Presentations and Workshops
Saturday, November 5, 2011
10:00-12:00
Crane Dance Workshop -- Thomas Theatre
Dance for joy! Cranes chicks dance to learn life skills; adults dance for pair bonding and to alleviate aggression, and they all dance for joy. So do humans. Bring the family, age 3 to adult, to explore together the fascinating dance habits of cranes and the unique cultural crane dances from around the world. Discover the cranes’ dance “alphabet” and then perform a culturally unique crane dance created by workshop participants and Alexei Badrak and Ronna Roberts, directors of the International Ballet Theater Institute. The workshop culminates in a 30-minute performance of classical and folk crane dances representing cultures from around the world. All workshop and event participants are invited to this performance.
11:00-11:50
The Secret Lives of Raptors -- Patio off Kirst Hall
Join
Native Bird Connections for an intimate look at the behaviors, life
experiences, and personal stories of several birds of prey.
Witness hawks and owls up close and prepare to be awed by their
unique presence. Native Bird Connections will bring several
live, non-releasable birds - likely a Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian
Eagle Owl, and others.
12:00-12:20
Taiko Drumming -- Crete Hall
Taiko drumming originated in Japan hundreds of years ago. The style of Taiko enjoyed today, which involves groups of drummers playing together, began in the 1950s. Denis and James Kurata perform this ancient form of Japanese music in an exciting performance that is always a Festival highlight.
12:30-1:20
The Future of
Cranes and Diverse Landscapes
Featured Speaker: Richard
Beilfuss -- Crete Hall
Join
Richard Beilfuss, president of the
International Crane
Foundation, to explore the role of cranes as sentinels and
flagships for conservation in 7 great river basins around the world.
Cranes are among the most endangered bird families in the world,
with 11 of the 15 species threatened and many populations in peril.
Over the next 20 years, emerging challenges will further jeopardize
cranes and the places where they live--the rapid development of
China (home to 8 crane species), for example, and the impact of
climate change on regional water supplies and wetlands. Yet
the special characteristics of cranes – their cultural significance,
high visibility, extraordinary beauty, dramatic migrations, and
striking behavior – also create unique opportunities for
conservation actions.
Admission to Richard Beilfuss' presentation The
Future of Cranes and Diverse Landscapes is free.
12:30-1:20
Owl Pellet Exploration! -- Upstairs Classroom
Come learn about the barn owl and dissect an owl pellet to discover what it has eaten in this hands-on activity for children. Be a nature detective by matching up the bones in the pellet to small mammal bone charts. Parents are recommended to attend and assist each child under 11 years old. Limit 17, sign-up for this free activity at the Oak Grove Nature Center table in the Exhibit Hall starting at 10 AM on Saturday.
1:30-2:20
The Secret Lives of Raptors -- Patio off Kirst
Hall
Join
Native Bird Connections for an intimate look at the behaviors, life
experiences, and personal stories of several birds of prey.
Witness hawks and owls up close and prepare to be awed by their
unique presence. Native Bird Connections will bring several
live, non-releasable birds - likely a Red-tailed Hawk, Eurasian
Eagle Owl, and others.
1:30-2:20
Top Birding Spots in San Joaquin County - Crete
Hall
Join Jim Rowoth from San Joaquin Audubon for an armchair tour of some of the top birding spots in San Joaquin County. We are fortunate to still have a wide variety of habitats locally. Favorite birding areas in this county include riparian forests along the Mokelumne and Stanislaus rivers, delta wetlands, the eastern Sierra Nevada foothills, and the Coast Range in the southwest corner of the county. In addition, there are man-made hot spots, such as sewage ponds and urban forests at parks and cemeteries, which are favored by birds and birders alike. Jim is a long-time Audubon field trip leader and has been a regular tour leader and presenter at the Crane Festival. He also teaches a regular workshop at Delta College for beginners, Birding 101. He is a firm believer that the more people know about nature, the more likely they are to value and defend what we have left.
1:30-2:30
How to Photograph Birds in Flight
Wildlife
photographer Richard Pavek will give a presentation on overcoming
the problems of photographing Birds in Flight (BIF). The
presentation includes composition, exposures, and shutter speeds
appropriate for BIF. He will demonstrate how to track and
shoot without a tripod and maintain stability. Bird behavioral
cues that let you anticipate when perched birds are about to fly are
covered as well. This is the companion presentation for Tour
#21 at 3:00 PM on Saturday. You do not need to register for
the tour to attend this presentation, which is free and open to all.
However, if you want to participate in the tour, you must register
for it.
Richard is well known for the BIF techniques he has developed. Visit his web gallery at: www.pbase.com/shenmaker and/or his blog on bird life and bird photography at www.RichardsBirdBlog.com
2:45-6:00
Decoy Carving Workshop for Beginners - Thomas
Theater
Join master carvers from the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association to learn how to carve a bird decoy from wood. All of the necessary materials, including a study guide and carving knives, will be provided. Short lectures with lots of hands-on carving time will enable you to complete a life-size Dunlin shorebird decoy. There is a $25 materials fee, collected at the workshop. Please pre register by calling Jim Burcio at 925-754-4978 or stop by the Pacific Flyway Decoy Association table in the Exhibit Hall.
