Journey North Whooping Crane Spring 2005

Responses to Challenge Question #6:

Crane 309's 2004/05 travels

Last week, we shared the travel tales of crane #309. As you know, she and her buddy, #520, left camp together to head north. Neither had yet made a successful migration back to Wisconsin, so we had to wonder this:

"Do you think #309 and #520 have enough knowledge of the route to get them home?
What factors will aid #309 in making a successful migration back to Wisconsin?"

Sixth grader Marcus had a well-reasoned response. He thought about the personality, age, and abilities of each crane partner. Says Marcus,

"If #520 just follows #309 and does not assert her sense of where they should be going . . . then they could end up in a range of places roughly along the right latitude, as #309 as done for the past two years." (You can read Marcus's full response.)

#309 . . . A bully?
Yes! This Operation Migration report just came in from Joe Duff, crane handler and pilot:

"They were heading in the right direction, but the southern tip of Lake Michigan was right ahead of them. They could go either way depending - on who won lead." Later, he added, "We just received a report from the Tracking Team confirming that 309 bullied 520 into following her back to Michigan. It seems they are both in the eastern part of the state close to Lake Huron, and separated from Necedah by Lake Michigan.