Presentations and Workshops
Saturday, November 3, 2012
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.
12:00-12:20 – Taiko Drumming
Crete Hall
Denis and James Kurata perform this ancient form of Japanese music in an exciting performance that is always a Festival highlight. 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.
Featured Presenation
12:30-1:20 - "Cranes of the Pacific Flyway"
Crete Hall
Join us in welcoming back Gary Ivey, who will discuss
the 3 subspecies of Sandhill Crane that use the Pacific Flyway.
He will have the latest information about their breeding ranges,
migration paths and wintering sites, much of it from his own
research.
Gary Ivey is the Western Crane Conservation
Manager for the International
Crane Foundation where he focuses on Sandhill Cranes in the
Pacific Flyway, from Alaska to California. He is also working
on a PhD at Oregon State University on the wintering ecology of
Greater and Lesser Sandhill Cranes.
1:30-2:20 – Wild Things!
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. The presenter, Paul Tebbel, has worked with cranes since 1976, including 11 years as the director of Audubon's Rowe Sanctuary on the Platte River in Nebraska, where more Sandhill Cranes gather every spring than any other location in the world.
1:30-2:30
– How to Photograph Birds in Flight
Thomas Theatre
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 #19 at 3:00 PM on Saturday and Tour #42 at 2:00 PM on Sunday. You do not need to register for a tour to attend this presentation, which is free and open to all. However, if you want to participate in a tour, you must register for it.
Richard is well known for the BIF techniques he has developed. Visit his web gallery or his blog on bird life and bird photography.
2:30-3:20 - Wetlands and Waterbirds in the Central
Valley: Two Centuries of Loss and Recovery
Crete Hall
California’s Great Central Valley once contained
approximately 4 million acres of permanent and seasonal wetlands,
which supported many millions of waterfowl and other waterbirds.
After statehood, Californians began to drain or “reclaim” these
wetlands, primarily for conversion of the land to agriculture.
The Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta and surrounding areas were among
the most altered landscapes in the valley. During the 2nd half
of the 20th century and into the 21st, we have been protecting and
restoring, rather than destroying, valley wetlands. Author
Philip Garone will address the often-surprising reasons why and how
that change of fortune for our wetlands has come about.
Philip Garone is an Associate Professor of History at California
State University Stanislaus. He has recently published the
first comprehensive environmental history of the Central Valley,
The
Fall and Rise of the Wetlands of California’s Great Central Valley
(University of California Press, 2011) and will be selling his book
before and after his presentation.
2:45-3:45
– 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.
3:00-4:30 – Creepy, Crawly Pond Critters
Kirst Patio
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.
3:00-6:00 – Native American Flute Circle
Thomas
Theatre
Dan Ricketts from the Northern California Flute Circle will lead a gathering for all who enjoy playing and learning more about the Native Flute. The Flute Circle is open to everyone, from beginning to advanced or professional players. Sitting in a circle (sacred to native peoples), all musicians take turns playing, with tips and instruction along the way. Observers are welcome to attend.
Sunday, November 4, 2012
10:30-11:30
– 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.
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 Lon Yarbrough, with ShareTheRoad Productions, for this 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 #29 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.
11:45-12:20 –Limberjim Bartz Band
Crete Hall
The Limberjim Bartz Band will play a family show of traditional down-home Americana. Hand-carved wooden puppets of wetland critters, including a crane, will clog dance to live fiddle and banjo music. The puppets, also known as limberjacks, are entertaining American folk art as well as rhythm instruments.
Featured Presentation
12:30-1:20 –
Raising Kid Colt: A Story of a Young Sandhill Crane
Crete
Hall
Special guest Nina Faust will take us to the
Sandhill Cranes’ Alaskan summering area with her new video, Raising
Kid Colt: A Story of a Young Sandhill Crane. Experience
up close the intimate world of Sandhill Crane family life, which
includes seldom-seen perspectives of raising crane colts, as well as
a progression of colt development over the summer. The video
will transport you to their personal world and leave you with new
insights of these iconic birds.
For many years, Sandhill
Cranes have been visiting Inspiration Ridge Preserve in Homer,
Alaska, where Nina and her husband, Edgar Bailey, co-founders of
Kachemak Crane Watch,
have lived since 1998. One day 2 years ago, a pair of Lesser
Sandhill Cranes claimed a breeding territory at the Preserve.
When it became clear that this pair was not going away, Nina, an
amateur videographer, started filming them almost daily during their
summer stay as they raised their family.
12:30-1:15 – Miss Dorothy Presents
Thomas Theatre
A medley of puppets and stories by local favorite Dorothy Maas, including the puppet plays “Lizard's Song” and “The Runaway Pancake” and a folding paper story "The Fox and the Crane". After the program the children are invited to play with the puppets and use the puppet stage and make origami cranes.
12:30-1:30 – Owl Pellet Exploration!
1:30-2:20 – Audubon at Home - Building Backyard Habitat
Crete Hall
The Audubon at Home program encourages individual conservation action that can sustain birds, other wildlife, and healthy habitats in our yards and neighborhoods. A healthy yard is not really a "yard" at all - it is also habitat and a sanctuary for wildlife. Learn how to be a responsible caretaker of your piece of the earth with easy ways to increasing biodiversity while also adding entertainment to your home outdoor experiences. Speaker Julie Serences is sponsored by the Sacramento Audubon Society and Xerces Society. She is well known for her presentations on birds, native bees, and backyard habitat.
1:30-2:20 – The Secret Lives of Raptors
1:30-5:30 – Decoy Carving Workshop for Beginners
Thomas Theatre
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 Lewis's Woodpecker 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.
2:30-3:30 – The Wonder of Bats
Crete Hall
Learn about these fascinating flying mammals, the myths that surround them, and meet live bats native to California. Be amazed by their size and the many special 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.
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