THURSDAY, Nov 18, 2010 FESTIVAL OF THE CRANES Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge

THURSDAY

(OLD 2009 is lised here- available till we get the NEW 2010 schedule)

Bosque Birding Intensive
5:30 AM to 9:30 AM
TH24 - $75 Bosque, Crane 1
A tour for intermediate and expert birders. You will have the most experienced guides and birding assistants the Bosque has to offer for a morning of serious birding. Coffee and pastries and amenities are provided but the focus is on BIRDING. Your host will be Cecil Kimberlin, long-time guide at the Bosque del Apache NWR. This event is offered Thursday and Friday. Limit 12.

Sandhill Crane Behavior
5:30 AM to 11:30 AM
TH25 - $80 Bosque, Lannan
The most comprehensive training on cranes offered at any crane festival, 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 subspecies apart, distinguish 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 crane interactions. Your instructors are Paul Tebbel, Keanna Leonard and Robert Kruidenier. Paul has worked with cranes for 35 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. Keanna has been the Director of Education at Rowe Sanctuary since 2001 and helps over 7,000 students every year understand and appreciate cranes, wildlife habitat and the Platte River. Robert Kruidenier was a full time volunteer at the Refuge for most of the last 15 years. His special stories and knowledge of the Refuge are invaluable. Warm shoes and warm, layered clothing recommended. Limit 20. Offered Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday.

Walk Out to Fly Out
5:30 AM to 7:30 AM
TH26 - $5 Bosque, Crane 1
It's early, it's dark, and it's cold, but this is one event you shouldn't miss. When thousands of cranes and geese take flight, the sight and sound is spectacular. Dress warmly and meet in the Visitor Center parking lot for a short bus ride and walk to the roosting area. Offered Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Limit 80.

Land, Sea and Air
8:30 AM to 2:30 PM
TH27 - $90 Truth or Consequences, Marina del Sur
Sea birds, diving ducks, cormorants, grebes, white pelicans and more can be found in a dramatic geological setting at Elephant Butte Lake. Join Steve Green and Tamie Bulow, Conventions and Tours Manager of the American Birding Association, for this exciting trip aboard a 44-foot twin-engine houseboat, followed by birding on land. Breakfast snacks and a full lunch, featuring locally grown and produced foods, will be served. The boat will leave promptly at 9 am from Marina del Sur at Elephant Butte State Park and will return to the same location around noon. From there we caravan (5-10 minutes) to the riparian area at the base of Elephant Butte Dam for more birding. Take exit 83 on I-25 and follow signs to the State Park. As the park is a 90-minute drive from Socorro, you may want to stay the night before the trip in Truth or Consequences. We will be happy to send information on accommodations close to the tour site. The price of the tour is refundable if the weather is such that the trip has to be canceled. Be sure to note your dietary requirements on the meals page of the registration form. Warm clothing is recommended. Limit 14. Offered Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

Birds (and animals!) of the Bosque
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
TH28 - $5 Macey Center, Silver
Dennis Dunkerson, a seasonal volunteer at the Bosque del Apache, has been photographing wildlife for over 40 years. Using photos taken during the winter at the Bosque, he will discuss identification and behavior of birds and animals you may see in the Bosque habitat. Offered Thursday and Friday.

Discover Sevilleta
9:00 AM to 3:00 PM
TH29 - $10 Sevilleta NWR, Sevilleta Visitor Center
Approximately 230,000 acres in size, the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is a vast landscape in the heart of New Mexico. It supports four major ecosystems, touches two mountain ranges and embraces the largest river in the State. Its magnitude and austere beauty make the Refuge unforgettable, but its true significance lies in its function. The Refuge is managed not for a specific species of wildlife, but for the natural processes of flood, fire and succession that sustain this huge landscape's functioning ecosystems. These varied habitats provide homes for a diversity of wildlife and plants, many existing at the edge of their capabilities. The majority of the land that makes up the Sevilleta National Wildlife Refuge is closed to public access, allowing for wildlife management, habitat restoration and research. This tour provides a rare opportunity to visit the Refuge's back-country. Bring lunch and plenty to drink. Wear sturdy shoes and dress for the weather. This tour includes some easy walking over uneven terrain. Take I-25 north from Socorro to exit 169, turn west and go 3/4 mile to the Refuge Visitor Center. Limit 20 people.

