Sara
says: "Here are #316,
412, 401, and 508. Cranes 401 & 508 paired up last
summer. They wintered together near Nashville, TN and have returned
to
an area that was becoming their territory
last year. Male 412 just arrived at Necedah with his winter
buddy, #402, on March 28. I heard them flying up to
Necedah
as I was driving there to meet the airplane bringing #735.
"The
two males separated upon arrival at the refuge, which is not
surprising. Arrival at Necedah in the spring usually brings change
in the social
situations of many birds; pairs and groups separate, and
new ones form. This was the first time we confirmed that #401 & #508
were back, so that was exciting. Slightly more exciting was
reading the bands on the 4th bird and realizing it was #316,
whose transmitter
no longer works. This group won’t remain together. This
was most likely a chance encounter of newly arrived birds moving
around
and encountering each other. Notice the bird on the road doing
a drop-wing threat and the strutting posture of the second
one from the right."
Photo
Sara Zimorski, ICF |