All special events and workshops listed on this page are FREE and open to the public (except for some of the workshops and events during the Festival of the Cranes November 19-24, 2013). For more information please call 575-835-1828.To see some of the great workshops we have had in the past, please peruse past notices here. All 2007-2010 posters are are available here: Event Posters!
2013 Workshops and Events
Hummingbird Photography
****This workshop has been temporarily postponed. Please check back for a new date and time. ****
Photographer and naturalist Jerry Goffe will provide an overview on wildlife and nature photography followed by a hands-on experience just outside the Visitor Center. Techniques and tips will be utilized while photographing one or more species of hummingbirds coming to a staged feeding area. Bring your camera, instruction manual, memory cards (SD or CF), tripod, lunch, water and proper clothing (layers). Participants will alternate in-class/computer time with photography stations. The workshop will run until about 3pm to allow for all participants to have adequate field and class time. Please call 575-835-1828 for reservations.
Woodpeckers - Beautiful Carpenters
Saturday, June 1, 8:00 am - 2:30 pm
We will spend morning at the refuge hoping for a great variety of birds. It will be a prime time for finding both migrants and nesting birds. Please, join us at the Visitor Center at 8:00 AM for the refuge tour. At noon we will come back to the Center for lunch (on your own). The classroom program will start at 1:00 PM. Woodpeckers are beautiful birds and easy to observe. They are the only carpenters apart from humans. The program will help to appreciate and understand woodpeckers’ behavior and biology making their observation more enjoyable and meaningful. It will also provide information where to find particular species of woodpeckers in New Mexico. Beautiful photography will complement the lecture. The presenter, Celestyn Brozek, is a life-long birder, instructor of college ornithology courses, and naturalist. He has been living in New Mexico for almost 30 years and made several hundred visits to Bosque del Apache.
Reptiles and Amphibians of the Bosque
Saturday, June 22, 8:30 am - 11:30 am
More info coming soon!
Watercolor Workshop with Georgette Grey
Saturday, June 29
More info coming soon!
Making a Bird Friendly Yard through YardMap
Saturday, July 13, 9 am - Noon
There is a new online resource with tips and tools for mapping your yard, learning how to create better bird habitat, and making a safer environment for our feathered friends. We’ll introduce you to this program, practice mapping, and walk you through the region-specific resources Cornell Lab has compiled as part of their innovative yardmap project. Reservations required at 575-835-1828. Class limit 20.
The Edible Prickly Pear
A workshop for culinary adventurers presented by Albuquerque gardeners Penny & Gary Hoe
Saturday, August 24, 9:30 am - 1:30 pm
Meet the prickly pear cacti! Taste the tunas (fruits) & nopales (pads) prepared in several ways by Gary & Penny. Extract the juice from fruits you pick in the Arboretum. Take home recipes and cactus juice. Bring apron, long strong tongs, sack lunch, and a clean empty plastic bottle (1L or larger) with lid. Reservations required at 575-835-1828. Class limit 15.
Seasons of Stars—A Celebration of the Night Sky
Saturday, September 21, 7 p.m.
Meet at the Visitors Center
On the eve of the Autumnal Equinox, join amateur astronomers in celebration of New Mexico’s dark skies. As the Milky Way arches overhead, visitors will discover how Earth and Sky are linked in a cultural tapestry with examples and stories from across the world to New Mexico. Reservations required. Limited to 30 participants ages 8 and above. Call 575 835-1828.
2013 Tours
School Bus Tours
Educators- Don’t miss an opportunity for your students to experience one of New Mexico’s most fascinating natural resources. The Friends of the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is pleased to offer bus scholarships to defray some of the travel costs to visit the Refuge. Schools that arrange a tour with Refuge staff or volunteers are automatically eligible to receive a scholarship by just filling out the Bus Scholarship Application (pdf file).
- Each touring school can receive up to $250 in reimbursement for travel costs.
- Knowledgeable tour guides and presenters are available at no cost.
- We can do grade and subject-appropriate presentations to support your curriculum objectives.
- The Refuge is open year-round.
- November 1 – February 15 is the most popular time to visit the Refuge because of the tens of thousands of Sandhill Cranes, Snow Geese, and ducks. Volunteer tour guides are available 7 days a week during this period.
- Presentations and tours can focus on whatever the season has to offer. Spring, summer and fall can also be great times at the Bosque and can showcase subjects such as ecosystems, the food web, birds, flowers, and aquatics.
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