New Mexico's Native Americans: Where, When and Why
9:00 AM to 10:00 AM
TH30 - $5 Macey Center, Galena
Ancestors of today's Puebloans, Apaches, and Navajos (who now live on, and off, 22 separate and distinct reservations in New Mexico) have been in the Americas for at least 13,000 years (they say "forever"). Wrenching changes over the last half millennium, though, have obscured their past: drought, migration, Spanish "entrada," Mexican independence, US acquisition, gold fever, The Bomb. And, whatever happened to the Piro people who lived right here near the Bosque 500 years ago? Local resident Bob Merkel has the story and some surprising answers. [Also see FR62, Chupadera Arroyo hike on Friday.]

All About Raptors
9:30 AM to 1:00 PM
TH31 - $25 Bosque, Lannan
Join an experienced raptor handler for this comprehensive course on the identification of birds of prey. Your instructor 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 instructor is Dr. Kathleen Ramsay. 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. Offered Thursday and Friday. Limit 20.

Refuge Birding Tour
9:30 AM to 11:30 AM
TH32 - $5 Bosque, Crane 1
The Refuge Birding Tour focuses on the species that can be seen within the Bosque del Apache NWR. 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.

Chupadera Peak Hike
10:00 AM to 4:00 PM
TH33 - $5 Bosque, Chupadera Peak Trailhead
Join Friends board member Lise Spargo on a hike through the Chupadera Wilderness to the top of Chupadera Peak. This hike winds through typical Chihuahuan desert scrub habitat in its lower reaches, through a canyon of solidified volcanic ash, and finally to a panoramic view of the Bosque del Apache NWR and its surroundings. This hike is considered strenuous due to elevation gain. Please wear layered clothing, sturdy boots, and bring plenty of water, snacks and lunch. Also be prepared for changes in the weather. The hike will leave from the Chupadera Wilderness Trailhead one mile north of the Visitor Center off Highway 1. If you have questions, contact Lise at Lisespargo@aol.com . Limit 15.

Bats!
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
TH34 -$5 Macey Center, Galena
This second largest order of mammals is poorly known by most of the public and shrouded in misconception and legend. Join Dr. Scott Altenbach, a bat biologist with nearly fifty years of experience, in a fascinating presentation about this charming, interesting and important group of animals. The lecture begins with a look at bat basics; how they fly, how they sense their environment, the different ways they feed. In a presentation illustrated with stunning color photographs, you will learn about bats that feed on blood, fish, fruit, flowers and insects. You will learn about some of the kinds of bats found here in New Mexico and the differences in how they live their lives. Finally, you will hear about a program to evaluate abandoned mines for bats and to protect the bats as the mines are closed in an effort to protect the public.

Cougar: The American Lion
10:30 AM to 11:30 AM
TH35 - $5 Macey Center, Galena
Mountain lions work a powerful magic on the human imagination. Unfortunately their stealthy lifestyle has shrouded them in myth and misinformation. Join presenter Kevin Hansen as he sifts fact from fiction and reveals these majestic predators for the remarkable animals they are.

Duck Ecology
1:00 PM to 2:00 PM
TH37 - $5 Macey Center, Silver
Ducks are the dominant avifauna of wetland systems and one of the most successful avian groups in the world. Representatives breed on every continent with the exception of Antarctica. The success of this group of birds is tied to the diversity in size and shape of various parts of their body. These physical features allow ducks to travel great distances, be reactive to wetland availability, and survive through periods of poor habitat condition. In this presentation Land Management Research and Demonstration Biologist John Vradenburg will discuss duck ecology as it relates to habitat use, migration timing and distance, and reproductive strategies. Emphasis will be placed on species common to Bosque del Apache NWR . Limit 25.

