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Put on your hiking boots, grab your binoculars and adjust your camera settings for the 35th Annual Festival of the Cranes starting Wednesday, December 11. The four-day event features 85 workshops, seminars, hikes and guided tours focused on birding and photography, with something for everyone.
Cari Powell, festival manager, said attendance is expected to reach an all-time high of 500 to 600 people. She said some of the new festival highlights include an opening night celebration at the Socorro Convention Center, a high school art contest and guided tours at Salinas Pueblo Mission.
Most of the events will be hosted at the Socorro Convention Center, Bosque Del Apache, New Mexico Tech, the Owl Bar and the Sevilleta Visitor Center.
Powell said spots for workshops are filling up and recommends visiting their website, www.festivalofthecranes.org for updated information. Also on the website is a printable festival schedule and local attractions participants can enjoy while in Socorro.
Free classes
Many classes will be offered for free, including some by Dr. Mostfa Hassanalian of New Mexico Tech, who is well-known for his work on taxidermied drones:
• Unlocking Nature’s Secrets, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Thursday Dec.12 at the Socorro Convention Center
During millions of years of evolution, nature has developed processes, objects, materials, and functions to increase efficiency. Through biomimicry and inspiration from this natural treasure trove, engineers and biologists have become interested in learning from biological insights. Sometimes looking at nature provides us with the best answers for the development and optimization of different types of systems, including aerospace systems. Nature always has effective solutions for many complex tasks in aerospace industries, such as drag reduction techniques, locomotion, navigation, control, sensing, and aircraft design. The growing science of biomimicry focuses on what engineers can learn: quite a lot about efficient solutions for aerospace and engineering systems, which nature has spent millions of years refining. In this workshop, Dr. Hassanalian will share his fascinating research and its applications, as well as show you some of the nature-inspired drones that he and his team have created.
• Monarch Magic: The Secret of Their Wings, 10:30 a.m. to 12 p.m. Friday December 13 at the Socorro Convention Center
Explore the fascinating world of monarch butterflies and uncover the hidden secrets of their iconic black-and-orange wings. Recent research suggests that the white spots on monarch wings may play a crucial role in their epic 3,000-mile migration. Join us to learn how these delicate patterns could be altering airflow and helping monarchs reach their wintering grounds in Mexico. This workshop will delve into the latest findings and offer a closer look at one of nature’s most extraordinary migrations. This seminar is perfect for nature enthusiasts of all ages!
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• The Science of Crane Formation Flight and Migration, 3 p.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Saturday December 14 at the Socorro Convention Center
Discover the incredible journey of migrating cranes and the science behind their remarkable flight formations. While many birds do not migrate, those that do—like cranes—often fly together in groups, a strategy that offers numerous advantages. In this workshop, we’ll explore how formation flight can make migration more efficient by reducing drag, increasing endurance, and providing better protection against predators. We will dive into the complex, coordinated behavior that allows cranes to navigate thousands of miles with precision, discussing the aerodynamic principles that make their group flight so effective. This session is ideal for anyone interested in the fundamentals of flight, particularly as it relates to the awe-inspiring migration of cranes.
Will There Continue to be Water for the Bosque? A bosque water panel & discussion, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m, Saturday December 14 at the Socorro Convention Center
Water is critical to the Bosque ecosystem, as well as to the communities that exist along the Rio Grande floodplain. The complex history of this land and river has led to a complex water management system, which attempts to balance the needs of many different constituencies, both human and natural. This already stretched system is now being forced to adapt to a changing climate that drives up water demand and alters the timing and predictability of flows. The implications for wildlife in general, and Bosque del Apache, in particular, are daunting. This panel discussion is intended to provide critical background knowledge to promote informed public engagement in water management issues in the Middle Rio Grande. Bring your questions.
Visit the website to more free events.
The Expo Room at the Socorro Convention center hours :
Wednesday, December 11, 12:00pm - 7:30pm
Thursday December 12 through Saturday December 14, 9:00am - 5:00pm
Sunday December 15, 9:00am - 12:00pm
