Whoop, whoop! For the past couple of weeks, I have been anxiously awaiting for the juveniles at the Chassahowitzka National Wildlife Refuge to start spring migration. On April 5 at 10:00 a.m., the wait was finally over! Whooping crane juveniles 901, 904, 905, 907, 913, 919, 924, 927 and 929 began migration today along with subadults 824, 827 and 830. While they did not remain in one group for the whole flight, they ended up landing together in Grady County, Georgia around 6:00 p.m. As of this writing, the two juveniles (#906 and #912) at St. Marks National Wildlife Refuge have yet to leave. (See Brooke's comment below.)

The Chass Departure
Photo Matt Strausser

April 8 Meanwhile, at St. Marks NWR in Florida, Brooke Pennypacker "sits in the blind day after day, drumming my fingers on the bench, waiting for our two remaining birds, YoYo and Boomerang, to leave on migration. . .Their genes have been migrating for tens of millions of years, and although we have a great pen for them to hang out in with lots of wonderful people who care about them, their genes will call them north." WHEN?