For the Birds

The cranes are coming to the 20th annual festival at Bosque del Apache, Nov. 13-18.

If you're looking for something to do in mid-November, maybe you should wing it to the Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge near Socorro. That's what thousands of cranes — and bird lovers — will be doing, as the Refuge hosts the 20th annual Festival of the Cranes, Nov. 13-18.

There are four major components to the Festival: tours, lectures, exhibits and the Refuge:

• Tours are offered to introduce you to areas and topics not commonly available during the year. Birders will be out from dawn to dusk on and off of the Bosque, and there is even a birding tour on Elephant Butte Lake. The management of local National Wildlife Refuges will conduct groups and explain in detail the operation of each refuge. But it's not just birds: During the Historic Socorro Open House, photo galleries and historic buildings will be open for inspection, plus New Mexico Tech and the scientific community will also have displays and tours.
  
• Lectures are offered on a variety of wildlife-related subjects. Most are given at the Macey Center in Socorro. Workshops in photography, bird identification and wildlife painting will be conducted in the field or at special facilities.
  
• On Saturday and most of Sunday, Nov. 17-18, the main Promenade at the Refuge will be filled with exhibits and demonstrations where you can see animals up close. Animal rescue groups will display mammals and birds along the perimeter of the Promenade. If you ever wanted a full head photo of a Flammulated Owl, this may be your only opportunity.
  
• The Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge is the place to see and celebrate the annual return of the cranes, including their Fly-Out in the morning and the Fly-In in the evening. You are free to experience this on your own or you may join a tour.

In the 1930s, the Rocky Mountain population of greater sandhill cranes was severely declining. Habitat loss in wintering and breeding areas, land use changes and other factors had taken their toll on the population. By 1941, fewer than 20 sandhills wintered on Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge.

Since 1939, refuge staff, volunteers, cooperators and other agencies have worked to restore wintering habitat along the Rio Grande for the cranes. Intensive management on the refuge, including moist soil management (growing natural wetland foods), cooperative agriculture, and crop manipulation have helped the population recover dramatically. The Refuge hosts about three-quarters of the Rocky Mountain sandhill crane population each winter, totaling up to 15,000 birds.

In addition to the sandhill cranes, the refuge is also a wintering stopover or home for snow geese, Ross' geese, pintails, shovelers, mallards, and a host of other waterfowl.

The Refuge is open daily from one hour before sunrise to one hour after sunset. There is a $3 per vehicle entrance fee for the tour loop.

For more information and complete festival schedule, see www.friendsofthebosque.org/crane.

You can also call or email Kit Owens at 835-2077 or registrar@sdc.org. For general information about the Refuge, call 835-1828.

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