Journey North Whooping Crane Migration Update: April 8, 2011

Whooping Crane

Whooping Crane Migration Update: April 8, 2011

Sunny skies and south winds lured six more of the 2010 chicks northward this week! Two remain in Florida. Many Aransas cranes migrated too. See what you don't know about crane territories, and meet a mixed pair that astonished experts.

Today's Report Includes:

News: Migration Map and Field Reports
Migration Math: How Many Days?
Podcast: Endangered Species Day
Research Question and Quick Links: Helpful Resources to Explore

Image of the Week

Image: Billie Dodd
A surprising and unique crane pair is migrating north. Who is leading the way? What will happen when they get home?

News: Migration Map and Field Reports

Data /Map

Migration in full swing!
With an estimated 385 endangered Whooping cranes migrating north this spring, a sighting is still rare. But thanks to reports from trackers and citizen scientists, we can see migration progress of both migratory flocks on our MapServer

Latest News: Western Flock
At Aransas NWR, the cranes are going, going...almost gone! It looks like the migration is well underway, perhaps a week early. What behaviors show that cranes are about to depart? See what you DON'T know about territories!

Latest News: Eastern flock
Only two of the ten 2010 crane kids remain in Florida, where tracker Eva waits with them. Find out why she's still there and when they might leave. How many more of the Eastern flock have completed migration? See the Finish Line!

Migration Math: How Many Days??

The three young cranes that departed Chassahowitzka NWR in Florida on April 4 have been on their wintering grounds since their January 15 arrival. How many days is that? How does the Chass group's time compare with the St. Marks group? Now you can complete the chart showing number of days on the wintering grounds.

Number of Days on the Wintering Grounds, Eastern Flock

Podcast: Endangered Species Day

Podcast
(Thank you, Mark Chenoweth!)

May 20, 2011 is Endangered Species Day, a day that's important to the future of cranes and other endangered species. Check out the Top 10 Things You Can Do at Home to Protect Endangered Species. Pick one thing to do on Endangered Species Day and try the rest of the list throughout the year. Whooping cranes were one of the first species to be protected by the Endangered Species Act. When did this law begin, and which President signed it into law? Why do we have ESD? Answers in the podcast.

Image: Eva Szyszkoski

Research Question and Quick Links: Helpful Resources to Explore

Research Question: Whoopers or sandhills? What's the difference?

See: Crane ID: Will You Know a Whooper?

Lesson: Up, Up and Away:Thermals and Updrafts
Record Keeping: Arrival Log for Eastern Flock
Making Good Sightings: Official WCEP Reporting form
Keeping Track: The Finish Line, Eastern Flock

Image: Bill Gausman

More Whooping Crane Lessons and Teaching Ideas!

The Next Whooping Crane Migration Update Will Be Posted on April 15, 2011.