SUNDAY FESTIVAL OF THE CRANES Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

SUNDAY, November 23, 2008

Walk out to Fly out
Tour
5:30 am to 7:30 am Su111 - $5
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 2

A 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 Su112 - $5
Macey Center, Water Canyon

Join 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.

 

Refuge Tour
Tour
9:00 am to 11:00 am Su113 - $5
11:30 am to 1:30 pm Su115 - $5
2:00 pm to 4:00 pm Su117 - $5
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 1

This 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.

 

Canyon Trail Hike
Hike
9:00 am to Noon Su114 - $5
Bosque del Apache NWR, Canyon Trailhead

Local naturalist Bob Merkel will lead the group on a 2-3/4 mile round trip along the wide and very sandy Solitude Arroyo and through a fascinating narrow canyon. The canyon is replete with geologically interesting formations from Tertiary time, several million years before the Rio Grande existed. Evidences of eruptions, floods, and desert dunes are there for all to see. Meet at the Canyon Trailhead 1.5 miles south of the Bosque Visitor Center. Note: because of the sand and elevation change this hike is "moderate"; definitely not "easy."

 

Junior Naturalist Tour
1:00 pm to 3:00 pm Su116 - $1
Bosque del Apache NWR, Crane 1

Children 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.