3:00-4:00
The Wonder of Bats - Crete Hall
Learn about these fascinating flying mammals and the myths that surround them. Then, meet live bats native to California. Be amazed by their size and the many different characteristics that allow bats to be such an essential part of the environment. Presented by Corky Quirk of NorCal Bats, an organization that is dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and release of bats in Northern California.
Sunday, November 6, 2011
11:00-11:50
Wild Things! -- Patio off Kirst
Hall
Gabe
and Barb Kerschner return with some of their special animals for
this fun and educational program. In past years they have
shared a mountain lion, bear, raccoon, eagle, owl, and other animals
that were rescued, but could not be returned to the wild.
11:00-11:50
ZenOptic Wetlands Dawn - Digital Capture At First
Light -- Thomas Theatre
Each day life begins anew in the wetlands as the sun rises, the
sky warms and the Sandhill Cranes dance. Join
ShareTheRoad Productions
in a multi-media presentation and discussion focused on the
experience of wetland life at dawn and its ethical capture through
photo, video, and sound digital recording. Details and
techniques are available at
www.ShareTheRoad.us/dawn.html. This is the companion
presentation for Tour #30 on Sunday morning. You do not need
to register for the tour to attend this presentation, which is free
and open to all. However, if you want to participate in the
tour, you must register for it.
11:50-12:20 – Native American Flute Performance -- Crete Hall
Dan Ricketts will again treat us to his captivating music from this unique instrument, accompanied by other Northern California Flute Circle members and Pat Oberdieck on keyboard. Be sure to visit Dan in the Exhibit Hall at the Northern California Flute Circle table.
12:30-1:20
Finding Hope and
Family in Alaska
Featured Speaker: Hank Lentfer -- Crete Hall
Join us
for a celebration of Hank Lentfer's acclaimed new book
Faith of Cranes: Finding Hope and Family in Alaska, a lyrical
memoir of home and community near Glacier Bay. Using images
and sound, Hank will share the richness, rhythm, and beauty of life
in his Alaskan home. Hank listened to cranes passing over his
home for 20 years before bothering to figure out where they were
going. On a visceral level, he didn’t want to know. A
former wildlife biologist and longtime conservationist, Hank had
come to accept that no number of letters to the editor could stop
the clear cuts, alter the course of climate change, or ensure that
his beloved cranes would always appear. Come listen to the
story of how one man, blinded to present beauty by the fear of an
ugly future, regained his sight.
Admission to Hank Leftner's presentation
Finding
Hope and Family in Alaska is free.
12:30-1:30 -- Owl Pellet Exploration! - Upstairs Classroom
Come learn about the barn owl and dissect an owl pellet to discover what it has eaten in this hands-on activity for children. Be a nature detective by matching up the bones in the pellet to small mammal bone charts. Parents are recommended to attend and assist each child under 11 years old. Limit 17, sign-up for this free activity at the Oak Grove Nature Center table in the Exhibit Hall starting at 10 AM on Saturday.
12:30-2:00
Creepy, Crawly Pond Critters -- Thomas Theatre
See and learn about creatures found in the ponds and the streams in our area. Birds eat some, some eat birds! An art activity suitable for children of all ages will also take place. Presented by the Lodi Lake Docents: Mary Fuhs, Melree Fuhs, Kathy Grant, and Virginia Moore.
1:30-2:20
Sandhill Crane Behavior -- Crete Hall
Sandhill Cranes communicate with each other in a variety of ways, including dancing, body language, and vocalizations. You will learn about crane behavior, including how to distinguish between dancing and aggression and many other details that will help you better understand and appreciate cranes in the wild. Your presenter is Paul Tebbel, who has worked with cranes since 1976.
1:30-2:20
Wild Things! -- Patio off Kirst Hall
Gabe and Barb Kerschner return with some of their special animals
for this fun and educational program. In past years they have
shared a mountain lion, bear, raccoon, eagle, owl, and other animals
that were rescued, but could not be returned to the wild.
2:30-4:00
You Can Play the Native American Flute -- Thomas
Theatre
Your instructor will be Dan Ricketts, a long-time Festival exhibitor and performer. Dan will share with you the basics of producing a nice sound on your flute; no formal musical training is needed to attend this class. There will be flutes for 10 participants or you may bring your own. All are welcome to sit in and listen and watch, although the instruction is for ages 8 and above. For more information, please see Dan in the Exhibit Hall at the Northern California Flute Circle table.
3:00-4:00
Birds and Reptiles - More Alike than Different -- Patio off Kirst Hall
Join Micke grove Zoo presenters as they explore the relationships and similarities between birds and reptiles. Do your own comparisons when you see, up close, a Red-Tailed Boa, African Leopard Tortoises, a California Kingsnake, and the Zoo’s friendly hens!
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