macey Center Mezzanine. Weather permitting, the demonstration will take place on the lawn.
Walk in to Fly in
4:30 pm to 6:00 pm Sa108 - $5
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 1An 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.
Friends Buffet Supper
7:00 pm to 8:00 pm Sa109 - $20
Macey Center, MezzanineJoin us on the beautiful Macey Center Mezzanine for a relaxing buffet supper. Dr. Peter Raven's keynote at 8:00 pm is just a few steps away.
How Many Species Will Survive the 21st Century?
8:00 pm to 9:30 pm Sa110 - $5
Macey Center, AuditoriumCalculations from the longevity of species in the fossil record indicate an extinction rate of approximately 1 species per million per year over the past 65 million years. Written accounts from the past 500 years indicate that this rate has increased perhaps two orders of magnitude, so that we may be losing as many as 100 species per million per year now, and the rate is increasing. Habitat destruction, climate change, selective gathering of individual species, and the spread of alien invasive species are important in driving the accelerating rates of extinction. With extraordinary effort that we are likely to apply only to groups such as birds, extinction in this century might be limited to as little as 15% of all species; for many groups, it could approach or exceed 50%. The choice is ours, and depends on many different kinds of actions that Dr. Raven will discuss.
