What's a Whooper Doing Here?

On April 13, 2007, expert observers at Long Point Bird Observatory in Ontario, Canada were shocked. They saw a juvenile Whooping Crane fly over a marsh! Which flock was it from? Why was it here?

Was it possible that an Eastern flock bird took a detour? Tracker Dr. Richard Urbanek said no. "All of our 2006 birds were accounted for elsewhere at this time."

Could it be a Western flock juvenile floating around loose and way off course? "We did have 2 reports of a lone juvenile during the spring migration," said Tom Stehn. "It makes no sense to me how a juvenile could be at Long Point."

What do YOU think?

 

Journey North is pleased to feature this educational adventure made possible by the
Whooping Crane Eastern Partnership (WCEP).