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Journey
North News: Winter
& Spring 2011
Posted
Fridays:
Feb. 11, 25, Mar. 11, 25, Apr. 1, 8, 15,
22, 29, May 13
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FINAL
Whooping Crane Migration Update: May 13, 2011
The
journey north winds down and the first chicks for the
Class of 2011 have hatched! See what's ahead for the
fast-growing fluff-balls in our video clip and slide
shows. New nests and chicks in Wisconsin create excitement,
and nesting conditions in Canada are good. We end the
season with tribute, celebration, and news of changes
ahead. Thanks for joining us!
Photo: Operation Migration
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: April 29, 2011
Excitement
grows as the annual cycle continues. The first Western
cranes have reached their Canadian nesting grounds
and Eastern cranes have 16 nests. This photo makes
us wonder: how many eggs does it take to make another
Whooping crane egg? It's time for the yearlings to
leave mom and dad. Next report: baby chicks!
Photo: Vickie Henderson |
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: April 22, 2011
The
race to the north continues! The
last two crane-kids began migration from Florida on April 17. Several cranes
of the Western flock are in the home stretch to Canada. At least 15 nests
are the big news in Wisconsin. Do nesting math to calculate when
the first chicks could hatch. Also, this season's answers
to
Ask the
Expert!
Photo Klaus Nigge
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: April 15, 2011
The
first whoopers have crossed into Canada and only 10
remain in Texas. Two youngsters stubbornly remain in
Florida while most of their Eastern flockmates are
back in Wisconsin, where nesting has begun! Calculate
this week's migration math for #6-10's journey north.
Celebrate freedom for the Louisiana cranes with this
week's video
clip and salute Tom Stehn's help for cranes.
Photo
Sue Kersey |
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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. Discover what you don't know
about crane territories and learn what clues cranes
show when they're about to migrate. What is so astonishing
about a mixed crane pair that began migration this
week?
Photo
Klauss Nigge |
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: April 4, 2011
Weather
slowed the migration this week. The 8 remaining crane-kids
are still in Florida,
but a few
more cranes
reached
the finish line in Wisconsin. Which cranes in the
Western flock are hurrying a bit and what makes them special?
Calculate some migration math and join a crane family at
their migration stopover in a video clip. In this image,
which way is the wind coming from, and how can you tell?
Photo
Laura Erickson |
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: March 25, 2011
Whoop,
whoop and away! On the first day of spring, two of the 2010
youngsters wintering at St. Marks began their first journey
north. The first birds to leave Texas have been reported
in Kansas, while a whopping 48 older cranes in the Eastern
Flock have landed on the Wisconsin nesting grounds. Cranes
migrate in small groups that leave at different times. How
does this help the species survive?
Photo
Laura Erickson |
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: March 11, 2011
The
first cranes from both migratory flocks are northward bound!
Learn how to tell a Whooping crane from other big black-and-white
birds. Does our image of the week show a Whooping crane? Meet
Al and Diane, the Western flock’s most productive pair.
Photo Jeannette Parker |
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: February 25, 2011
Happy news comes from the wintering grounds of both migratory flocks:
A record number of 181 Whooping cranes have been confirmed at Aransas
NWR,
and
the ten ultralight-led chicks
are maturing at the two Florida release
pens. Why are blue crabs so important to cranes, and how do they eat
those clawed crustaceans? This week's photos, video clip, stories and
field
reports
are packed with fascinating facts as we wait for migration to begin. Photo:
Laura
Erickson |
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Whooping
Crane Migration Update: February 11, 2011
The youngest cranes of both flocks have safely migrated hundreds of miles to
their
wintering
grounds. They are busy exploring and learning. See what the
youngster in this photo just discovered! Visit
both flocks on their wintering grounds in this week's slideshows and field notes.
Learn to identify the
new flock's Class
of 2010 crane-kids by their
banding codes. Welcome to a historic new season! Photo
Diane Loyd |
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Welcome
and Orientation
What endangered species stands nearly five feet tall with
a wingspan wider than most cars? Whooping Cranes! Our
reports begin on February 11, when these magnificent birds
are
on
their wintering grounds. Regular
WHOOPING CRANE SPRING MIGRATION UPDATES will be posted
here
on Fridays. (See schedule above.) Get ready for the journey
north adventure! Photo
Operation Migration
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