Nature Journaling: Painting Your Field Notes
1:00 PM to 4:00 PM TH38 - $35 Bosque, Lannan
Learn to see quickly and record your observations in pencil and watercolor. Take a crash course in drawing from nature and how to translate your observations onto paper. Spend time looking and remembering, then make the eye hand connection resulting in drawings, paintings, and illustrations from the field. Be prepared to have fun, work hard, and be surprised!
Bring a small drawing paper pad, at least 8 x 10, any soft pencils, charcoal or conte crayon, and/or drawing pens and ink. Bring a kneaded eraser, a small pan or tube watercolor set with pallette, and at least 2 sizes of good watercolor brushes. Colored pencils are acceptable. Water and water holders will be provided. Limit 20.

VLA Tour
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
TH39 - Free VLA, 52 miles west of Socorro
The Very Large Array (VLA) is a world-famous radio telescope consisting of 27 giant dish antennas spread across the Plains of San Agustin 50 miles west of Socorro. In this special tour, you will learn about the history, operation and mission of this National Science Foundation project while touring the visitor center and walking to the base of one of the 25-meter (82-feet) dishes. Take Highway 60 west from Socorro 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.

Water in the Desert: Plants and Animal Habitats
1:30 PM to 3:30 PM
TH40 - $5 Bosque, Marsh Trailhead
Join this 2 hour walk from Cattail marshes to Four Wing Salt Bush dry sandy desert. Enjoy a 1.5 mile leisurely nature walk with Cheryl Learn and Jo Ann Wade, volunteer naturalists. We will examine the range of plants that grow from the marsh up into the surrounding Chihuahua Desert. We will also be on the lookout for denizens of this beautiful area of Bosque del Apache such as migrating birds, water fowl, possibly butterflies and dragonflies. We may even see animal tracks. Bring your binoculars, sunscreen, water, gloves, hat and dress in layers. We meet at the Marsh Loop Trailhead. Offered Thursday and Saturday. Limit 12.

Night ShiftL M
2:00 PM to 3:00 PM
TH41 - $5Macey Center, Auditorium
Come 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.

Songbirds of the Rio Grande Valley
2:30 PM to 3:30 PM
TH42 - $5 Macey Center, Galena
Have you ever seen a Yellow-billed Cuckoo? Or heard the hauntingly beautiful song of the Hermit Thrush? Did you know that it is possible to identify some birds by the sound of their feet scratching in the leaves? Some of the habitats of the riparian woodland along the river support incredibly high densities of birdlife, from common species to seldom seen or heard rarities. Other areas support tragically low numbers. Hawks Aloft will show some amazing photos and share fascinating information about the many birds found here and how they adapt to an ever-changing environment.

Fossil Vertebrates from Central New Mexico
3:30 PM to 4:30 PML M
TH43 - $5Macey Center, Auditorium
In 2008, researchers discovered the skull, lower jaws, and partial skeleton of a 10-million-year-old oreodont fossil on the Bosque del Apache NWR. Besides the oreodont, there are older (Eocene and Oligocene) fossils from near Carthage and fossil mammal footprints from the Gallinas and San Mateo Mountains, Pliocene fossils from numerous sites in the Rio Grande Valley from Veguita and Abeytas south to Elephant Butte and Caballo lakes, and Pleistocene fossils from the Plains of San Agustin, Lemitar, and Socorro areas. Gary Morgan, Curator of Paleontology at the New Mexico Museum of Natural History, and Dave Love of the New Mexico Bureau of Geology will talk about the significance of these fossils and the geology of the environments in which they were discovered.

Walk In to Fly In
4:30 PM to 6:00 PM
TH44 - $5 Bosque, Crane 1
As the shadows grow long and the sun begins to set, thousands of geese and cranes return to the nighttime safety of the marshes at the Bosque. Meet at the Visitor Center parking lot for a short bus ride and walk to the roost area to view this spectacular scene. Wear comfortable shoes and dress warmly. Offered Thursday, Friday and Saturday. Limit 80.

Friends Annual Dinner
6:00 PM to 7:30 PM
TH45 - $37 Macey Center, Mezzanine
The Friends of the Bosque del Apache NWR invite you to join us at the annual Friends Banquet on the Macey Center Mezzanine. Open to everyone, the banquet provides the opportunity to meet the Friends Board and Friends members in an informal setting, as well as Dr. John Marzluff, our keynote speaker. Dinner is catered by Chartwells of New Mexico Tech. Be sure to make your dinner selection on the registration form. Dress is casual. Limit 75.